Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Faith-Related Determinants of Organizational Commitment

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Handbook of Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace

Abstract

Faculty and staff of two universities in the mid-southern USA were ­surveyed for their opinions on their commitment to their universities, their faith paths, how their faith affects their work, and about their demographic characteristics. One university is publicly supported and secular in nature; the other is private and faith-based. There are three research questions: (1) Do the spirit at work and organizational commitment scores differ between faith and non-faith-based universities? (2) How do these vary by university? (3) To what extent does the level of spirituality at work explain organizational commitment when demographic characteristics and university are taken into account? Sizable majorities of the faculty and staff of both universities are committed to them, but the faith-based university faculty and staff are more committed to their university than are those at the secular school. Staff in both universities have a stronger relationship between higher levels of spirit at work and organizational commitment than faculty at either university.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    “Born again” is strongly correlated with the SAWS measures of faith as well as with university and the measures of religiosity/spirituality.

References

  • Ahiauzu, A., & Asawo, S. (2009). Unwavering hope and workers’ commitment in the Nigerian manufacturing industry: A study in workplace spirituality. Business Renaissance Quarterly, 4(1), 105–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, N.J. and Meyer, J.P. (1996). Affective, continuance, and normative commitment to the ­organization: An examination of construct validity. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 49 (3), 252–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allison, A. & Broadus, P. (2009). Spirituality then and now: Our journey through higher education as women of faith. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 120, 77–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Astin, A. (2004). Why spirituality deserves a central place in liberal education. Liberal Education, (Spring), 34–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astin, A., & Astin, H. (1999). Meaning and spirituality in the lives of college faculty: A study of value, authenticity and stress. (Higher Education Research Institute Monography). Los Angeles: University of California.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer, L. (2010). Contemplative administration: Transforming the workplace culture of higher education. Innovative Higher Education, 35, 217–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell, R. (2006). Spirituality and job satisfaction: A correlational study among nurses. DBA dissertation at Argosy University/Sarasota.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, R. (2011). Integrating spirit at work: Eradicating stress and burnout. Unpublished paper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, S., Hooley, g., Huntera, J., Ricci, L., Strickland, C., Sumner, J., & Wilding, M. (2003). Unpublished document.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, J., & Kauanui, S. (2003). Comparing spirituality on three southern California college campuses. Journal of Organizational Change, 16, 448–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryant, A., & Craft, C. (2010). The challenge and promise of pluralism: Dimensions of spiritual climate and diversity at a Lutheran College. Christian Higher education, 9, 396–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chavez, A. (2001). Spirit and nature in everyday life: Reflections of a Mestiza in higher education. New Directions for Student Services, 95,69–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, R. (2001). The law and spirituality: How the law supports and limits expression of spirituality on the college campus. New Directions for Student Services, 95, 37–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coburn, T. (2005). Secularism & spirituality in today’s Academy. A heuristic model. Liberal Education, Summer/Fall, 58–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Duerr, M., Zajonc, A., Dana, D. (2003). Survey of transformative and spiritual dimensions of higher education. Journal of Transformative Education, 1(3), 177–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fetzer Institute (2003). Survey of Transformative and Spiritual Dimensions of Higher Education. (40 pp).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, S. (2007). Speaking of vocation in an age of spirituality. Change, May/June, 32–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbons, P. (2000), “Spirituality at work: Definitions, measures, assumptions, and validity claims”, in Biberman, J. and Whitty, M. (Eds), Work and Spirit: A Reader of New Spiritual Paradigms for Organizations, University of Scranton Press, Scranton, PA, pp. 111–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, S. R., Zamanou, S., & Hacker, K. (1987). Measuring and integration organizational culture. Management Communication Quarterly, 1(2):173–198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, J., Garner, L. Snow, D., & Wright, K. (2004). Spiritual perspective and needs: A comparative study of nursing faculty in a Christian University and a State University. Christian Higher Education, 3, 61–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grzeda, M., & Assogbavi, T. (2011). Spirituality in management education and development: Toward an authentic transformation. Journal of American Academy of Business, 16(2), 238–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forniciari, C., & Lund Dea, K. (2004). Diapers to car keys: The state of spirituality, religion and work research. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion. 1(1), 7–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinjerski, V., & Skrypnek, B. J. (2004). Defining spirit at work: Finding common ground. Journal of Organization Change Management special issue “Research that matters: Helping organizations integrate spiritual values and practices,” 17(1), 26–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinjerski, VM, Skrypnek, BJ. (2008a). The promise of spirit at work: Increasing job satisfaction and organizational commitment and reducing turnover and absenteeism in long-term care. Journal of Gerontology Nursing, 34(10):17–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kinjerski, V. M., & Skrypnek, B. J. (2008b). Measuring the intangible: Development of Spirit at Work Scale. Proceedings of the sixty-fifth annual meeting of the Academy of Management, 1–16. Retrieved from http://www.kaizensolutions.org/sawscale.pdf.

