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This paper aims to gain insight into the psychological dynamics of work motivation; specific work values are related to foci and dimensions of commitment to understand how different values influence people's commitments.

A survey from a hospital (n=222) was analyzed on the relationships between organizational values, individual values, affective and normative commitment on both an organizational and an occupational level.

Results supported the proposition that dimensions of commitment can be aligned along the flexibility‐control axis of the competing values framework (CVF) and that the foci of commitment can be aligned along the internal‐external axis of the CVF but, in line with recent findings, congruence effects were absent.

Although small effect sizes were found, and results based on self‐report have to be handled cautiously, the hypothesized pattern was found for affective and normative organizational and occupational commitment. This gives insights into the values associated with these types of commitments.

Specific values which are found to be related to specific kinds of commitment can direct strategies for influencing commitments in organizational contexts.

As specific values are linked to specific commitments, practitioners gain insight into which values may lead to a specific kind of commitment, enabling them to develop strategies for enhancing commitment, and academics see how the CVF corresponds to newly developed insights into commitment research.

In an attempt to gain insight in the contribution of organizational communication to work perceptions, this paper investigates both direct and indirect relationships between supervisor communication and employees' affective organizational commitment. Regarding the indirect relationships, individual perceptions of person‐organization fit and organizational efficacy were included in the model as mediators.

A survey from a Dutch provider of telecommunication services (n=456) is analyzed on the relationships between communication, commitment and the proposed mediators, using regression analysis and a confirmatory structural equation model.

Both person‐organization fit and organizational efficacy were found to partly mediate the main effects of communication and affective commitment. Following the test of mediation of fit and efficacy one by one, a test of the two mediators simultaneously in a confirmatory structural equation model led to a fitting model without any modifications. Further, the most important aspects of communication between manager and employee turns out to be the feedback from the manager, followed by the notion of the manager listening to the employee.

Given that the analyses are based on self‐report in one organization, these results have to be handled cautiously.

Supervisor communication strengthens commitment via a clear view of which values are important, which goals are to be achieved, and how efficacious the organization has been in the past.

The results show how communication – through the managers who are seen to represent the organization – can influence employees' perception of an organization's values and capabilities.

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the main and combined effects of self‐efficacy and organisational efficacy on three dimensions of organisational commitment. A fourfold typology of employees is proposed and tested.

A questionnaire was sent to employees of a chemical plant. Data were analyzed using dichotomisation and moderated multiple regression.

Both organisational efficacy and, to a lesser extent, self‐efficacy contribute to affective, normative and continuance commitment. The results concerning the fourfold typology are promising when reviewing the median split technique, but a hierarchical multiple regression test of interaction between self‐efficacy and organisational efficacy does not fulfil this promise.

As the self‐efficacy hypotheses especially did not meet expectations, the authors suggest another way of assessing self‐efficacy in organisational contexts.

The results stress the contribution of organisational efficacy perceptions to commitment, leading to new opportunities for managing commitment. The role of feedback about organisational successes and failures appears to be crucial.

This attempt to build a typology by considering the efficacy expectations of employees regarding both themselves and their organisation opens up a route to further individualisation of employees and their relations to work.

In an attempt to gain insight into the effects of transparent communication on critical performances, this paper aims to explore performance measures and communication of a large‐scale service organization, i.e. the Dutch Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen, (NS)).

Semi‐structured interviews with employees of NS and external stakeholders were analyzed to study which performances are measured by NS, why they are measured, and how they are communicated to the employees and stakeholders.

An ambiguous view on transparency was observed. Although transparency is advocated by most employees and stakeholders, this study revealed the complexity of performance communication of a service organization. In this case, NS used to fully disclose performances but emphasized positive performances. This transparent communication strategy seemed to backfire and yielded a counterbalanced societal response from customer organizations which resulted in a strained relationship.

The findings are based on qualitative data of a limited number of interviews. Several types of actors were interviewed but not passengers of NS themselves.

From a communicative point of view, it might be wise to publish negative aspects as well as the positive ones to promote trust and corporate credibility. Building trust involves investing in positive experiences for customers and promotion of realistic expectations. To enhance trust, organizations must not only inform stakeholders and citizens about their performances but also invest in direct communication with their stakeholders.

This study explores performance communication of a service organization, and the ambivalent role of transparency of (internal and external) performance communication.