The Influence of Occupational Rank On Organizational Commitment of Faculty Members
The Influence of Occupational Rank On Organizational Commitment of Faculty Members
Pooja Sharma *
Vinita Sinha **
1. INTRODUCTION
*
Pooja Sharma, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India,
E-mail: [email protected]
**
Vinita Sinha, PhD, assistant professor, Symbiosis International University, Pune, India,
E-mail: [email protected]
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According to Opkara (2004) when employees are sure that they will grow
and learn with their current organization, their commitment level for the
organization raises. Organizational commitment has gained prominence in
management discourse since it plays a vital role in the goal achievement,
innovation and stability of the organization. Organizational commitment has
been linked to workforce stability (Steers, 1977), decreased turnover (Mowday
et al., 1979), decreased intention to leave (Tett and Meyer, 1993), low
absenteeism (Cohen, 1993; Zahra, 1984), increased citizenship behaviour such
as suggesting improvements, assisting colleagues and putting forth extra efforts
(Brief et al., 1986). Researchers have found organizational commitment to be a
stable indicator of an employee’s intention to stay in the organization (Meyer
and Allen, 1997; Mowday et al., 1979 and Steers 1977).
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who think their alternatives are few develop stronger continuance commitment.
For most employees, with increase in their age and organizational tenure, their
perceived costs associated with leaving organization also increases because of
the accumulation of their investment (retirement money, job security, status,
unused vacations etc.) (Allen and Meyer, 1993; Abdulla and Shaw, 1999).
Thus, various studies conducted by researchers like Labatmediene et al., (2007);
Allen and Meyer (1990); Savery and Syme (1996); Rhodes (1983); Smith and
Hoy (1992); Luthans et al., (1987) and Popoola (2009) found age and job tenure
to have a positive correlation with organizational commitment
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(2001) studied 204 students to examine the relationship between work values,
gender and organizational commitment. A moderated regression analysis
showed that work values especially cognitive ones, are positively related with
commitment and interaction of values with gender was also found to be a
significant predictor of commitment.
2. METHODOLOGY
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A survey was conducted in 2012-13. The population for this study was
comprised of faculty members from all the private technical institutes in
Haryana. A total of 650 questionnaires were administered to potential
respondents randomly chosen from 28 institutes. The institutes were selected to
include sample institutes from all the districts of Haryana. A total of 505 usable
questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 77.69%. Of these 505
respondents, 292 (57.82%) were assistant professors, 101 (20%) were associate
professors, 60 (11.88%) were readers and 52 (9.90%) were professors.
Each item in the scale was measured from a range of (1) representing
extremely dissatisfied to (7) representing extremely satisfied. Thus, (4) on the
measuring scale represented indifference, i.e., neither satisfaction nor
dissatisfaction. The total of the three scale, therefore, gives a summary measure
of total organizational commitment. The demographic questions in the
questionnaire included rank and commitment, with respect to affective,
continuance and normative commitment. The questions on age and gender were
asked to see if relationship between rank and organizational commitment is
moderated by age and gender.
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Overall organizational
N Percentage
commitment
Rank
Assistant 292 57.82 4.118
professor
Associate 101 20 4.238
professor
Reader 60 11.88 4.327
Professor 52 9.90 4.484
Gender
Male 310 61.38 4.206
Female 195 38.61 4.220
Age
20-30 195 38.61 4.173
30-40 110 21.78 4.196
40-50 120 23.76 4.208
50 and above 80 15.84 4.290
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Assistant Associate
Age Reader Professors All types
professors professors
Male faculty
20-30 4.169 4.031 - - 4.155
30-40 4.108 4.168 3.938 4.458 4.138
40-50 4.215 4.228 4.250 4.357 4.249
50& above 3.941 4.429 4.563 4.513 4.285
All age groups 4.133 4.245 4.213 4.416 4.206
Female faculty
20-30 4.188 4.188 - - 4.193
30-40 4.253 4.212 - 5.750* 4.275
40-50 3.781 4.425 - 5.125* 4.129
50& above 4.016 4.422 - 5.125* 4.272
All age groups 4.091 4.338 - 5.333 4.220
Note: *Only one valid case - no response in the category
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Table 3 represents the ANOVA results, which show that, for the direct
effects and the 0.05 significant level, gender and age are not statistically
significant, but rank is, with the p-value of 0.021. This implies that
organizational commitment of faculty in privately-owned technical institutions
is significantly dependent on rank but not on age and gender. It should be noted
that although gender by itself is not statistically significant, the interaction
effect of rank and gender is significant (p<0.012). This means that although
gender by itself is not significantly related with organizational commitment, it is
significant when compared together with rank of the teachers in private
technical institutions. All other interactions effects are not significantly
significant with respect to overall organizational commitment (see Table 3).
ANOVA results of the interactive effects of rank and gender are presented
graphically in Figure 1. It is evident that both male and female Assistant
professors are about equally committed to their organizations, while female
faculty experience higher organizational commitment than their male
counterparts for the ranks of associate professors, readers and professors. In
essence, the findings show that female faculty of senior ranks are more
committed than their male counterparts of the comparable rank. For the rank of
Professors, in particular, the difference between the organizational commitment
levels of male and female faculty is considerable (overall organizational
commitment scores of 5 versus 3.946).
for the overall organizational commitment, but also for affective commitment,
continuance commitment and normative commitment. It is of interest to observe
that continuance commitment, in particular, the variables, i.e., rank and
interactive effect of rank and gender, are each significant at 99% confidence
level. The F-values are as high as 12.697 for rank and gender and 23.699 with
respect to commitment level on rank alone. Compared to variables such as age
and gender, therefore, rank appears to be significant predictor of organizational
commitment in academic staff.
0
Assistant professor Associate professor Reader Professor
Male Female
Figure 2 depicts the nature of the relationship between rank and overall
organizational commitment and between rank and affective, continuance and
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4. CONCLUSION
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In conclusion, we can state that the results of the study show the
associative relationship between ranks (as well as the interaction between rank
and gender) and organizational commitment but they do not suggest causal
relationship. By concluding that the lower rank teachers are less committed to
their organizations we do not imply that rank is the cause of organizational
commitment. This limitation suggests possible directions for further research. It
will be interesting to investigate how and why rank, among other factors, affects
organizational commitment. It will be helpful if rank and other factors can be
quantified as this would contribute significantly to the current literature on
organizational commitment.
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Sažetak
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