PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Carrie Schmidt

Industrial/Organizational
December 1993
 

Career Commitment, Organizational Commitment, and Job Involvement
as Factors that Affect Turnover for First Careerists

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of career commitment, organizational commitment and job involvement on turnover among first careerists.  The subjects were 86 individuals hired by a California division of a leading aerospace company within 6 months after their college graduation.  Using employment status as the independent variable and scores from a commitment scale as the dependent variables, this study examined attitudes toward career commitment, organizational commitment and job involvement.

    It was hypothesized that first careerists who remain with the organization for over 2 years (stayers) report higher levels in all three variables than those who terminate employment prior to 2 years (leavers).
    Results of a multiple discriminant analysis indicate that, when used in combination, two variables – organizational commitment and job involvement – discriminate between stayers and leavers.  Supplemental analysis was performed to establish a “profile” for stayers and leavers.  Suggestions for further research and the study’s usefulness in industry are also discussed.

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