The Role Played by Institutional Support in the Commitment, Job Satisfaction and Employee Performance of Teachers in Gauteng Province of South Africa: A Social Exchange Perspective

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates the role played by institutional support in the commitment, job satisfaction and job performance of teachers in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Drawing from a social exchange perspective, the researchers argue that institutional support has a positive influence on institutional commitment, job satisfaction and employee performance. However, there are relatively few studies that seek to investigate the influence of institutional support on teachers’ level of commitment, job satisfaction and workplace performance, particularly in the developing countries of Southern Africa. Three research hypotheses are posited and data collected from a sample of 150 teachers in colleges and universities in the Gauteng province of South Africa are used to test the hypotheses empirically. The results of this study show that institutional support positively influences teachers’ job commitment, job satisfaction and job performance. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed and limitations and future research directions are indicated.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n2p303