Organizational Commitment Theory

Organizational commitment (OC) is, in general terms, an employee’s sense of attachment and loyalty to the work organization with which the employee is associated. It is defined in terms of an employee’s attitudes and intentions (understood as the precursors of behavior). Employees are said to be committed to the organization when their goals are congruent with those of the organization, when they are willing to exert effort on behalf of the organization, and when they desire to maintain their connection with the organization. Unsurprisingly, OC has been shown to be a key antecedent of other important attitudes and behaviors, including those related to performance and turnover.