Lyman W. Porter

The Measurement of Organizational Commitment.

Abstract This paper summarizes a stream of research aimed at developing and validating a measure of employee commitment to work organizations. The instrument, developed by Porter and his colleagues, is called the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ). Based on a series of studies among 2563 employees in nine divergent organizations, satisfactory test-retest reliabilities and internal consistency reliabilities were found. In addition, cross-validated evidence of acceptable levels of predictive, convergent, and discriminant validity emerged for the instrument. Norms for males and females are presented based on the available sample. Possible instrument limitations and future research needs on the measurement and study of organizational commitment are reviewed.

Organizational commitment and managerial turnover: A longitudinal study

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between organizational commitment and turnover among a sample of managerial trainees in a large merchandising company. A 15-mo longitudinal design was utilized, with attitude data being collected from the first day of each trainees employment through the end of the first 15 mo or until the time he left the organization. The results indicated that those trainees who voluntarily left the company during the initial 15-mo employment period had begun to show a definite decline in commitment prior to termination. Early leavers tended to show an early decline and later leavers a later decline.

Unit Performance, Situational Factors and Employee Attitudes in Spatially Separated Work Units.

Abstract This study investigated the relationships between work unit performance on the one hand, and employee attitudes and situational characteristics on the other hand, among 411 female clerical workers in 37 branches of a bank. The branches are work units characterized by spatial separation and the performance of similar functions. Two independent dimensions of performance were empirically identified and their relationship to attitudes and situational characteristics studied within a multivariate framework by means of multiple discriminant analysis. The results indicate that employee attitudes were significantly related to a measure of branch performance reflecting job duties performed within the branch. Employees in branches rated high in performance had a higher level of attitudes toward aspects of both the branch in which they work and the larger organization of which it is a part, while individuals in low- and medium-performing branches had a lower level of attitudes that was similar. Situational characteristics of the branch were most highly related to the managers performance of loan functions, a large portion of which may take place outside the branch.

When Friends Leave: A Structural Analysis of the Relationship between Turnover and Stayers' Attitudes

David Krackhardt and Lyman W. Porter It is argued in this paper that macro and micro perspectives can each benefit from the other. To demonstrate this, a current research issue in micro organizational behavior is analyzed with the help of theories in psychology, social psychology, and sociology. The specific question is: What effect does turnover in an organization have on the attitudes of those who remain in the organization? A longitudinal investigation of three fast-food restaurants explored this relationship against the background of the social network structures in each site. Among the findings was that the closer the employee was to those who left, the more satisfied and committed he or she became. The results underscore the importance of the structural context in studying micro phenomena, while at the same time they demonstrate the richness of micro theory in understanding why these phenomena occur.*

Central Life Interests and Organizational Commitment of Blue-Collar and Clerical Workers

Abstract : Central life interests (CLI) of male blue-collar and female clerical workers were measured along with their overall commitment to their employing organization and their attraction to twelve of its features. Workers with a CLI in work were more highly committed to their organization than those with a CLI in non-work institutions, while those with no preference in CLI appeared to give no special emphasis to the level of their organizational commitment. Some interpretations and conclusions are drawn from the data. (Modified author abstract)

When Both Similarities and Dissimilarities Matter: Extending the Concept of Relational Demography

The current study extends the concept of relational demography by considering both demographic similarities and demographic dissimilarities in supervisor-subordinate dyads. We further examined the effects of relational demography on both basic task performance and extra-role behaviors of the subordinates. We propose that demographic similarity, which engenders attraction, will be associated with extra-role behavior but not with basic task performance. We further propose that demographic dissimilarities that are consistent with relational norms will be associated with both types of performance. We tested these ideas on 335 supervisor-subordinate dyads in 10 US companies and found reasonable support for both hypotheses. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research on organizational demography and management of demographic differences that are inconsistent with social cultural norms.

Expectancy theory predictions of work effectiveness

Abstract While expectancy theory has been prominent in the psychological literature for some time, there has been relatively little research on the usefulness of the theory in predicting behavior in non-laboratory (i.e., “realworld”) situations. Using measurement techniques adapted from Fishbeins (1963) attitude theory, expectancy theory predictions were made of the work effectiveness of a group of 82 telephone company service representatives. The predictions were found to relate significantly to ratings of job involvement and effort, company performance appraisals, and error and sales data. Implications of the methodology and results of the study for diagnosing and changing the level of effort put forth by individuals in performance situations were suggested.

Forty Years of Organization Studies: Reflections from a Micro Perspective

? 1996 by Cornell University. 0001-8392/96/41 02-0262/

Viewing Turnover from the Perspecitve of Those Who Remain: The Relationship of Job Attitudes to Attributions of Causes of Turnover.

1 .00. This essay conveys my views of the past 40 years of organization studies. It is written from a micro perspective, representing my roots in psychology. The successes and the disappointments what I believe the field has accomplished or failed to accomplish over these four decades are reviewed, followed by some thoughts about what I think ought to happen in the future if the field is to continue to advance.

Supervisory Behavior and Employee Turnover: A Field Experiment

Abstract : The study examined the attributions of employees in seven agencies of state and county government concerning the reasons for turnover among their fellow employees. Participants in the study were asked to indicate which of three possible reasons was the most important cause of turnover in their agency. Attributions about the causes of turnover were examined in relation to employee attitudes, behavioral intentions, and investments in the organization. The results suggest that employees with positive job attitudes were less likely to indicate that others left because of job dissatisfaction. This finding is consistent with both the ego-defensive and ego-centri biases in attribution processes, but not the fundamental attribution error. (Author)