No More One-size-fits-all Approach to Organizational Commitment: Evidence from a Quantile Regression

Abstract

We distinguish three organizational commitment (OC) processes (compliance, identification, and internalization) based on functional theory and examine whether the importance of these mechanisms varies with public servants’ OC levels. Our quantile regression results provide evidence for both the phased characteristics and common basis of OC. pay and promotion appropriateness have stronger positive associations with OC among low-committed employees, and public service motivation has a stronger positive association with OC among high-committed employees; compliance and intrinsic internalization processes are especially active at low and high commitment levels, respectively. On the other hand, group culture and transformational leadership as a common basis of OC has similar effects on the improvement of OC for all public servants, regardless of OC levels; identification and extrinsic internalization processes are important to a similar extent at all OC levels.