Opportunity at work: antecedents and consequences

Abstract

The present study explores the under-researched topic of opportunity at work. The study aims first to analyze the relationship between opportunity and major organizational outcomes of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, absenteeism, and employee performance. Second aim of the study is to analyze the relationships between opportunity and possible antecedents of opportunity, i.e. leadership and high performance work practices (HPWPs). Based on literature review, a questionnaire is developed and administered to a pilot sample of 102 white-collar employees in Istanbul. After the questionnaire is revised, it is administered to 550 white-collar employees in Istanbul. Using data from this latter sample, results of factor analyses show that opportunity is explained with three factors: promotion, development, and recognition. Using regression analyses, it is found that opportunities of development and recognition are predictors of major organizational outcomes. Promotion is predictor of only job satisfaction. The results also show that the effects of development are stronger than those of recognition except for in the case of absenteeism. Another significant finding of the study is that leadership creates opportunity for employees. All types of leadership studied create one type of opportunity or the other. Results also show that HPWPs predict opportunities of promotion and development. In contrast to findings of previous studies, alternative opportunities are positively related to organizational commitment and employee performance. It is also found that alternative opportunities moderate the relationships between opportunity and major organizational outcomes in a negative way.