The Relationship Between Work Values and Normative and Instrumental Commitment

ABSTRACT

This study was an examination of the relationships among intrinsic and extrinsic work values and normative (norm-based/internal) and instrumental (reward-based/external) organizational commitment. Responses from 97 clerical workers indicated that employees with high scores for intrinsic work values had significantly higher normative (norm-based) commitment scores than those with low scores for intrinsic work values. Employees with high scores for extrinsic work values had significantly higher instrumental (reward-based) commitment scores than those with low scores for extrinsic work values. Also, employees with short-term tenure had significantly higher instrumental commitment scores than those with long-term tenure, whereas those with long-term tenure had higher normative commitment scores. The results stress the need to measure the reward-based nature of commitment and its correlates.