The Role of Social Capital in Organizational Commitment (Case Study of Sepah Bank Employees in the Coastal Cities of Mazandaran)
Keywords:
Social Capital, Social Trust, Social Participation, Coastal Cities, Organizational CommitmentAbstract
The study aimed to examine the impact of social capital and its dimensions—trust, participation, awareness, and social cohesion—on the organizational commitment of Sepah Bank employees in the coastal cities of Mazandaran Province. This descriptive–survey study was conducted cross-sectionally. The statistical population included all Sepah Bank employees in the coastal cities of Mazandaran (N=1423). Based on Cochran’s formula, 328 individuals were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using Nahapiet and Ghoshal’s (1998) social capital questionnaire and Allen and Meyer’s (1990) organizational commitment questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.920 for social capital and 0.670 for organizational commitment. Data analysis was performed using SPSS24 and Amos software through Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that the employees’ social capital level ranged from medium to high, while organizational commitment was at a medium to low level. Pearson’s correlation coefficient between social capital and organizational commitment was r=0.450 (p<0.001), confirming a positive and significant relationship. Among the four dimensions of social capital, social awareness (β=0.40) and trust (β=0.28) showed the strongest effects on organizational commitment. The multiple regression analysis revealed that 27.3% of the variance in organizational commitment was explained by the four dimensions of social capital. SEM results confirmed a good model fit with indices above 0.9. The findings highlight that enhancing social capital contributes to strengthening employees’ organizational commitment. Improving trust, awareness, and participation within organizations can foster higher loyalty, cohesion, and motivation among employees. Managers are encouraged to promote social interaction, fairness, and collective identity to improve organizational attachment and commitment levels.
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