Are Organisational Characteristics Antecedents of Employee Commitment? Evidence using Academic Staff in Private Universities in Uganda

Abstract

The study sought to find out whether organisational structure, leadership, relationships and support were antecedents of the employee commitment (EC) of the academic staff. The correlational study involved 173 respondents from three private universities in Uganda. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose validity and reliability were tested using Factor Analysis and Cronbach Alpha. Means were used for descriptive analysis, while multiple regression helped to test the hypotheses. Results showed that organisational leadership and support were significant positive antecedents of EC, while organisational structure and employee relationships were not. This led to the conclusion that the two positive antecedents were most likely essential requirements for the EC of the academic staff in private universities to their jobs, while organisational structure and employee relationships may not be. Hence the recommendation those stakeholders such as the directorates of human resource in the respective universities, promote good organisational leadership and support in order to enhance the EC of the academic staff.