Organizational commitment and managerial turnover: A longitudinal study

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between organizational commitment and turnover among a sample of managerial trainees in a large merchandising company. A 15-mo longitudinal design was utilized, with attitude data being collected from the first day of each trainee's employment through the end of the first 15 mo or until the time he left the organization. The results indicated that those trainees who voluntarily left the company during the initial 15-mo employment period had begun to show a definite decline in commitment prior to termination. Early leavers tended to show an early decline and later leavers a later decline.