The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Leadership, Change and Organizational Development

14

Participation and Organizational Commitment during Change: From Utopist to Realist Perspectives

Rune Lines and Marcus Selart

14.1 Introduction

Employee commitment and participation in organizational decision-making and problem-solving are two of the more heavily-researched areas in organizational psychology and organizational behavior. Hence, a considerable research-based stock of knowledge has been accumulated over the past 70–80 years. This research has examined antecedents to commitment and participation, and explored different definitions of the two constructs. Based upon thse data, a comprehensive array of purported outcomes of the two constructs has been proposed, some of which has also been supported empirically. Theoretical and empirical contributions to the understanding of these two phenomena are summarized in several qualitative as well as quantitative review articles, meta-analyses, and books (Cotton et al., 1988; Glew et al., 1995; Mathieu & Zajac, 1990; Wagner & Gooding, 1987).

Less, however, is known about commitment and participation as they relate to ­organizational change. Although some of the research on commitment and participation has been done using data from organizations planning, undergoing, or digesting change, this body of knowledge is much narrower and thinner in terms of theories used for ­informing the research and empirical findings. Against this background, the purpose of the present chapter is to take stock of the research-based knowledge on participation ...