The concurrent effects of workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers on affective commitment among schoolteachers in China

Abstract

Purpose

The paper seeks to examine the effects of workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers on affective commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey approach was used in this research. Partial least squares analyses on data from 142 full‐time schoolteachers in China were used to determine whether workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers have unique effects on affective commitment.

Findings

The paper reveals that workplace bullying has a significant negative correlation with affective commitment while satisfaction with supervisor and satisfaction with co‐workers each have a significant positive correlation with affective commitment. Furthermore, workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers all have significant unique effects on affective commitment.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations are the use of self‐report and cross‐sectional data. Future research could adopt samples from different industries, include multi‐rater data, and a longitudinal research design. Various other workplace factors that may influence affective commitment could also be examined.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the need for anti‐bullying policies in organisations. Neither satisfaction with supervisor nor satisfaction with co‐workers nullifies the negative effects of bullying on the target's affective commitment. Preventing bullying is therefore fundamental to sustaining affective commitment.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature by providing an examination of the effects of workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers on affective commitment. To the authors' knowledge, no workplace bullying research has been conducted previously in China.

Citation

McCormack, D., Casimir, G., Djurkovic, N. and Yang, L. (2006), "The concurrent effects of workplace bullying, satisfaction with supervisor, and satisfaction with co‐workers on affective commitment among schoolteachers in China", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 316-331. https://doi.org/10.1108/10444060610749473