extension personnel's self-esteem and workplace relationships: implications for job...
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This article was downloaded by: [University of California Santa Cruz]On: 26 November 2014, At: 22:21Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
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Extension Personnel's Self-Esteem andWorkplace Relationships: Implicationsfor Job Satisfaction and AffectiveOrganizational Commitment FociOlugbenga Jelil Ladebo a , Olalekan Jacob Olaoye b & ComfortOyekale Adamu aa Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development ,University of Agriculture , Sapon, Abeokuta, Nigeriab Agricultural Media and Resources Centre , University ofAgriculture , Sapon, Abeokuta, NigeriaPublished online: 18 Sep 2008.
To cite this article: Olugbenga Jelil Ladebo , Olalekan Jacob Olaoye & Comfort Oyekale Adamu(2008) Extension Personnel's Self-Esteem and Workplace Relationships: Implications for JobSatisfaction and Affective Organizational Commitment Foci, The Journal of Agricultural Educationand Extension, 14:3, 249-263, DOI: 10.1080/13892240802207692
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13892240802207692
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Extension Personnel’s Self-Esteem andWorkplace Relationships: Implications forJob Satisfaction and AffectiveOrganizational Commitment Foci
OLUGBENGA JELIL LADEBO*, OLALEKAN JACOB OLAOYE$ andCOMFORT OYEKALE ADAMU**Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Agriculture, Sapon,
Abeokuta, Nigeria, $Agricultural Media and Resources Centre, University of Agriculture, Sapon,
Abeokuta, Nigeria
ABSTRACT This study proposes relationships between job satisfaction, affective commitment(organization, supervisor and workgroup), and exchange relations with supervisor, organizationand workgroup members among extension personnel. Perceived self-esteem (SE) is hypothesizedto moderate relations between the social exchange foci and the corresponding commitment fociand global job satisfaction. One hundred and fifty-six extension personnel (i.e. 93.41% responses)from Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme in Southwest Nigeria provided theuseable data for this study. The results of the multiple moderated regression analyses indicate thatthere are positive relations between job satisfaction and SE (b�0.30, pB0.0001), and relationswith organization (b�0.62, pB0.0001). There are positive relations between SE andorganizational commitment (b�0.58, pB0.0001), supervisor commitment (b�0.28, pB0.0001), and workgroup commitment (b�0.33, pB0.0001). The notion of most salient focihaving the strongest effect on an individual’s behavior received mixed support in this study. Thereis independence between workgroup commitment and relations with workgroup members (b�0.01, ns). The hypothesized moderating effect of SE on the predictors-criterions linkages is notsupported by the results. The implications of the results are discussed.
KEY WORDS: Self-esteem, Social exchanges, Job satisfaction, Affective commitment,Extension personnel
Introduction
The provision of public-funded extension services to resource-poor farmers is the
responsibility of the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) in each of the 36
states and the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. The main roles of the ADPs are
to encourage commercialization of agriculture, empower farmers through capacity
building to cope with vulnerability and to assist in poverty reduction in rural areas.
Correspondence address: Olugbenga Jelil Ladebo, Department of Agricultural Extension and
Rural Development, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta PO Box 2316, Sapon, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]
1389-224X Print/1750-8622 Online/08/030249-15 # 2008 Wageningen University
DOI: 10.1080/13892240802207692
Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension
Vol. 14, No. 3, 249�263, September 2008
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The field extension personnel are key actors in the role performance of the ADPs in
terms of training farmers and disseminating agricultural information at the grass-
roots. The importance of extension personnel in the change process is underscored by
the argument that extension personnel are to monitor and enhance the dynamics of
learning and negotiations. Further, extension personnel are expected to develop the
skills and capacity to elicit knowledge from diverse stakeholders, which they are to
share among those involved in agricultural intervention (Leeuwis and van den Ban,
2004).
Past research focus has been on ways to improve the work environment as it affects
the role performance and work attitudes of extension personnel. It is suggested that
extension managers should strive to improve the job contents and competencies of
extension personnel as well as to identify and eliminate stressors in their organiza-
tions (Agunga et al., 1997; Andersen, 2004; Cho and Boland, 2004; Liles and
Mustain, 2004; Place and Jacob, 2001; Tladi, 2004). There is the need to provide
adequate information on the role responsibilities and performance expectation for
extension staff. In addition, extension organizations need adequate financing to
guarantee effective service delivery (Daku et al., 2005; Leeuwis and van den Ban,
2004; Omotayo et al., 2001).
Studies indicate that the extension agents are satisfied with their job and are
committed to extension organizations; however, the literature on these work attitudes
is not so developed. There is scant information on the causes of satisfaction and
organizational commitment in extension personnel. Most studies investigated
personal factors of personnel (tenure track status, age, gender, race, marital status,
education and tenure) as predictors of satisfaction and organizational commitment
(Agunga et al., 1997; Ghosh and Vijayaragavan, 2003; Santos and Not-land, 1994;
Scott et al., 2005). However, two recent studies adopted the social exchange relations’
framework to explain satisfaction in extension personnel (Ladebo et al., 2005;
Schmiesing et al., 2003). The social exchange theory indicates the extent to which an
employee and organization hold the implicit agreement concerning mutual obliga-
tions or socio-emotional expectations toward each other and are not specific in
nature (Blau, 1964). Positive beneficial and equitable actions directed at employees
by an organization can induce employees to reciprocate the benevolent actions
through positive work attitudes and improved performance (Gouldner, 1960).
