The effect of military organisation-salient factors on affective commitment in the South African air force

Date
2023-03
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: This research study seeks to explore the impact on Affective Commitment of four salient organisational factors, namely Organisational Justice, Perceived Organisational Support, Organisational Trust and Organisational Identification. Affective Commitment This research was conducted in a public sector department, the Department of Defence (DOD), and specifically the South African Air Force (SAAF). A scientific research methodology was utilised to ascertain the reliability and validity of the suggested proposition to identify the impact of the selected variables on Affective Commitment. This research also explored the inter-relationship and its influence among the identified constructs through logical reasoning and comprehensive literature was provided to unpack these relationships. Explanatory research methodology was used to assess the identified hypotheses on the linkages between identified variables, and to construct and test a Structural Equation Model (SEM) that reflects the relationships among the variables. Five instruments/scales were utilised to gather data for this research. Therefore, surveys were made up of Niehoff and Moorman’s (1993) instrument of Organisational Justice, Rhodes and Eisenberger’s (2002) instrument of Perceived Organisational Support, Mael and Ashfort’s (1992) instrument of Organisational Identification, Schoorman and Ballinger’s (2006) instrument of Organisational Trust and Meyer et al.’s (1993) instrument of Affective Commitment. The 480 military personnel were selected as a sample for this study, recruited by means of a convenience sampling method. This sample consisted of both scarce-skilled and non-scarce-skilled members from different military rank groups. In order to collect data, a survey study design with a quantitative approach was used. The measurement and structural models were assessed by means of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) after conducting item dimensionality and confirmatory factor analyses. The dimensionality and item analyses were conducted in order to pinpoint the items that are poor and ascertain that the scales are unidimensional. Significant relationships were found between Organisational Justice and Organisational Trust; Perceived Organisational Support and Organisational Identification; Organisational Justice and Organisational Identification; Perceived Organisational Support and Organisational Trust; Organisational Trust and Organisational Identification; Organisational Trust and Affective Commitment and Organisational Identification and Affective Commitment. The study findings indicated that there is no significant relationship between Perceived Organisational Support and Affective Commitment. Both measurement and structural model-fit statistics were generally sufficient. This study further highlighted the limitations and suggestions that were identified in completion of this study. The study findings present imperative insight for the SAAF and recommendations are also provided to better equip the organisation.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsingstudie poog om die impak op Affektiewe Toewyding van vier belangrike organisatoriese faktore te ondersoek, naamlik Organisatoriese Regverdigheid, Waargenome Organisatoriese Ondersteuning, Organisatoriese Vertroue en Organisatoriese Identifikasie. Hierdie navorsing is gedoen in 'n departement van die openbare sektor, naamlik die Departement van Verdediging (DOD), en spesifiek die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag (SALM). Wetenskaplike navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik om vas te stel hoe betroubaar en geldig die voorgestelde aanbeveling is om die impak van die geselekteerde veranderlikes op Affektiewe Toewyding te identifiseer. Hierdie navorsing het ook die inter-verhouding en die invloed daarvan op die geidentifiseerde konstrukte deur middel van logiese redenasie ondersoek. Omvattende literatuur is verskaf om hierdie verhoudings uiteen te sit. Verduidelikende navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik om die geidentifiseerde hipoteses op die verband tussen die geidentifiseerde veranderlikes te assesseer, en om 'n strukturele vergelykingmodel (SEM) op te bou en te toets. Die doel van hierdie SEM is om die verhoudings tussen die veranderlikes te weerspieel. Vyf instrumente / skale is gebruik om data vir hierdie navorsing in te samel. Daarom is opnames saamgestel uit: Niehoff and Moorman’s (1993) instrument of Organisational Justice, Rhodes and Eisenberger’s (2002) instrument of Perceived Organisational Support, Mael and Ashfort’s (1992) instrument of Organisational Identification, Schoorman and Ballinger’s (2006) instrument of Organisational Trust and Meyer et al.’s (1993) instrument of Affective Commitment. Die 480 militere personeel wat gekies is as monster vir hierdie studie, is gewerf met behulp van 'n gerieflikheidsmonstermetode. Hierdie monster het bestaan uit sowel skaarsvaardigheid as nie-skaarsvaardigheid geskoolde lede, van verskillende militere ranggroepe. Om data te versamel, is 'n opnamestudiemetode met 'n kwantitatiewe benadering gebruik. Die meting en strukturele modelle is deur middel van strukturele vergelykingmodellering (SEM) beoordeel nadat item-, dimensionaliteit- en bevestigende faktorontledings gedoen is. Die dimensionaliteit- en itemontledings is uitgevoer om die items wat swak is te bepaal en te verseker dat die skale unidimensioneel is. Beduidende verhoudings is gevind tussen organisatoriese geregtigheid en organisatoriese vertroue; waargenome organisatoriese ondersteuning en organisatoriese identifikasie; organisatoriese regverdigheid en organisatoriese identifikasie; waargenome organisatoriese vertroue; organisatoriese vertroue en organisatoriese identifikasie; organisatoriese vertroue en affektiewe toewyding en organisatoriese identifikasie en affektiewe toewyding. Die bevindings van die studie het aangedui dat daar geen beduidende verhouding tussen waargenome organisatoriese ondersteuning en affektiewe toewyding is nie. Sowel meting as strukturele modelpasstatistieke was oor die algemeen voldoende. Hierdie studie het ook die beperkings en voorstelle uitgelig wat tydens die voltooiing van hierdie studie geidentifiseer is. Die studiebevindings bied noodsaaklike insig vir die SAAF en aanbevelings word ook gemaak om die organisasie beter toe te rus.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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