Sex Differences in the Continuance Component of Organizational Commitment

Abstract

A total of 192 male and 347 female human resource professionals completed Allen and Meyer's Continuance Commitment Scale, assessing one of three components of organizational commitment. Women reported higher levels of continuance commitment than men. The sex differences in continuance commitment can be regarded as small to moderate following Cohen's rules of thumb regarding effect sizes. Regression analysis confirmed the relationship between sex and continuance commitment and revealed a positive relationship between tenure and continuance commitment and a negative relationship between two other variables-education level and level in the hierarchy-and continuance commitment. Findings are discussed in terms of women perceiving fewer alternatives to their current employer than men.

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