A balanced social-exchange relationship between an employee and the organization
has equally been shown to improve an organization’s wellbeing.
Social exchange theorists posit that employees engage in multiple social exchange
relations with the top management, organization, supervisor and coworkers.
Satisfactory exchanges with each of the foci have beneficial effects (Brandes et al.,
2004; Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002; Vandenberghe et al., 2004). As part of the
social exchange framework, employee’s commitment involves varying emotional
bonding to different key actors in the workplace. This paper suggests that an
extension agent, who is involved in higher quality exchange relations with the
organization, supervisor, and/or workgroup members, will generally be satisfied with
the job and specifically, exhibit stronger emotional attachment to the specific referent
of interaction. We argue that extension agents are likely to develop psychological
bonding to the target of exchange in line with the reasoning that the most salient or
proximal interaction will have positive effect on behavior. Further, it makes much
250 O.J. Ladebo et al.
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conceptual sense to match the foci of commitment to its relevant foci of exchange
relations (see Brandes et al., 2004; Vandenberghe et al., 2004).
It is imperative that extension managers should have adequate knowledge of the
personality traits and temperament of their workforce. These will assist them to
develop appropriate training, motivation, and compensation systems for the
employees. Therefore, we argue that perceived self-esteem (SE) would play a
significant role for an extension agent to develop increased job satisfaction and
commitment to the organization, supervisor and workgroup. Though, it is believed
that work attitudes especially job satisfaction, reflect a stable and unchangeable
disposition of a worker. Till date no study has examined the relationships between
SE, job satisfaction and the commitment of extension personnel.
Theoretical Framework
Job Satisfaction and Affective Organizational Commitment
Both job satisfaction and organizational commitment are concerned with employees’
affective or emotional responses to work. Though, significantly related, they
constitute empirically distinct constructs. Kreitner et al. (2002) describe job
satisfaction as employees’ affective responses toward various aspects of their job.
Therefore, job satisfaction reflects an employee’s perception about certain aspects of
the job, relative to personal values. It may be measured either in its entirety or by
considering a specific aspect. There is the need to investigate job satisfaction because
of its positive effect on employees’ job involvement, performance of citizenship
behaviors beneficial to coworkers and the organization; organizational commitment,
reduced turnover, regular attendance at work, reduced stress, and higher job
performance (Kreitner et al., 2002).
With respect to affective organizational commitment, research on employment
relations indicates that employees consider it an obligation to show loyalty to their
employers in terms of maintaining continued membership and the willingness to
invest effort and energy in the organization. Employees’ attachment to and continued
membership in the organization are important determinants of loyalty and
investment or affective commitment to the organization (Meyer and Allen, 1997).
Affectively committed employees experience greater job satisfaction, mental and
physical wellbeing, achieve higher organizational performance, perform citizenship
behaviors, and would not consider leaving the job thereby ensuring low staff turnover
(Meyer and Herscovitch, 2001; Siu, 2002).
Literature on affective commitment suggests that employees can identify with and
feel attached to separate referents or foci in the workplace. This is because an
organization is composed of different constituents with conflicting goals and it is
possible for an employee to align with the goals of a particular constituent and not
with others. Therefore, an employee may exhibit emotional attachment to and be
involved with the foci of organization, supervisor, profession, team or workgroup
(Ladebo, 2003; Meyer and Allen, 1997; Meyer and Herscovitch, 2001; Vandenberghe
et al., 2004). Empirical evidence supports the distinction between commitment foci in
terms of their differential impact on employees’ job performance, quit intentions,
turnover and job search behavior (Ellemers et al., 1998; Vandenberghe et al., 2004).
Extension Personnel’s Self-Esteem and Workplace Relationships 251
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Self-Esteem (SE)
SE refers to an individual’s overall self-evaluation of competence and social worth
(Kreitner et al., 2002). Higher SE individuals feel secure, capable, acceptable, and
worthy and the trait is relatively stable across situations. Persons with low SE view
themselves in negative terms and suffer self-doubts. Research indicates that an
efficacious person’s work behavior is dependent on self-perceived competence than
on environmental cues. Although, higher SE influences individuals to have higher job
satisfaction and performance as well as being important in affect regulation, it also
moderates employees’ attitudinal and behavioral responses to workplace stimuli
(Judge and Buono, 2001; Kreitner et al., 2002; Wood et al., 2003).
Social Exchange Relations with Organization, Workgroup Members and Supervisor
Employees personify and ascribe human-like characteristics to the organization by
forming general beliefs concerning the extent their employer cares for the workers’
wellbeing and values their contributions. In a sense, the employee�employer
relationship is unlike the regular interpersonal interactions between employees.
