Employee Commitment and Organizational Performance in Selected Private Universities in Bujumbura, Burundi

ABSTRACT 

This study was aimed at determining the effect of employee commitment on organizational performance. Globally, there seems to be an organizational performance crisis in both the public and private sectors, while there is need to produce more for less. This problem is cross-cutting in the least developed, emerging and industrialized nations, and has increased the need for effective mechanisms of evaluating the performance of organizations. The study was based on three specific objectives; to examine the effect of affective commitment on organizational performance, to explore the effect of continuance commitment on organization performance, and to assess the effect of normative commitment on organization performance in private universities in Bujumbura, Burundi. A review of existing literature revealed that very few studies have been done on employee commitment as many of the studies on organizational performance concentrated largely on rewards and benefits, yet employee commitment is not entirely based on rewards and benefits. The study aims to fill that knowledge gap. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, with the study sample comprising of 104 respondents. Data was collected using questionnaires and the interview guide, and the data collected was analyzed using descriptive and regression analysis to determine the effect of employee commitment on organizational performance. The findings of the study revealed that the various types of employee commitment including affective commitment (4.61), continuance commitment (4.64) and normative commitment (4.72) have a positive and significant effect on organizational performance in selected private universities in Bujumbura, Burundi. The study concluded that whereas the three types of commitment are all beneficial to organizational performance, the most preferable should be normative commitment (4.72) since it inspires an emotional connection between employees and the organization, and is therefore better for the long term benefit of the organization. The regression model presented in table 4.12 above shows organizational performance at a coefficient of 4.474, with the types of employee commitment that affect it, that is; affective commitment, continuance commitment, normative commitment held at zero constant. The study recommended that private universities should put in place and maintain mechanisms that endear the organization to its employees; maintain and improve the benefits packages, as well as improve the workplace environment in which employees work; and continuously innovate and improve their relationships with their employees in order to reduce on the level of normative commitment. This study’s contribution to knowledge is its ability to add to the body of existing knowledge on employee commitment as a whole and affective commitment in particular by bridging gaps in organizational performance research as a whole.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION..........................................................................................................i

APPROVAL................................................................................................................ii

DEDICATION............................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.......................................................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................. v

LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................... x

LIST OF ACRONYMS .............................................................................................. xi

ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. xii

CHAPTER ONE..........................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................1

1.0 Introduction......................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background to the Study .................................................................................................1

1.1.1 Historical Perspective ...................................................................................................1

1.1.2 Theoretical Perspective.................................................................................................4

1.1.3 Conceptual Perspective.................................................................................................5

1.1.4 Contextual Perspective .................................................................................................7

1.2 Problem Statement...........................................................................................................9

1.3 Purpose of the Study......................................................................................................10

1.4 Specific Objectives........................................................................................................10

1.5 Research Questions........................................................................................................10

1.6 Hypotheses.....................................................................................................................10

1.6 Scope of the Study.........................................................................................................11

1.6.1 Geographical Scope ....................................................................................................11

1.6.2 Content Scope.............................................................................................................11

1.6.3 Time Scope .................................................................................................................11

1.7 Significance of the Study...............................................................................................11

1.8 Operational Definition of Key Terms............................................................................12

CHAPTER TWO....................................................................................................... 14

LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................................... 14

2.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................14

2.1 Theoretical Review........................................................................................................14

2.2 Conceptual Framework..................................................................................................17

2.3 Organizational Performance ..........................................................................................18

2.4 Review of Related Literature.........................................................................................19

2.4.1 Effect of Affective Commitment on Organizational Performance.............................20

2.4.2 Effect of Continuance Commitment on Organizational Performance........................22

2.4.3 Effect of Normative Commitment on Organizational Performance...........................25

2.5 Related Studies ..............................................................................................................27

2.6 Research Gap .................................................................................................................30

CHAPTER THREE................................................................................................... 32

METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................... 32

3.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................32

3.1 Research Design ............................................................................................................32

3.2 Research Population ......................................................................................................32

3.3 Sample Size ...................................................................................................................32

3.4 Sampling Procedure.......................................................................................................33

3.5 Data Sources..................................................................................................................33

3.6 Research Instruments.....................................................................................................33

3.6.1 Questionnaires ............................................................................................................33

3.6.2 Interviews ...................................................................................................................34

3.7 Validity and Reliability of Instruments .........................................................................34

3.7.1 Validity .......................................................................................................................34

3.7.2 Reliability ...................................................................................................................34

3.8 Data Gathering Procedure..............................................................................................35

3.8.1 Before Data Gathering................................................................................................35

3.8.2 During Data Gathering ...............................................................................................35

3.8.3 After Data Gathering ..................................................................................................36

3.9 Data Analysis.................................................................................................................36

3.10 Ethical Consideration...................................................................................................36

CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................... 37

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS ............. 37

4.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................37

4.1 Response Rate................................................................................................................37

4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents...............................................................37

4.2.1 Respondents’ Gender..................................................................................................37

4.2.2 Respondents’ Age.......................................................................................................38

4.2.3 Respondents’ Marital Status.......................................................................................39

4.2.4 Respondents’ Education Levels..................................................................................39

4.2.5 Respondents’ Gender..................................................................................................40

4.3 Affective Commitment and Organizational Performance .............................................42

4.4 Continuance Commitment and Organizational Performance ........................................46

4.5 Normative Commitment and Organizational Performance ...........................................50

4.6 Regression Analysis.......................................................................................................53

CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................... 55

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .... 55

5.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................55

5.1 Summary of Findings ....................................................................................................55

5.1.1 Summary of Findings on Affective Commitment ......................................................55

5.1.2 Summary of Findings on Continuance Commitment .................................................55

5.3 5.2 Conclusions of the Study.........................................................................................56

5.3 Recommendations..........................................................................................................57

5.3.1 Affective Commitment of Employees in Private Universities ...................................57

5.3.3 Continuance Commitment of Employees in Private Universities..............................58

5.4 Suggestions for Further Research..................................................................................58

5.6 Contribution to Knowledge ...........................................................................................58

REFERENCES.......................................................................................................... 60

APPENDICES........................................................................................................... 71

APPENDIX I: Questionnaire..................................................................................... 71

APPENDIX II: Interview Guide................................................................................ 77

APPENDIX III: Krejcie and Morgan (1970) Table for Sample Size Determiation ... 78

APPENDIX IV: Map of the Study area..................................................................... 79