  • Love, P. (2001). Spirituality and student development. Theoretical connections. New Directions for Student Services, 93, 7–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liou, S.-R. (2009) Nurses’ intention to leave: Critically analyse the theory of reasoned action and organizational commitment model. Journal of Nursing Management, 17(1), 92–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manz, K., R. Marx, C. Manz, and J. Neal. 2006. The language of virtues: Toward an inclusive approach for integrating spirituality in management education. Journal of Management, Spirituality and Religion, special issue on Organizational Virtuosity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitroff, I., & Elizabeth D. (1999). A spiritual audit of corporate America: Multiple designs for fostering spirituality in the workplace. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowday, RT, Steers, RM, & Porter, LW. (1979). The measure of organizational commitment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14(2), 224–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, C. (2005). The academy, spirituality, and the search for truth. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 104, 23–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neal, J. A. (1997). Spirituality in management education: A guide to resources. Journal of Management Education, 21(1), 121–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neal, J. 2008. Integral Learning: A New Look at Management Development in Public Administration, The International Journal of Public Administration.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, P. (1998). Courage to teach: Exploring the inner landscape of a teacher’s life. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pawar, B. S. (2009). Individual spirituality, workplace spirituality and work attitudes. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 30(8), 759–777. doi:10.1108/01437730911003911

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2008). U.S. Religious Landscape Survey Religious Affiliation: Diverse and Dynamic. Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center, 10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poe, H. (2005). Issues related to spirituality and the search for truth in sectarian institutions of higher education. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 104, 59–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rego, A. and Cunha, M. 2008. Workplace spirituality and organizational commitment: an empirical study, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21(1), 53–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, J., & Dantley, M. (2001). Invoking the spiritual in campus life and leadership. Journal of College Student Development, 42(6), 589–603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarath, E. (2003). Meditation in higher education. The next wave? Innovative Higher Education, 27(4), 2145233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt-Wilk, J., Heaton, D. P., & Steingard, D. (2000). Higher education for higher consciousness: Maharishi University of Management as a model for spirituality in management education. Journal of Management Education, 24(5), 580–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahjahan, R. (2004). Centering spirituality in the Academy. Toward a transformative way of teaching and learning. Journal of Transformative Education, 2(4), 294–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shahjahan, R. (2005). Spirituality in the Academy: Reclaiming from the margins and evoking a transformative way of knowing the world. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 18(6), 685–711.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shifren, K., & Hooker, K. (1995). Stability and change in optimism: A study among spouse caregivers. Experimental Aging Research, 21, 59–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spector, P.E. (1985). Measurement of Human Service Staff Satisfaction: Development of the Job Satisfaction Survey. American Journal of Community Psychology, 13(6), 693–713.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 15.0 (2006). SPSS Inc., Chicago Ill, now owned by IBM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strange, C. (2001). Spiritual dimension of graduate preparation in student affairs. New Directions for Student Services, 95, 57–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tisdell, E. (2006). Spirituality, Cultural Identity, and Epistemology in Culturally Responsive Teaching in Higher Education. Multicultural Perspectives, 8(3), 19–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tolliver, D., & Tisdell, E. (2006). Engaging spirituality in the transformative higher education classroom. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 109, 37–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tevichapong, P., Davis, A. & Guillaume, Y. (2010). Individual Spirit at Work and Its Outcomes. Paper presented at the 70th Annual Conference of Academy of Management, Montréal, Canada (August 10, 2010).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INTOUCH Coaching, LLC, Searcy, AR, 72143, USA

    Rhonda Bell-Ellis

  2. University of Arkansas, Kimpel Hall 425, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA

    Linda C. Jones

  3. Longstreth Consulting, LLC, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    Molly Longstreth

  4. Tyson Center for Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace, Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA

    Judi Neal

Authors
  1. Rhonda Bell-Ellis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Linda C. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Molly Longstreth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Judi Neal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Rhonda Bell-Ellis or Molly Longstreth .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, One at University Avenue, Fayetteville, 72701, Arkansas, USA

    Judi Neal

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bell-Ellis, R., Jones, L.C., Longstreth, M., Neal, J. (2013). Faith-Related Determinants of Organizational Commitment. In: Neal, J. (eds) Handbook of Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5233-1_22

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation