Table Of ContentPERCEIVED ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT, ORGANISATIONAL
COMMITMENT AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS AMONGST
EMPLOYEES IN A SELECTED COMPANY IN THE AVIATION
INDUSTRY
MAAHIERAH SATARDIEN
Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
of Magister Commercii in the Department of Industrial Psychology, Faculty of
Economic and Management Science, University of the Western Cape.
Supervisor: Rukhsana Jano
Co-Supervisor: Dr Leon Bosman
NOVEMBER 2014
DECLARATION
I declare that Perceived organisational support, organisational commitment and turnover
intentions amongst employees in a selected company in the aviation industry is my own
work, that it has not been submitted before for any degree or examination at any other
institution or higher learning, and that all the references have, to the best of my knowledge
been indicated and acknowledged as complete references.
Full Name: Maahierah Satardien
Date: November 2014
Signed: M. Satardien
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Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of various people, without whom this
research and my qualification would not have materialised.
Foremost, I am grateful to my Creator for enabling me to embark upon this journey.
Whilst words cannot express my gratitude, I wish to thank my loving family, parents and
siblings, without them I would not have been able to reach this point. Throughout my entire
academic life they have consistently provided strength, balance, encouragement, and
dedication to helping me achieve my goals, no matter how great or small. You all have
proven to me that love is truly unconditional, and for that I am eternally grateful.
To my husband, for his unconditional love and belief in me, for the much needed
encouragement, support, motivation and the sacrifices he has had to make and endure. Your
encouragement and support speaks volumes and I will always be indebted to you.
To the organisation that granted permission to participate in this study and to the employees
who participated, a huge, heart-warming thank you.
I would like to thank my supervisor, Rukhsana Jano for all that she has done for me over the
past year. I truly appreciate the time, guidance, and commitment shown towards me. I could
not have gotten to this point given the hurdles in my academic career, however, your constant
valued input, supervision, and help assisted in this becoming a reality. I am indebted to you
for your ongoing guidance, encouragement and invaluable insights and contributions.
And last but not least a special thank you to Karl Heslop for playing a pivotal role in my
academic development and also assisting with statistical analysis - my sincerest thanks.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS PAGE NO.
Declaration i
Acknowledgements ii
List of tables x
List of figures xi
Abstract xii
Keywords xiv
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Problem Statement 4
1.3 Rationale for the Research 7
1.4 Research Objectives 9
1.5 Research Hypotheses 10
1.6 Definition of Key Terms 11
1.7 Summary of the Chapter 12
1.8 Overview of the Study 13
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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction 14
2.2 Perceived Organisational Support 14
2.2.1 Introduction 14
2.2.2 Definition of Perceived Organisational Support 15
2.2.3 Underlying theories of Perceived Organisational 17
Support
2.2.3.1 The Social Exchange Theory 18
2.2.3.2 The Organisational Support Theory 19
2.2.4 Antecedents of Perceived Organisational Support 20
2.2.4.1 Perceived Supervisory Support 21
2.2.4.2 Procedural Justice 23
2.2.4.3 Organisational Rewards and Job Conditions 24
2.2.4.4 Role Stressors and Training 26
2.2.5 Consequences of Perceived Organisational Support 27
2.2.5.1 Psychological Consequences of Perceived 29
Organisational Support
2.2.5.2 Behavioural Consequences of Perceived 29
Organisational Support
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2.3 Organisational Commitment 32
2.3.1 Introduction 32
2.3.2 Definition of Organisational Comm itment 32
2.3.3 Meyer and Allen’s Model of Organisational 34
Commitment
2.3.3.1 Affective Commitment 36
2.3.3.2 Continuance Commitment 39
2.3.3.3 Normative Commitment 41
2.3.4 Consequences of Organisational Commitment 43
2.3.4.1 Organisational Citizenship Behaviour 44
2.3.4.2 Job Satisfaction 44
2.3.4.3 Organisational Effectiveness 45
2.3.4.4 Turnover Intentions 45
2.3.5 Organisational Commitment and Perceived 46
Organisational Support
2.4 Turnover Intentions 50
2.4.1 Introduction 50
2.4.2 Definition of Turnover Intentions 53
2.4.3 Antecedents of Turnover Intentions 54
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2.4.3.1 Attitudinal Antecedents of Turnover 54
Intentions
2.4.3.2 Personal Antecedents of T urnover 54
Intentions
2.4.4 Consequences of Turnover Intentions 55
2.5 Turnover Intentions and Perceived 56
Organisational Support
2.6 Turnover Intentions and Organisational 58
Commitment
2.7 Turnover Intentions, Perceived Organisational 60
Support and Organisational Commitment
2.8 Conclusion 62
CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction 63
3.2 Research Design 63
3.3 Population and Sample 64
3.4 Permission to Conduct Research 64
3.5 Data Collection 64
3.6 Survey Methodology 66
3.6.1 Advantages and disadvantages of survey methodology 66
3.6.2 Advantages and disadvantages of web based survey 67
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3.7 Measuring Instruments 67
3.7.1 Biographical questionnaire 67
3.7.2 Survey of Perceived Organisational 68
Support
3.7.2.1 Nature and composition of the Survey 68
of Perceived Organisational Support
3.7.2.2 Psychometric properties of the Survey 68
of Perceived Organisational Support
3.7.3 Organisational Commitment Questionnaire 69
3.7.3.1 Nature and composition of the 69
Organisational Commitment Questionnaire
3.7.3.2 Psychometric properties of the 70
Organisational Commitment Questionnaire
3.7.4 Turnover Intentions Questionnaire 71
3.7.4.1 Nature and Composition of the Turnover 71
Intentions Questionnaire
3.7.4.2 Psychometric properties of the Turnover 72
Intentions Questionnaire
3.7.5 Rationale for using these questionnaires 73
3.8 Statistical Techniques 73
3.8.1 Descriptive Statistics 73
3.8.2 Inferential Statistics 73
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3.8.2.1 The Pearson Product Moment 74
Correlation Coefficient
3.8.2.2 Multiple Regression Analysis 74
3.9 Summary of the Chapter 75
CHAPTER 4
PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
4.1 Introduction 76
4.2 Descriptive Statistics 77
4.2.1 Results of the biographical questionnaire 77
4.2.2 Descriptive Statistics for Perceived Organisational 84
Support, Organisational Commitment and Turnover
Intentions Questionnaires
4.3 Inferential Statistics 85
4.4 Reliability 90
4.5 Validity 91
4.5.1 Perceived Organisational Support 91
4.5.2 Organisational Commitment 92
4.5.3 Turnover Intentions 93
4.6 Conclusion 93
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CHAPTER 5
DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Introduction 94
5.2 Overview of the Study 94
5.3 Summary and Interpretation of Findings 94
5.3.1 Hypothesis 1 95
5.3.2 Hypothesis 2 97
5.3.3 Hypothesis 3 99
5.3.4 Hypothesis 4 102
5.3.5 Hypothesis 5 106
5.4 Most Salient Findings 110
5.5 Limitations and Recommendations for 112
Future Research
5.6 Recommendations for the Organisation 113
5.7 Conclusion 116
References List 118
Appendices: 155
Appendix A Cover Letter 155
Appendix B Consent Declaration 156
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