Testing for a four‐dimensional structure of occupational commitment

Using three samples, 230 medical technologists, 412 working adults and 227 Executive MBA students, this study found support for a revised four-dimension measure of occupational commitment consisting of affective, normative, accumulated costs and limited alternatives dimensions.

Abstract

Using three samples, 230 medical technologists, 412 working adults and 227 Executive MBA students, this study found support for a revised four‐dimension measure of occupational commitment consisting of affective, normative, accumulated costs and limited alternatives dimensions. This four‐dimension structure is based on expanding Meyer, Allen, and Smith's (1993) three‐dimension, i.e. affective, normative and continuance, occupational commitment conceptualization. Continuance occupational commitment was operationalized as two separate dimensions, accumulated costs and limited alternatives occupational commitment, based on Carson, Carson, and Bedeian's (1995) career (occupational) entrenchment measure.