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Organisational Support and Employee Commitment in Sri Lanka

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

Michael O’Donnell ,
Ananda K. L. Jayawardana  and
J. A. S. K. Jayakody
Michael O’Donnell
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Canberra
Ananda K. L. Jayawardana
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
J. A. S. K. Jayakody
Affiliation:
University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Abstract

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This study explores employees’ perceptions of organisational support, commitment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions in Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT). Organisational support involves the provision of valued financial benefits along with employees’ perceptions of support from supervisors and co-workers, and procedural fairness in decision-making. We found strong evidence that high levels of organisational support lead to employee reciprocity via increased affective commitment and job satisfaction and reduced turnover intentions. We also found evidence, albeit weaker, of a positive relationship between economic exchange and continuance commitment, where employees may be dissatisfied but stay because they have too much invested in firm specific knowledge and skills. The firm provided above average compensation and benefits and with limited alternative job opportunities in the formal economy in Sri Lanka the costs of leaving the organisation are likely to have outweighed the costs of staying.

Keywords

L63M12M54N75Affective commitmentcontinuance commitmentjob satisfactionperceived organisational supportsocial and economic exchangeSri Lanka
Type
Symposium
Information
The Economic and Labour Relations Review , Volume 23 , Issue 1: Carbon Markets: Inherent Limitations and Complementary Policies , February 2012 , pp. 125 - 142
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2012

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