Grounded on the complexity theory, this study aims to explore the interplay of antecedent conditions of cultural (innovative, supportive and bureaucratic) and structural (centralisation, formalisation) attributes in fostering a higher level of organisational commitment (OC) across gender profiles.
Using a sample of 267 employees from Brunei’s service organisations, the study employed the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to validate the research proposition.
The study’s findings showed that a single cultural or structural organisational attribute alone is not sufficient to foster high OC among male and female employees. Rather, various combinations of cultural and structural attributes that could lead to greater OC in both female and male employees – nine configurations for each group. Interestingly, despite being conducted in service organisations, the study findings also underscored the prevalence of bureaucratic culture in both gender profiles, which is often present in conjunction with other attributes.
This study complements the extant research examining antecedents of OC by elucidating the multiple configurations of cultural and structural organisational attributes leading to greater OC. It also extends the current literature by highlighting the nuances between male and female employees in the combinations of conditions crucial for fostering their OC.
