Communication and Employee Commitment in Kampala International University, Uganda.

ABSTRACT 

Purpose of the research study was to investigate the relationship between Communication and Employee Commitment in Kampala International University (KIU), Though KIU’ s employees usually exchange socio and work oriented communication among themselves and sometimes between employees and management using different communication media, they are not strongly emotionally attached to the university, have no costs at all associated with leaving the university and have no feelings of obligation to remain with the university. The objectives of the study were; (i) to find out the effect of social-emotionaloriented communication on employee commitment in Kampala International University; and (ii) to assess the effect of work-oriented communication on employee commitment in Kampala International University. The study employed descriptive research design. The study used 187 respondents who were selected from a target population of 399 employees. The study revealed that social-emotional-oriented communication with R2 0.084, positively (~3=0.433) and significantly (p-value=0.000) affect employee commitment of Kampala International University; and work-oriented communication with R2 = 0.2 18 positively (13=0.338) and significantly (sig-value=0.000) affect employee commitment of Kampala international University. The study concluded that; social-emotional-oriented communication has a positive and significant effect on employee commitment of Kampala International University; and workoriented communication has a positive and significant effect on employee commitment of Kampala international University. The study recommended that; with respect to social-emotional-oriented communication, KIU’s employees should often communicate about non-work-related topics with their supervisor or Director; KIU’s employees with in one department should often communicate about nonwork-related topics with Directors and Principals/Deans in other departments. These will encourage employees to become loyal to their immediate supervisors and Directors or Principals and deans that will improve employees’ positive attitudes towards commitment to the university. In regard to work-oriented communication, KIU’s employees should often receive required communication concerning University’s overall performance; KIU’s employees usually should get communication concerning University’s strategic plans; KIU’s employees normally should get communication in regard to other departments functioning; KIU’s management usually should communicate University concerns with employees; KIU’s employees normally should participate in decision-making about University’s concems. The study contributed to existing knowledge in the following ways; study have inherently studied the constructs of communication that will help University’s top management to resolve employees’ issues to improve their commitment; entire community will receive better products from university produced due the committed efforts raised by all employees; and study clearly discussed constructs of communication and commitment and research gaps were comprehensively researched upon by providing knowledge about how to use communication to improve employees’ commitment to the firm.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL

DEDICATION 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS v

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF ACRONYMS xi

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION 1

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background to the study 1

1.1.1 I-Iistorical perspective 1

1.1.2 Theoretical perspective 3

1.1.3 Conceptual perspective 4

1 .1.4 Contextual perspective 5

1.2 Statement of the problem 6

1.3 Purpose of the study 7

1.4 Research objectives 7

1.5 Research questions 7

1.6 Hypotheses 7

1.7 Scope of study 7

1.7.1 Geographical scope 7

1.7.2 Content scope 8

1.7.3 Time scope .8

1.8 Significance of the study 8

1.9 Operational definition of key terms 8

CHAPTER TWO 10

LITERATURE REVIEW 10

2.0 Introduction 10

2.1 Theoretical review 10

2.1.1 Uncertainty reduction theory 10

2.1.2 Cognitive dissonance theory 11

2.1.3 Social comparison theory 11

2.2 Concept of communication 12

2.2.1 Conceptual framework 12

2.3 Communication 13

2.3.1 Social-emotional-oriented communication 13

2.3.2 Work-oriented communication 14

2.4 Employee commitment 15

2.4.1 Affective commitment 16

2.4.2 Continuance commitment 16

2.4.3 Normative commitment 16

2.5 Related studies 17

2.5.1 Effect of social-emotional-oriented communication on employee commitment 17

2.5.2 Effect of work-oriented communication on employee commitment 18

2.6 Research gaps 19

CHAPTER THREE 20

METHODOLOGY 20

3.0 Introduction 20

3.1 Research design .20

3.2 Target population 21

3.3 Sample size 21

3.4 Sampling techniques 22

3.5 Data collection instruments 22

3.5.1 Questionnaires 22

3.6 Validity and reliability of the instrument 23

3.6.1 Validity 23

3,6.2 Reliability 23

3.7 Data gathering procedures 24

3.8 Data analysis 24

3.9 Ethical considerations 25

CHAPTER FOUR 26

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA 26

4.0 Introduction 26

4.1 Response rate 26

4.2 Bio data of respondents 27

4.3 Descriptive statistics for study variables 30

43.1 Descriptive statistics on social-emotional-oriented communication of KRJ 30

4.3.2 Descriptive statistics on work-oriented communication of KIU 32

4.3.3 Descriptive statistics on affective employee commitment of KTU 34

4.3.4 Descriptive statistics on continuance employee commitment ofKIU 35

4.3.5 Descriptive statistics on normative employee commitment ofKTU 37

4.4 Testing for assumptions 39

4.4.1 Linearity test 39

4.4.2 Normality test 40

4.4.3 Multicollinearity .41

4.4 Effect of social-emotional-oriented communication on employee commitment of KIU 41

4.5 Effect of work-oriented communication on employee commitment of KIU 43

4.6 Effect of communication on employee commitment of KIU 45

CHAPTER FIVE 47

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 47

5.0 Introduction 47

5.1 Discussion of findings 47

5.1.1 Effect of social-emotional-oriented communication on employee commitment ofKIU 47

5.1.2 Effect of work-oriented communication on e~nployee commitment ofKIU 48

5.2 Conclusions of the study 48

5.3 Recommendations 49

5.4 Contribution to knowledge 50

5.5 Areas for future research 51

3.6 Limitations of the study 51

REFERENCES 52

APPENDICES 64

APPENDIX I:QUESTIONNAIRE 64

APPENDIX II:FIELD ATTACHMENT LE~fER 69