Allen and Meyer (1990) identified and developed measures of three forms of commitment; affective,
continuance and normative. Affective commitment reflects an emotional attachment and involvement
in the organization. Continuance commitment is based on the perceived costs associated with
discontinuing employment with the organization. Normative commitment reflects a sense of obligation
on the part of the employee to maintain membership in the organization (Meyer & Smith, 2000). In
brief, while employees with strong affective commitment continue employment with the organization
because they want to, those with strong continuance commitment remain because they need to and
those with strong normative commitment because they feel they ought to do so (Meyer & Allen, 1991).