IMPACT OF THE PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ON ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT WITH MEDIATING EFFECT OF PERSON-ORGANIZATION FIT: A STUDY OF EXECUTIVE LEVEL EMPLOYEES IN TEA EXPORTING INDUSTRY

Abstract

Organizational culture plays a crucial role in shaping employee behavior, fostering commitment, and influencing overall job satisfaction. As a result, organizational culture and commitment have become increasingly valuable concepts in both theoretical and empirical research in organizational behavior. A strong cultural alignment enhances employees’ sense of belonging, whereas a mismatch between organizational culture and individual values can negatively impact their commitment and intention to stay. Given the competitive business environment, organizations must understand the interplay between culture and commitment to design effective retention strategies. This study explores the relationship between perceived organizational culture and organizational commitment, emphasizing the mediating role of person-organization fit. A cross-sectional research design was employed, focusing on a leading tea export company in Sri Lanka. Data was collected from 143 executive-level employees across multiple departments using a standardized questionnaire. By analyzing the data through SPSS version 23 and Andrew F. Hayes’ Process Macro (v.4.3), the study aims to uncover key insights into how cultural perceptions influence employee commitment. Findings from this study are expected to highlight the significance of aligning individual values with organizational culture to enhance commitment and job satisfaction. By identifying person-organization fit as a crucial factor in this relationship, the research provides valuable insights for management in designing strategies to strengthen cultural alignment and foster long-term employee engagement. However, since the study focuses on a single tea export company, its findings may have limited generalizability, suggesting the need for further research across diverse industries.