Affective Commitment to Organizations and Supervisors and Turnover: A Role Theory Perspective

Drawing from role theory and structural functionalism, we examined the temporal relationship between employees’ affective commitment to the organization (ACO) and affective commitment to the supervisor (ACS) and how these commitments affect turnover. We further examined perceived supervisor-organization value congruence as a moderator. In Study 1, a three-wave panel study (N = 317), we found longitudinal change in ACO to result in a temporal change in ACS, suggesting ACO precedes ACS. Study 2 (N = 272) extended this result by looking at the relationships of these commitments to turnover and perceived supervisor-organization value congruence as a moderator. ACS mediated a negative relationship between ACO and turnover. Moreover, ACO’s relationship with ACS and indirect relationship with turnover were stronger at high levels of supervisor-organization value congruence.