Human Needs As Predictors for Organizational Commitment and Job Involvement: An Exploratory Empirical Study**

Zusammenfassung

---

While the literature on the determinants of organizational commitment (OC) and job involvement (JI) is vast, little has been studied about the impact of human needs. In search for the institutional stars, this study examines whether human needs can serve a predictor for both high OC and high JI. Exploratory empirical results based on quantile regressions suggest that the needs for achievement, belonging, and power are more important than others in predicting OC and JI. In addition, the basic needs profile does not seem different between the institutional star and the average employee, however, differences between the two groups arise from the differences in the intensity of needs. Preliminary evidence also shows that the profile tends to be slightly lower for female workers or senior workers.

Siehe den Gesamtinhalt dieses Dokumentes

Auszug

---

Human Needs As Predictors for Organizational Commitment and Job Involvement: An Exploratory Empirical Study**

1. Introduction

Both of the concepts "Organizational Commitment" (OC) and "Job Involvement" (JI) have contributed to and enriched the scientific discussion since the early 1970ies (Porter et al. 1974; Rabinowitz/Hall 1977; Steers 1977; Kanungo 1979, 1982). Today, in a time in which entrepreneurial action is cost-driven and lean organizational structures seem to be the highest goal even for profitable organizations, the scientific analysis of OC and JI is experiencing a renaissance. Organizations that have downsized their workforce in search of growing profitability have to be able to rely on a highly motivated staff that is willing to take higher responsibility and perform even better (Meyer/Allen 1997: 5). Therefore, organizational and psychological research is turning back to issues of personality and motivation as indicators for superior performance (Brown 1996; Mount/Barrick 1998; Meyer et al. 2002; Arthur et al. 2001).

This study undertakes a first step into identifying a needs profile that predicts OC and JI as well as at differentiating the institutional star from the average employee. As Blau and Boal (1987) suggest, institutional stars, who exhibit both high OC and high JI, are the most valuable employees for an organization. Taking individual needs as starting point of our analysis, we take advantage of the fact that needs are exogenous predetermined or unchanging factors (that are not affected by situations).

To implement our approach, we estimate the needs profile for different grou...

Siehe den Gesamtinhalt dieses Dokumentes

---