Effects of Power Distance on Organizational Commitment: A Study on Maritime Faculty Students

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of power distance on the organizational commitment of maritime faculty students. The hypotheses developed in this context were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method based on data collected from 406 participants. The results from one-dimensional (1D) evaluation indicated that organizational power distance had a positive impact on the organizational commitment levels of maritime faculty students. However, there are several studies in the literature that show that this effect may lead to inconsistent results in 1D examination. These conflicting results necessitate a multidimensional analysis of the research. Evaluation of the sub-dimensions included in the study revealed that: (1) acceptance of power had positive effects on calculative and moral commitment, (2) justification of power on moral commitment, and (3) acquiescence of power on calculative, alienative, and moral commitment.

Keywords

• organizational commitment
• power distance
• maritime
• education
• vocational training