Commitment in Organizations: A Normative View

A model of work attitudes, distinguishing between normative and instrumental processes as behavioral determinants, serves as the framework within which commitment is conceptualized. Commitment is defined as the totality of internalized normative pressures to act in a way that meets organizational interests. Organizational identification and generalized values of loyalty and duty are viewed as its immediate determinants. Thus commitment can be influenced by both personal predispositions and organizational interventions. The role of recruitment, selection, and socialization in affecting members' commitment is discussed.