Sources of attachment in politically-oriented organizations: Congruence and difference

Abstract

Organizational attachment is a phenomenon that has compelled scholars to spend countless hours examining how and why people feel the need to "attach" to their organizations. While much of the research on organizational attachment focuses on traditional, private sector organizations, this study argues that much can also be gained by understanding attachment in politically-oriented organizations; of particular importance is the level of understanding about political/public employees and their choice to remain in this career/organization.

With this exploratory approach employed herein, the research design seeks to identify the presence of identification and commitment among political/public employees, the correlation of these constructs, their relationship with employee beliefs, and the role of variables such as party affiliation, gender, and legislative division (i.e., state, federal). Important findings from this study address three specific questions: the presence of identification, commitment, and intensity; the differences in affective, continuance, and normative commitment; and the influence of demographics.