Predicting different commitment components : the relative effect of how career development HRM practices are perceived

Organizations today expect employees to manage their own career development although some will provide extra opportunities. We do not know exactly how career self-management impacts on employees' organizational commitment in terms of affective, normative and continuance components. This paper is based on the model of organizational commitment put forward by Meyer and Allen (1997). We propose that organizational HRM and career self-management influence employee perceptions (such as perceived support) and the three components of commitment in different ways. Data from 196 managers showed that organizational career development (OCD) practices, were positively related to employee perceptions and the three components of commitment. On the other hand, career self-management was negatively correlated with normative commitment. These results have implications for the career development alternatives that organizations provide to employees.