INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT, JOB SATISFACTION AND EMPLOYEES’ COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN SOUTH-EAST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The success and failure of every institution largely depends on employees’ commitment. Institutional support and job satisfaction are considered essential factors for employee commitment to an organization. In the absence of commitment, organizations may suffer low productivity and high rate of staff turnover that can negatively impact on their existence. However, studies have shown that public servants in Nigeria including librarians have poor attitude to work and exhibit low level of commitment. The study examined the influence of institutional support and job satisfaction on employees’ commitment in public university libraries in South-East Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria.

The survey research design was adopted for the study. Total population was 359 librarians in Public University libraries in South-East Nigeria made up of professionals and para-professionals. Total enumeration was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a validated questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha results ranged from 0.86 to 0.90. The response rate was 87.5%. Data were analyzed using Pearson product Moment Correlation and Multiple Regression.

The findings showed that there was a significant positive relationship between Institutional Support and Employees’ Commitment in public university libraries in South-East Geopolitical zone Nigeria, (r=0.650, p< 0.05); and a significant positive relationship between job satisfaction and employees’ commitment, (r=0.706, p< 0.05). The study further found that there was a significant joint influence of institutional support and job satisfaction on employees’ commitment (Adj.= .772, = 25.048, p< 0.05). It was found that institutional support positively influenced employees’ commitment as did job satisfaction (Adj.= .772, = 25.048, p< 0.05).

The study concluded that librarians’ level of institutional commitment was determined by the extent at which their institutions supported them. The study recommended that for management of public university libraries to succeed, they must find means of increasing institutional support and also promote job satisfaction among their employees.

Keywords:     Employees commitment, Organizational commitment, Institutional support, Job satisfaction, Public university libraries, South-East Geo-Political Zone, Nigeria