A TEST OF JOB SECURITY DIRECT AND MEDIATED EFFECTS ON WITHDRAWAL COGNITIONS

Two field studies were undertaken to investigate the nature of the rel ationships between job security, job satisfaction, organizational comm itment, and withdrawal cognitions. Study 1 was conducted in an organiz ation immediately following its acquisition by another company (N = 13 7). Study 2 was conducted in an organization that had experienced a nu mber of layoffs and expected more in the future (N = 188). Covariance structure analysis was used to test for direct, complete mediating, an d partial mediating effects. Study 2 was used to cross-validate the fi ndings from study 1. Results from both studies provide strong support for the proposition that job satisfaction and organizational commitmen t mediate the effects of job security on withdrawal cognitions. The tw o studies diverge when explicating the nature of the relations between job security, satisfaction, and commitment. Study 1 suggests job sati sfaction completely mediates the effects of job security on commitment . Study 2 suggests that both satisfaction and commitment mediate the r elationship between job security and withdrawal cognitions. Contextual differences that may have contributed to these findings are discussed . (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.