ISSN 2736-1721
Global Journal of Business Management ISSN 6731-4538 Vol. 5 (6), pp. 001-010, June, 2011. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
The relationship among survivor qualities – attitude, commitment and motivation – after downsizing
Crispen Chipunza1* and David. M. Berry2
1Department of Industrial Psychology, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa.
²School of Industrial Psychology and Human Resources Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa.
Accepted 10 March, 2011
Abstract
The psychological well-being of employees who survive organizational downsizing and restructuring remains a contemporary theme in the work environment. This situation has a substantial influence on organizational success. This study examined the relationship among survivor attributes (attitude, commitment and motivation) after downsizing in selected manufacturing organizations. To have a better understanding of the relationship between survivor attributes after downsizing, a total of one hundred and fifty survivors (n = 150) who had experienced downsizing participated in the study. Four null hypotheses, investigating the levels and relationships among the attributes were tested by means of specific statistical methods, such as measures of central tendency and correlation analysis. The results showed that survivors had high levels of motivation and moderate to satisfactory levels of attitude and motivation. A significant relationship was observed between survivor motivation and commitment. Specific recommendations are provided to ensure improved survivor quality after downsizing.
Key words: Survivor quality, downsizing, attitude, commitment, motivation.