Article: Relationship between psychological contract and organisational commitment: an empirical investigation on airline cabin crew Journal: International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion (IJWOE) 2025 Vol.16 No.2 pp.187 - 208 Abstract: The study explores the link between organisational commitment (OCO) and psychological contract (PCO) among airline cabin crews. The study also investigates the moderation effect of the type of organisation and work experience in the relationship between PCO and OCO. A theoretical model with hypothesised relationship is developed and tested empirically using structural equation modelling with the data generated by means of a questionnaire survey conducted among the airline cabin crew. The study finds that: 1) There is a direct connection between PCO and OCO in the case of both employee PCO and employer PCO; 2) type of the organisation moderates the relation between: a) employer's PCO and employees' PCO; b) employer's PCO and OCO. We also found that the relationship between the PCO and OCO is moderated by the organisation type in the case of cabin crew working for private airlines but not for government-owned airlines. Since a favourable PCO is favourably correlated with OCO, the study's findings would assist airline operators in identifying the critical PCO dimensions that influence their OCO and helping them implement appropriate steps to increase their commitment to their staff. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Relationship between psychological contract and organisational commitment: an empirical investigation on airline cabin crew

Authors: Shiju Sebastian; George AP; Sarin Raju; Rofin TM

Addresses: Christ University, Bangalore-560029, India ' Royal School of Business and Commerce, The Assam Royal Global University, Guwahati, Assam, India ' St. Joseph's Institute of Management, Bengaluru 560025, India ' Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400087, India

Abstract: The study explores the link between organisational commitment (OCO) and psychological contract (PCO) among airline cabin crews. The study also investigates the moderation effect of the type of organisation and work experience in the relationship between PCO and OCO. A theoretical model with hypothesised relationship is developed and tested empirically using structural equation modelling with the data generated by means of a questionnaire survey conducted among the airline cabin crew. The study finds that: 1) There is a direct connection between PCO and OCO in the case of both employee PCO and employer PCO; 2) type of the organisation moderates the relation between: a) employer's PCO and employees' PCO; b) employer's PCO and OCO. We also found that the relationship between the PCO and OCO is moderated by the organisation type in the case of cabin crew working for private airlines but not for government-owned airlines. Since a favourable PCO is favourably correlated with OCO, the study's findings would assist airline operators in identifying the critical PCO dimensions that influence their OCO and helping them implement appropriate steps to increase their commitment to their staff.

Keywords: psychological contract; organisational commitment; cabin crew; work experience; organisation type.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWOE.2025.146944

International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 2025 Vol.16 No.2, pp.187 - 208

Received: 28 Mar 2023
Accepted: 21 Mar 2024
Published online: 27 Jun 2025 *

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Title: Relationship between psychological contract and organisational commitment: an empirical investigation on airline cabin crew

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