Corporate Volunteerism, the Experience of a Positive Self-Concept, and Organizational Commitment: Evidence from Two Field Studies

34 Pages Posted: 25 Aug 2011

See all articles by Joel Brockner

Joel Brockner

Columbia Business School

Deanna Senior

Independent

Will Welch

Independent

Date Written: October 12, 2010

Abstract

We examine the relationship between employees’ participation in corporate-sponsored volunteerism and their organizational commitment. In two different organizational settings the psychological functions served by participating in corporate-sponsored volunteer programs were shown to be differentially predictive of employees’ organizational commitment. The more employees volunteered based on functions that enabled them to experience a positive self concept, the higher was their organizational commitment. Organizational commitment bore little or no relationship, however, with how much employees took part in corporate volunteerism based on functions less related to experiencing a positive self-concept. Study 2 provided further evidence that the experience of a positive self-concept played a key role in accounting for the relationship between the psychological functions served by employees engaging in corporate volunteerism and their organizational commitment. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, as are limitations and suggestions for future research.

Suggested Citation

Brockner, Joel and Senior, Deanna and Welch, Will, Corporate Volunteerism, the Experience of a Positive Self-Concept, and Organizational Commitment: Evidence from Two Field Studies (October 12, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1916247 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1916247

Joel Brockner (Contact Author)

Columbia Business School ( email )

3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
United States
212-854-4435 (Phone)
212-316-9355 (Fax)

Deanna Senior

Independent

Will Welch

Independent

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