Stressor factors, internal communication and commitment to change among administrative staff in Malaysian public higher-education institutions

Bibliographic Data

ID12428236
AuthorsNor Farah Hanis Zainun (0000-0003-1343-1371, Northern University of Malaysia, corresponding author), Johanim Johari (0000-0003-0609-7010, Northern University of Malaysia), Zurina Adnan (0000-0003-3198-1879, Northern University of Malaysia)
Year2018
Volume26
Issue4
Pages291-306
Publication date2018-11-06
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOn the Horizon The International Journal of Learning Futures (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1074-8121 • E-ISSN: 2054-1708
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/oth-12-2017-0094
OpenAlexW2899551132
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited39

Purpose The objective of this study is twofold. First, it examines the relationship between stressor factors (i.e. role overload, role conflict, role ambiguity, interpersonal conflict and organizational constraints) and commitment to change. Second, it investigates the moderating effect of internal communication in the hypothesized link. Design/methodology/approach A total of 225 administrative staff in the public higher education institutions located in the Northern Region of Peninsular Malaysia participated in the study. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypotheses. Findings Role overload, role ambiguity and organizational constraints pose a substantial influence on commitment to change. Internal communication is a significant moderator in the association between role ambiguity and commitment to change. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the Social Exchange Theory by assessing stressor factors as the predictors of commitment to change. Future studies can further extend the model by examining other variables related to stressor factors and extending the nomological networks of these factors in relation to commitment to organizational change. Practical implications This study makes explicit the need for management in public higher education institutions to consider stressor factors, particularly role overload, role ambiguity and organizational constraints, which affect the commitment to change. Furthermore, the aspect of internal communication in public higher education institutions deserves further attention by the management in alleviating role ambiguity and boosting commitment to change among the administrative staff. Originality/value The study is one of the pioneers to demonstrate that the presence of internal communication as a moderating factor in assessing the influence of stressors on commitment to change among administrative staff in public higher education institutions. Further, little empirical evidence on commitment to change in terms of normative, affective, and continuance in the setting of Malaysian public higher education institution is available in the literature

Ambiguity · Interpersonal communication · Moderation · Organizational commitment · Organizational communication · Originality · Political science · Public relations · Role conflict · Stressor · Structural equation modeling · Clinical Psychology · Customer Service Quality and Loyalty · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior · Organizational Leadership and Management Strategies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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