Delimiting the concept of organizational commitment: empirical evidence of the overlap between the entrenchment and the continuance mindset

Abstract

In the research agenda on organizational commitment, the three-dimensional model of Meyer and Allen is still extensively used, despite the fact that it has been the focus of discussions about conceptual and empirical problems, especially those related to one of its dimensions (continuance commitment). This study introduces to the existing debate the concept of organizational entrenchment, as the worker's tendency to remain due to his evaluation of his employability, his employment alternatives outside the organization, and the costs associated with leaving the company. In the career field, researchers found evidence of overlap between entrenchment and continuance commitment. In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis of overlap between these constructs within the organizational target, using structural equation modeling. The sample consisted of 721 workers from different organizations and states in Brazil. We used SPSS 13.0 and AMOS 16.0 software. The two covariance models, both with good fit indices, provided evidence of overlap. In spite of the fact that the hypothesis was confirmed, we recommend further studies aimed at gathering additional empirical indicators showing that the continuance component represents the same phenomenon as organizational entrenchment, justifying its detachment from the concept of commitment.

Os Vínculos Organizacionais na Percepção de Gestores: Comprometimento, Entrincheiramento e Consentimento

“…The findings allow us to affirm that the ties show distinct antecedent and subsequent factors, corroborating the most recent theoretical perspectives (Bastos & Aguiar, 2015;Pinho et al, 2015b;Rodrigues & Bastos, 2015;Rodrigues et al, 2019; 255 255 2015). In strengthening the evidence that they are different ties, with equally distinct antecedents and consequences, we sustain the need to understand how multiple ties configure and work in an integrated form, i.e., how the multiples commitments are substituted, conflictual, complementary and work in synergy with other ties (Rossenberg et al, 2018).…”

“…To explore the complexity of the phenomenon, this paper uses commitment as a tie of affective nature, as this base is conceptually less controversial (Rodrigues et al, 2019) and strongly associated with desirable behaviour at work (Pinho et al, 2015a). Nevertheless, we argue that the continuative and normative should be investigated as separate phenomena from commitment, where they are called respectively entrenchment and consent.…”

“…The spectrum of studies on commitment includes conceptual and measuring aspects that, despite the ground covered by the studies, in the national and international contexts, they reveal the scope for a research agenda that is still far from being fully explored. The imprecision that involves organisational commitment is mostly related to the excessive widening of its conceptual and dimensional range (Rodrigues, Bastos, & Moscon, 2019).…”

“…Despite the explanatory potential of the affective commitment model (Bastos & Aguiar, 2015;Klein & Park, 2016;Rodrigues et al, 2019) and the improvement coming from the entrenchment (Rodrigues, 2009;Rodrigues & Bastos, 2012) and consent constructs (Silva, 2009;Silva & Bastos, 2010), few studies investigated the managerial perspective as these ties have similarities and differences with previous and subsequent correlations. Departing from these gaps, this study intends to cover ground in the theoretical field and empirically by researching on the retailing sector, specifically in the shopping malls, reaching a large number of organisations, this allows understanding how different ties are formed and relate in the contexts of the investigated organisations.…”

Career commitment and career entrenchment among Primary Health Care workers

“…Career commitment and career entrenchment explain the intention and persistence of workers in the course of action that delimits their occupation and investments to construct a successful personal trajectory that also benefits society. Possibly, career entrenchment does not depend on one's level of commitment; that is, entrenchment and commitment would be different and independent, but not opposing relations, though with different impacts on one's performance (6,(10)(11) .…”