Organizational commitment has been conceptualized and measured in various ways. The two studies reported here were conducted to test aspects of a three-component model of commitment which integrates these various conceptualizations. The affective component of organizational commitment, proposed by the model, refers to employees' emotional attachment to, identification with, and involvement in, the organization. The continuance component refers to commitment based on the costs that employees associate with leaving the organization. Finally, the normative component refers to employees' feelings of obligation to remain with the organization. In Study 1, scales were developed to measure these components. Relationships among the components of commitment and with variables considered their antecedents were examined in Study 2. Results of a canonical correlation analysis suggested that, as predicted by the model, the affective and continuance components of organizational commitment are empirically distinguishable constructs with different correlates. The affective and normative components, although distinguishable, appear to be somewhat related. The importance of differentiating the components of commitment, both in research and practice, is discussed.

The measurement and antecedents of affective, continuance and normative commitment to the organization

According to W. Edwards Deming, American companies require nothing less than a transformation of management style and of governmental relations with industry. In Out of the Crisis, originally published in 1982, Deming offers a theory of management based on his famous 14 Points for Management. Management's failure to plan for the future, he claims, brings about loss of market, which brings about loss of jobs. Management must be judged not only by the quarterly dividend, but by innovative plans to stay in business, protect investment, ensure future dividends, and provide more jobs through improved product and service. In simple, direct language, he explains the principles of management transformation and how to apply them.

Out of the Crisis

A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment

In this article, we summarize previous empirical studies that examined antecedents, correlates, and/or consequences of organizational commitment using meta-analysis. In total, 48 meta-analyses were conducted, including 26 variables classified as antecedents, 8 as consequences, and 14 as correlates.

A review and meta-analysis of the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of organizational commitment

Cognitive evaluation theory, which explains the effects of extrinsic motivators on intrinsic motivation, received some initial attention in the organizational literature. However, the simple dichotomy between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation made the theory difficult to apply to work settings. Differentiating extrinsic motivation into types that differ in their degree of autonomy led to self-determination theory, which has received widespread attention in the education, health care, and sport domains. This article describes self-determination theory as a theory of work motivation and shows its relevance to theories of organizational behavior. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Self‐determination theory and work motivation

We discuss the “Charge of the Byte Brigade”, manifest in the over-emphasis on technological solutions to system design and a set of criticisms levied against humans. Function allocation is central to these issues. We identify a number of different perspectives on the meaning and status of function allocation and outline our own position. This is critical of the field generally, and we argue for a number of actions, not least for a change in name in an attempt to capture a more integrative perspective on socio-technical allocations. Much of what we recommend is concerned with re-branding and re-positioning the content and underlying mindsets of this field of endeavour, and with extending the roles of people working in it. In particular, we argue that socio-technical allocations are central to system design, that we need a more integrated approach to the design and use of systems and that this process should be owned by system managers and users. We argue the need for more research and development, for the development of improved tools to support design, for raising public awareness and for developing new partnerships with relevant stakeholders. In the final part of the paper, we describe our own approach to the development and use of a set of interrelated tools to support socio-technical allocations. Finally, we comment on the existing marginalization of these issues.

The “Charge of the Byte Brigade” and a socio-technical response

Intelligent agents offer a new and exciting way of understanding the world of work. In this paper we apply agent- based modeling and simulation to investigate a set of problems in a retail context. Specifically, we are working to understand the relationship between human resource management practices and retail productivity. Despite the fact we are working within a relatively novel and complex domain, it is clear that intelligent agents could offer potential for fostering sustainable organizational capabilities in the future. The project is still at an early stage. So far we have conducted a case study in a UK department store to collect data and capture impressions about operations and actors within departments. Furthermore, based on our case study we have built and tested our first version of a retail branch simulator which we will present in this paper.

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Using intelligent agents to understand management practices and retail productivity

Some problems of investigating causal relationships when undertaking field research are outlined. The potential of cross-lagged correlation analysis in this context is assessed by describing the technique, its underlying assumptions and its previous use in applied occupational research. A method for evaluating the technique using simulated data is described. Preliminary findings using this approach show that cross-lagged correlation analysis is a viable technique under relatively straightforward conditions. Nevertheless, further work needs to be done before it is sufficiently well understood to give a high level of confidence in conclusions based on the technique.

The potential of cross-lagged correlation analysis in field research

This paper replicates an earlier study testing the hypothesis that relatively poor mental health is associated with simplified jobs, but only for those employees who see their work as not using their skills, and who at the same time report high levels of cognitive failure. The hypothesis is confirmed in two separate samples.

The relationship between simplified jobs and mental health: A replication study

This review examines some of the psychological and organizational aspects of computer-aided manufacturing. It provides a selective review of the literature, a summary of our own research, and some suggestions on prospects for future research and development into the links between IT and behavior.

Chris W. Clegg

Papers

The “Charge of the Byte Brigade” and a socio-technical response

Using intelligent agents to understand management practices and retail productivity

The potential of cross-lagged correlation analysis in field research

The relationship between simplified jobs and mental health: A replication study

Psychological and organizational aspects of computer-aided manufacturing