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The role of supervisory behavior, job satisfaction and organizational commitment on employee turnover

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2015

Cynthia Mathieu*
Affiliation:
Business Department, Institute for Research on SMEs, Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, QC, Canada
Bruno Fabi
Affiliation:
Business Department, Institute for Research on SMEs, Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, QC, Canada
Richard Lacoursière
Affiliation:
Business Department, Institute for Research on SMEs, Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, QC, Canada
Louis Raymond
Affiliation:
Business Department, Institute for Research on SMEs, Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, QC, Canada
*
Corresponding author: cynthia.mathieu@uqtr.ca

Abstract

Few studies have presented structural turnover models including both job satisfaction and organizational commitment measures. Recent research suggests that perceived supervisor leadership may contribute to employee well-being, job satisfaction and organizational commitment. This study proposes a structural turnover intention model including supervisory behavior (person-oriented and task-oriented dimensions), job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the study proposes to test whether this model fits in both small- and medium-sized enterprises and in large enterprises. The sample included 763 employees from different types of organizations who have completed a measure of their perception of their supervisor’s behavior and self-administrated measures of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention. Results show that person-oriented leadership behavior affects turnover intentions through job satisfaction and organizational commitment more than task-oriented leadership behavior. Only organizational commitment had a direct effect in explaining turnover intention. Finally, results indicate that the model is applicable both in small- and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2015 

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