Study of the intent of higher education presidential assistants to continue employment

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to examine three-components of organizational commitment (affective, continuance and normative) relative to the career stages (age, organizational tenure and positional tenure) of college and university presidential assistants in both public and private higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined the ability of career stages (age, organizational tenure and positional tenure) to predict the commitment levels (affective, continuance and normative) reported by presidential assistants.

Organizational commitment theory provided the framework for this study, with the Three-Component Model (TCM) of organizational commitment developed by Meyer and Allen (1991).

Findings and Conclusions: Building upon the work of Allen and Meyer (1993), this study employed the TCM to collect the respondent's commitment levels to the institution where he or she was currently employed. The study further supported the reliability of the instrument with the new population, as well as, confirmed that career stages have a positive relationship with the three-component commitment of presidential assistants. These career stages were also found to predict presidential assistants' commitment levels to their current institution.