A study of occupational stress, job satisfaction, and quitting intention in Hong Kong firms : the role of locus of control and organizational commitment

The author investigated the direct and moderating effects of locus of control and organizational commitment on the relationship of stress with psychological distress, job satisfaction, and quitting intention of 102 employees (66 males, 54 females, 2 unclassified) working in Hong Kong firms. The instruments included parts of Occupational Stress Indicator-2, Work Locus of Control, and the 9-item Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. A series of validation procedures were conducted, and the author concluded that the instruments used were valid to be used on Chinese employees in Hong Kong. The results of the study suggested that the locus of control and organizational commitment had strong direct effects (externals were dissatisfied with the job itself, and thought of quitting the job quite often; employees who had a high commitment had higher job satisfaction) and moderating effects (the stressor-strain relationships were significant in externals, and commitment buffered most of the stressor-strain relationships).