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Abstract

Propositions for the relationship between immigrant status and organizational commitment are developed. A limited test of part of the conceptual framework is tested to examine the influence of immigrant status on continuance and affective commitment. Based on a sample of 506 nurses working in Israeli hospitals who completed self-report surveys, it was found that age and immigrant status (or `years in Israel') were significant correlates of affective and continuance commitment. However, whereas the relationship between `years in Israel' and affective commitment was not significant when age was controlled, additional variance in continuance commitment could be accounted for by `years in Israel' after controlling for age. Furthermore, nurses born in Israel had significantly lower continuance commitment than those who had immigrated to the country. These results suggest that the number of years after immigration has an impact on an individual's attachment to his/her organization. Immigrant status and years living in host country are important factors to consider when assessing organizational commitment, especially in multicultural organizations composed of immigrant workers.

Le statut des immigrant comme corrélat possible de l'engagement organisationnel (Sharon Glazer and Gabriel M. De La Rosa) Sont élaborées ici des propositions de relations entre le statut d'immigrant et l'engagement organisationnel. Une partie du cadre conceptuel est testée afin d'examiner l'influence du statut d'immigrant sur l'engagement affectif et l'engagement dans la durée. En se fondant sur un échantillon de 506 infirmières travaillant dans le système hospitalier israélien, qui toutes ont rempli un questionnaire, il a été établi que l'âge et le statut d'immigrant (ou années en Israël) sont des corrélats significatifs de l'engagement affectif et dans la durée. En revanche, alors que la relation entre “années en Israël” et engagement affectif ne s'est pas révélée significative lorsque l'on ajoute le paramètre de l'âge, des écarts supplémentaires en termes d'engagement dans la durée sont apparus pour « années en Israël » et âge. En outre, les infirmier(ère)s né(e)s en Israël ont nettement moins d'engagement dans la durée que celles et ceux qui avaient immigré. Ces résultats suggèrent que le nombre d'années après l'immigration a un impact sur la relation affective d'un employé pour son organisation. Le statut d'immigrant et le nombre d'années passées dans le pays d'accueil sont des facteurs importants lorsque l'on évalue l'engagement organisationnel, particulièrement dans des organisations multiculturelles composées de travailleurs immigrants.

Keywords

immigrant Israel nursing organizational commitment social support

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Immigrant Status as a Potential Correlate of Organizational Commitment

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