Description of the Questionnaire

The Organizational Commitment Measure (OCM) was developed for use in the 1991 General Social Survey. It evaluates the degree of employees’ commitment to their organization based on only six items, making it suitable for large-scale surveys where brevity is essential. The items were derived from the study of Lincoln and Kalleberg (1990) on work commitment in the United States and Japan.

Organizational Commitment Measure [OCM]

Description

The Organizational Commitment Measure (OCM) is a brief 6-item instrument designed to assess an employee’s overall commitment to their organization.

The measure was developed for and used in the 1991 General Social Survey. Its items were derived from Lincoln and Kalleberg’s research on work commitment in the United States and Japan. Its concise format makes it particularly suitable for large-scale surveys where measurement efficiency is important.

Objective

The primary objective of the OCM is to provide a concise assessment of overall organizational commitment.

The measure captures aspects of employees’ attachment to the organization, including willingness to make additional effort, loyalty, alignment between personal and organizational values, pride in organizational membership, and intention to remain with the organization.

Scoring

The OCM uses a 4-point Likert-type scale:

1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Agree
4 = Strongly agree

One of the six items is reverse scored (R). After appropriate reverse scoring, higher overall scores generally indicate stronger organizational commitment.

Data Analysis and Use

OCM data can be analyzed using descriptive statistics, internal consistency analysis, correlations, group comparisons, and regression analysis.

Scores may also be examined in relation to workplace characteristics such as job autonomy, position of authority, quality of workplace relationships, and work–home conflict.

Reliability and Validity

In the study by Marsden et al. (1993), the measure demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, with a coefficient alpha of 0.78.

Organizational commitment was positively associated with higher positions of authority, greater job autonomy, and higher-quality workplace relationships. Negative relationships were reported with non-merit reward criteria, workplace size, and the frequency of job–home conflict.

Interpretation

Higher OCM scores generally reflect stronger organizational commitment, including greater loyalty, identification with organizational values, willingness to contribute to organizational success, and intention to remain with the organization.

Results should be interpreted in relation to the characteristics of the study population and the specific organizational context.

Applications

The OCM can be used in organizational psychology, human resource management, occupational research, and organizational behavior studies.

Its brief 6-item format makes it particularly useful for large-scale surveys and multidimensional research designs where organizational commitment is one of several variables being assessed.

References

Marsden, P. V., Kalleberg, A. L., & Cook, C. R. (1993). Gender differences in organizational commitment: Influences of work positions and family roles. Work and Occupations, 20(3), 368–390.

Lincoln, J. R., & Kalleberg, A. L. (1990). Culture, Control and Commitment: A Study of Work Organization and Work Attitudes in the United States and Japan. Cambridge University Press.s.