FINNISH NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY COMMITMENT TO THE MILITARY SERVICE AMONG FINNISH CONSCRIPTS Thesis Captain Mikael Salo General Staff Officer Course 54 Army July 2009 ii FINNISH NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY Course Branch General Staff Officer Course 54 Army (Maasotalinja) (Yleisesikuntaupseerikurssi 54) Author Captain Mikael Salo Title Commitment to the Military Service among Finnish Conscripts Branch of learning Storing place Leadership Course Library of the Finnish National Defence University Time July 2009 Pages 130 Appendices 3 ABSTRACT This research establishes the primary components, predictors, and consequences of organizational commitment in the military context. Specifically, the research examines commitment to the military service among Finnish conscripts and whether initial affective commitment prior to service predicts later commitment, attitudes, behavior, and performance, and, furthermore, analyzes the changes in commitment and its possible outcomes. The data were collected from records as well as by surveys from 1,387 rank and file soldiers, immediately after they reported for duty, near the end of basic training, and near the end of 6 to 12 months of service. The data covered a wide array of predictor variables, including background items, attitudes toward conscription, mental and physical health, sociability, training quality, and leadership. Moreover, the archival data included such items as rank, criminal record, performance ratings, and the number of medical examines and exemptions. The measures were further refined based on the results of factor analysis and reliability tests. The results indicated that initial commitment significantly corresponded with expected adjustment, intentions to stay in the military, and acceptance of authority. Moreover, initial commitment moderately related to personal growth, perceived performance, and the number of effective service days at the end of service. During basic training, affective commitment was mostly influenced by challenging training, adjustment experiences, regimentation, and unit climate. At the end of service, committed soldiers demonstrated more personal growth and development in service, had higher-level expected performance, and less malingering during their service. Additionally, they had significantly more positive attitudes toward national defense. The results suggest that affective commitment requires adequate personal adjustment, experiences of personal growth and development, and satisfaction with unit dynamics and training. This research contributes to the theoretical discussion on organizational commitment and the will to defend the nation and advances developing models to support and manage conscript training, education, leadership, and personnel policy. This is achieved by determining the main factors and variables, including their relative strength, that affect commitment to the military service. These findings may also facilitate in designing programs aimed at reducing unwanted discharges and inadequate performance. In particular, these results provide tools for improving conscripts’ overall attachment to and identification with the military service. Keywords Organizational commitment, affective commitment, intent to stay, conscript, military iii COMMITMENT TO THE MILITARY SERVICE AMONG FINNISH CONSCRIPTS CONTENTS Abstract List of Appendices List of Tables and Figures 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................ 1 2 CONSEPTUALIZATIONS OF COMMITMENT........................................................ 6 2.1 Components of Organizational Commitment .............................................................. 6 2.2 Multiple Foci of Commitment in the Military ........................................................... 12 2.3 Commitment to the Military Service and "the Will to Defend the Nation"............... 17 2.4 Commitment to the Group ......................................................................................... 28 2.5 Commitment as a Consequence of Organizational Socialization .............................. 31 3 PREDICTORS AND CONSEQUENCES OF COMMITMENT .............................. 35 3.1 Personal, Social, and Organizational Factors Influence Commitment....................... 35 3.2 Commitment Affects Attitudes and Behavior............................................................ 50 4 METHODS ..................................................................................................................... 56 4.1 Outline for the Study and the Research Questions..................................................... 56 4.2 Sample........................................................................................................................ 58 4.3 Questionnaire Administration .................................................................................... 59 4.4 Validity and Reliability of the Measures.................................................................... 60 5 RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 70 5.1 Relations Between Personal Characteristics and Commitment ................................. 70 5.2 Predictors of Affective Commitment and Intent to Stay............................................ 82 5.2.1 Soldiers' Affective Commitment and Intent to Stay Before Service ........... 82 5.2.2 Affective Commitment and Intent to Stay During Basic Training ............. 90 5.2.3 Affective Commitment and Intent to Stay at the End of Service ................ 96 5.3 Effects of Commitment on Soldiers' Attitudes and Performance ............................ 103 6 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................... 107 6.1 Main Results ............................................................................................................ 107 iv 6.2 Methodological Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research ......................... 109 6.3 Foundations of Commitment in Cadets' Responses................................................. 115 6.4 Practical Implications and Recommendations ......................................................... 123 REFERENCES..................................................................................................................... 131 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1 Factors at Time 2 and 3 .......................................................................... 143 Appendix 2 Commitment Indices and Primary Scales at Time 3 .............................. 153 Appendix 3 Effects of Commitment and Intent to Stay............................................. 156 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1 Factors at Time 1...................................................................................... 62 Table 2 Factor Analysis for the Commitment-Related Items at Time 1 ............... 64 Table 3 Factor Analysis for the Commitment-Related Items at Time 2 ............... 66 Table 4 Factor Analysis for the Commitment-Related Items at Time 3 ............... 67 Table 5 Values of Items Before Service................................................................ 70 Table 6 Values of Items During Basic Training.................................................... 72 Table 7 Values of Items at the End of Service...................................................... 73 Table 8 Parents’ Positive Attitude Towards Military Service............................... 78 Table 9 Friends’ Positive Attitude Towards Military Service .............................. 78 Table 10 Attitude Towards Drug Use Relates to Service Attitudes........................ 79 Table 11 Desired Service Period (Before Training)................................................ 80 Table 12 Desired Service Period (During Basic Training) ..................................... 81 Table 13 Character Suitable for the Military........................................................... 82 Table 14 Received Training that Wished for .......................................................... 82 Table 15 Correlations of Measures Before Service................................................. 83 Table 16 Correlations of Individual Items Before Service...................................... 84 Table 17 Background Predictors of Affective Commitment Before Service.......... 85 Table 18 Scales and Background Items as Predictors of Affective Commitment Before Service.......................................................................................... 86 Table 19 Background Predictors of Intent to Stay Before Service.......................... 87 v Table 20 Scales and Background Predictors of Intent to Stay Before Service........ 88 Table 21 Multiple Regression of Predictors of Intent to Stay in the Military......... 89 Table 22 Correlations of Scales During Basic Training.......................................... 90 Table 23 Correlations of Items During Basic Training........................................... 91 Table 24 Background and Aptitude Predictors of Affective Commitment During Basic Training .......................................................................................... 92 Table 25 Scales and Items as Predictors of Affective Commitment During Basic Training.................................................................................................... 92 Table 26 Predictor Scales of Affective Commitment During Basic Training ........ 93 Table 27 Background Predictors