Job insecurity and affective organisational commitment : development and empirical evaluation of two structural models

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Job insecurity is a stressor that has numerous harmful consequences for both an individual and an organisation. The main objective of this study was to develop and empirically test two structural models, each depicting a possible nomological net of predictors explicating the relationship between cognitive job insecurity and affective organisational commitment, being mediated by affective job insecurity, by including various moderators affecting the mediated relationship. A greater understanding of the psychological processes that explicate the job insecurity and affective organisational commitment relationship could aid organisations in the South African environment to better understand the phenomenon of job insecurity and affective organisational commitment. The study made use of a non‐experimental quantitative research design to explore the relationships that exist amongst the variables (model 1: cognitive job insecurity, affective job insecurity, work centrality, optimism, and affective organisational commitment; model 2: cognitive job insecurity, affective job insecurity, employability, optimism, and affective organisational commitment). The sample included 154 participants that were selected though convenience sampling. The results of the analysis (conducted with PLS) provided sufficient evidence that of the two models, the constructs in model 2 provided a better explanation of the variables explicating the cognitive job insecurity, affective organisational commitment relationship, when being mediated by affective job insecurity. In summary, in model 2, six out of the eight paths were statistically significant, whereas in model 1, three statistically significant paths were obtained. The moderating effect of employability in the cognitive job insecurity, affective job insecurity relationship in model 2 was statistically significant. This is in contrast to the statistically insignificant moderating effect of work centrality in model 1. Additionally, a trend in the data existed across both models which suggested that optimism may buffer the negative effect of affective job insecurity on affective organisational commitment. Furthermore, the results provided support for the mediating role of affective job insecurity in linking cognitive job insecurity and employee outcomes. From the results, this study proposes various interventions that could be used to combat andreduce an individual’s negative experiences of job insecurity and thus it may increase their affective organisational commitment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Werksonsekerheid is ʼn stressor wat talle skadelike gevolge vir individue en organisasies inhou. Die hoofdoelwit van hierdie studie was om twee strukturele modelle te ontwikkel en empiries te toets, elk met ʼn moontlike nomologiese net van voorspellers wat die verhouding tussen kognitiewe werksonsekerheid en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis uiteensit, met die bemiddeling van affektiewe werksonsekerheid deur die insluiting van verskillende moderators wat die bemiddelde verhouding beinvloed. Beter begrip van die sielkundige prosesse wat die verhouding tussen werksonsekerheid en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis verklaar, kan organisasies in die Suid‐ Afrikaanse omgewing help om die verskynsel van werksonsekerheid en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis beter te verstaan. Die studie maak gebruik van ʼn nie‐eksperimentele kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp om die verhoudings wat tussen die veranderlikes bestaan, te verken (model 1: kognitiewe werksonsekerheid, affektiewe werksonsekerheid, werksentraliteit, optimisme en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis; model 2: kognitiewe werksonsekerheid, affektiewe werksonsekerheid, aanstelbaarheid, optimisme en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis). Die steekproef sluit 154 deelnemers in, wat deur geriefsteekproefneming gekies is. Die resultate van die ontleding (wat met die parsiele kleinste vierkant gedoen is) verskaf voldoende bewyse dat uit die twee modelle, die konstrukte in model 2 ʼn beter verduideliking bied van die veranderlikes wat die verhouding tussen kognitiewe werksonsekerheid en affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis verklaar, wanneer dit deur affektiewe werksonsekerheid bemiddel word. Kortweg dus was ses uit die agt bane in model 2 statisties beduidend, terwyl slegs drie statisties beduidende bane in model 1 gevind is. Die modererende effek van aanstelbaarheid in die verhouding tussen kognitiewe werksonsekerheid en affektiewe werksonsekerheid in model 2 was statisties beduidend. Dit is in teenstelling met die statisties onbeduidende modererende effek van werksentraliteit in model 1. Daar is ook ʼn tendens in die data oor albei modelle heen, wat daarop dui dat optimisme die negatiewe effek van affektiewe werksonsekerheid op affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis kan buffer. Voorts verleen die resultate steun vir die bemiddelende rol van affektiewe werksonsekerheid in die verband tussen kognitiewe werksonsekerheid en werknemeruitkomste. Op grond van die resultate stel die studie verskillende ingrypings voor wat gebruik kan word om ʼn individu se negatiewe ondervindings van werksonsekerheid teen te werk en te verminder en dus hulle affektiewe organisatoriese verbintenis te verhoog.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Organizational effectiveness -- Evaluation, Organizational commitment, Employees -- Rating of, Affect (Psychology), UCTD
Citation