Employees’ Organizational Commitment in Higher Educational Setting

Employees’ organizational commitment is considered to be a critical issue in higher educational setting for the success its visions and goals, as well as to keep its employees motivation granted for achieving better work performance. This subject has therefore, been studied so as to draw attention to enhance effectiveness of higher educational institution in Ethiopia, particularly in reference to Haramaya University. The major objective of study was to find out the level of academic staffs’’ commitment. The study also assessed whether a significant difference exist in academic staffs’’ commitment level in terms of their gender and level of education. Researchers used a cross-sectional research design to study the problem. Primary and secondary data sources were used for the study; 242 participants were selected using stratified sampling technique. Questionnaire, focus group discussion and document review were used to collect data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; and the qualitative data were also analyzed using narration methods of analysis. Study result showed that there were moderate level of overall commitment and commitment dimensions among academic staffs’. The study further indicated that, there is no gender difference in level of both the overall commitment and its dimensions; however, significant differences were existed in reference to level of education. In conclusion of major recommendations, some of the university guiding principles and situational working environment should be reviewed so as to enhance commitment for achieving better university work performance.