The role of social socialization tactics in the relationship between socialization content and newcomers' affective commitment

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of social socialization tactics on the relationship between task‐ and organization‐related information (socialization content) and newcomers' affective commitment to their work organization.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 280 new hires in a Greek service company participated in a survey. Moderated regression analyses were conducted to test research hypotheses.

Findings

The results supported the role of investiture‐divestiture tactics as a moderator in the relationship between newcomers' task‐related information acquisition and organizational affective commitment. In addition, serial‐disjunctive tactics were found to moderate the relationship between organization‐related information acquisition and newcomers' affective commitment. The study also demonstrated that both task‐related and organization‐related information acquisition are important to the development of newcomers' affective commitment at the early stages of the socialization process.

Research limitations/implications

Owing to the cross‐sectional design of the research, causality cannot be drawn.

Practical implications

The knowledge of whether, and the extent to which, particular socialization tactics and content areas contribute to newcomers' adjustment would provide organizations a competitive advantage by incorporating them into their socialization programs.

Originality/value

Provision of feedback affirming newcomers' personal characteristics as well as assignment of established role models were found to provide the framework within which the acquisition of task and organization‐related information respectively are related to new hires' affective commitment towards their work organization.

Citation

Simosi, M. (2010), "The role of social socialization tactics in the relationship between socialization content and newcomers' affective commitment", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 25 No. 3, pp. 301-327. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683941011023758