Extension of the three-component model of commitment to five foci - Development of measures and substantive test

We tested the generalizability of Meyer and Allen's (1991) three-component model of commitment to five foci, using a sample of university alumni (N = 478) and a sample of hospital nurses (N = 186). First, measures of affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the organization, the occupation, the supervisor, the work group, and customers were developed and tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Results provided strong support for the three-component model both within and across foci. They also showed that and low alternatives were distinguishable subcomponents within the continuance organizational commitment scale. Second, using hierarchical regression analysis, we show that commitments directed to foci other than the organization contribute unique variance in intent to quit the organization, above and beyond organizational commitment. Finally logistic regression analysis used to examine the relationships between commitment components and actual turnover measured 18 months after among the alumni sample revealed that affective organizational commitment and high sacrifice were the single significant predictors of turnover.