Causal Relationships between Antecedent and Outcome Variables of Organizational Commitment among Clinical Nurses

임상간호사들의 조직몰입과 선행 및 결과변수사이의 인과관계 및 영향

The purpose of the present study was to examine the causal model of nurses' organizational commitment. Based on literature review and Fishbein's behavioral intentions model ((Fishbein. 1967: Fishbein & Ajzen. 1975). the organizational commitment was conceptualized within a motivational framework that mediate between antecedents variables and outcome variables. Antecedent variables were pay, promotional chances. continuing education opportunity. rigidity of the administration. paticipative decision making, latitude, group support, role conflict, work load, need for achievement. experience and pride for professional nursing. Outcome variable was turnover intention. The subjects were 373 nurses who were working at 2 large general hospitals located in Seoul. It represents a response rate of 94%. Data for this study was collected from August 29 to September 22 in 1997 by Questionnaire. Path analysis with LISREL 7.16 prigram was used to test the fit of the proposed conceptual model to data and to examine the causal relationships among variables. The result showed that both the proposed model and the modified model fit the data excellently. It needs to be notified, however. that path analysis can not count measurment errors: measurement error can attenuate estimates of coefficient and explanatory power. Nontheless the model revealed considerable explanatory power for organizational commitment (58%), pride for professional nursing (50%) and turnover intention(40%). In predicting nurses' organizational commitment, the findings of this study clearly demonstrated 'the pride for professional nursing' might be the most important variables of all the antecedent variables. Group support, role conflict, need for achievement were also found to be important determinants for the organizational commitment and turnover intention, The result showed experience might be a predictor for 'pride for professional nursing' and 'turnover intention' but not 'organizational commitment', 'Rigidity of the administration' and latitude were also found to have important roles in predictingr the organizational commitment, while participative decision making might have an impact on turnover intention. On the other hand promotional chance had an influence on all the outcome variables, while pay only on turnover intention. In predicting turnover intention, the result clearly revealed 'the pride for professional nursing' and 'organizational commitment' might be the most powerful predictors among all the variables. Theses results were discussed, including directions for the future research and practical implications drawn from the research were suggested.