Organizational Commitment Theory

The Calculative Approach

The calculative approach rests on the “side bet” theory of Howard Becker. Becker introduced this term in the 1960s to refer to the accumulation of investments valued by the individual that would be lost or deemed worthless if he or she were to leave the organization. In gambling, a side bet is a wager that is separate from the main bet or stakes in the game being played; for instance, two players in a card game might bet on whose hand holds the highest spade. Becker argued that over time, economic, social, and other investments—side bets—such as income, status, seniority, and friendships, even simply “knowing the ropes,” tie people to a particular line of activity. The threat of losing these investments,[Page 527]along with a perceived lack of alternatives to replace or make up for them, commits the person to the organization. Measures reflecting this approach were developed in the late 1960s and the 1970s. These measures question respondents on the likelihood of their leaving the organization, given various levels of inducement in pay, status, responsibility, job freedom, and promotion opportunities.

The Attitudinal Approach

The second approach, also called the “organizational behavior” or “psychology” approach, sees commitment as affective or attitudinal. According to the attitudinal approach, employees feel committed to the organization because they identify with the organization’s values and goals. More specifically, commitment under this approach has three dimensions: (a) a desire to maintain membership in the organization, (b) belief in and acceptance of the values and goals of the organization, and (c) willingness to exert effort on behalf of the organization. Commitment under the attitudinal approach has also been termed affective commitment and value commitment.

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