This study has aimed to reveal the impact of the quality of work life, working conditions,
perceived organizational protectiveness and demographics of the academicians working for
state and foundation universities in Turkey on affective, normative and continuance
commitment. The study has examined whether there is a significant difference between
affective, normative and continuance commitment of the academicians working for state and
foundation universities, and resulted in that there is no significant difference between the
academicians working for state and foundation universities in terms of affective, normative
and continuance commitment. This result is not consistent with Sığrı’s study (2007),
concluding that the level of affective and normative commitment of private sector employees
in Turkey is higher than that of public sector employees. It has been stated that there are huge
differences between and among the public and private sector organizations in Turkey in terms
of working conditions, therefore a higher level of continuance commitment by the public
employees is an anticipated result, and the study has also led to the finding that the level of
continuance commitment of the public employees is higher than the private sector employees
as anticipated. Nonetheless, this study has not resulted in an information consistent with this
anticipation and finding, and concluded that the level of affective, normative and continuance
commitment of the academicians working for both public and foundation universities is close.
On the other hand, that there is no significant difference between the continuance
commitment of the academicians working for state and foundation universities may be
attributed to the characteristics of Wasti’s communitarian culture. Wasti (2000b) states that
employees in Turkey may feel a sense of continuance commitment to their organizations
because they do not like change, and points out that this opinion of his may be related to a
cultural dimension as defined by Hofstede as uncertainty avoidance index. In societies with a
high level of uncertainty avoidance, individuals do not take kindly to change, they prefer
certainty in their lives, and they avoid taking risks. In view of the fact that Turkey has the 16 th
place out of 53 countries in terms of uncertainty avoidance in Hofstede’s study, which means
Turkish society relatively avoids from uncertainty, Wasti thinks the continuance commitment
may be explained as such (Wasti, 2000b; 206).