Rather it is viewed in terms of employees’ perceptions of the organization’s
benevolence in providing favorable job conditions such as good pay, promotion,
enriched job, equitable policies, job security, emotional support, esteem and
affiliation to members (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002). Positive perceptions of
benevolent actions by the organization often leads to employees’ readiness to
reciprocate through increased job satisfaction and emotional attachment to the
organization or to specific referents in the workplace (Ladebo et al., 2005; Rhoades
and Eisenberger, 2002). Organizations that care for members’ wellbeing and value
employees’ contributions would motivate them to develop felt obligations to assist
the organization to achieve its goals. These have positive implications on job
performance and citizenship behaviors. (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002).
Therefore, due to the obligation for care exchanges between an employer and its
employee, an extension agent who perceives a higher quality relationship with the
organization (RO) will reciprocate through increased job satisfaction and have a
stronger attachment to the extension organization. The relationships between RO
and job satisfaction as well as organizational commitment would be moderated by
the employee’s perceptions of self-competence and social worth. Extension agents
who are higher in SE are likely to appreciate the concerns of the organization toward
them better, such that RO�job satisfaction and RO�organization commitment
relationships are stronger for efficacious individuals, whereas the hypothesized
relations would be weaker for low-efficacious extension personnel.
Regarding relationship with workgroup members (RGM), it has been observed in
recent years that business organizations, including extension outfits, have adopted
the use of workgroups. This is because employees are able to perform tasks efficiently,
solve work-related problems effectively, feel increased motivation, and are encour-
aged to remain with the organization (Kreitner et al., 2002; Leeuwis and van den
Ban, 2004; Leholm et al., 1999). The workgroup provides support, advice, comfort
and assistance to members. Employees develop social relationships and perceptions
on the support they receive from workgroup members. These have important
252 O.J. Ladebo et al.
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implications on employees’ attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. The group
interpersonal dynamics may influence a member to develop a positive affect for
the group and also, facilitate the process of change within the organization.
Members who belong to a group that provides emotional satisfaction, where
members depend on each other to achieve the group’s goals (i.e. cohesive workgroup)
tend to exhibit commitment to the group (Vandenberghe et al., 2004). Further, in
workplaces where coworkers accept and positively evaluate each other, this often
leads to an individual developing higher SE (Reece and Brandt, 1999).
Therefore, we propose that an individual who positively valuates his/her relation-
ship with workgroup members would feel satisfied with job as well as exhibit
attachment to the workgroup. As an efficacious individual attempts to build trusting
relationships and easily demonstrates empathy, compassion, and cooperation, s/he
would be accepted, respected, and valued by coworkers (Reece and Brandt, 1999).
Therefore, perceived SE would moderate the relations between RGM and job
satisfaction and workgroup commitment. The RGM�job satisfaction and RGM�workgroup commitment relationships would be stronger for efficacious extension
personnel and weaker for low-efficacious persons.
Finally, research has shown that supervisors and subordinates are involved in
social exchange interactions in the workplace. Supervisors are in direct contact with
employees and they set performance standards, perform appraisal, and communicate
the organization’s goals and values to employees. Further, supervisors establish either
a lower or higher quality relationships with their subordinates. Lower quality
relations result in a supervisor’s use of formal authority and sometimes being abusive
in his/her interaction with subordinates. It is believed that employees in a lower
quality relationship often decrease performance and abused employees have the
propensity to withhold performance of discretionary behaviors (Zellars et al., 2002).
In contrast, supervisors devoting more time, advice, resources, and trusting favorite
employees characterize higher quality relations. The higher quality relationship
motivates employees to exhibit higher performances, increased citizenship behavior
and stronger commitment (Brandes et al., 2004; Vandenberghe et al., 2004).
Because of an employee’s obligation to reciprocate and sustain quality exchanges
into the future, it is proposed that an extension agent having a higher quality
exchange with supervisor (RS) would be satisfied and exhibit affective commitment
to the supervisor. Perceived SE would moderate the relations between RS and job
satisfaction and commitment to supervisor. RS�job satisfaction and RS�commit-
ment to supervisor linkages would be stronger for efficacious extension personnel
than for low-efficacious individuals.
Purpose and Objectives
This study investigates the influence of relations with the supervisor, workgroup
members, organization and SE on organizational commitment; workgroup commit-
ment, supervisor commitment and job satisfaction. Therefore, the specific objectives
are to: (1) examine respondents’ levels of agreements or disagreements concerning
job satisfaction, SE, relationship with supervisor, workgroup members and organiza-
tion, as well as organizational commitment, workgroup commitments and supervisor
commitment; (2) determine whether respondents’ job satisfaction and commitment
Extension Personnel’s Self-Esteem and Workplace Relationships 253
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foci are correlated to relations with supervisor, workgroup members, organization
and SE; and (3) determine the moderating influence of SE on the predictors-
criterions linkages.
Methods
Sample
The data set employed for this study was obtained from extension personnel in Ogun
State ADP in Southwest Nigeria. Surveys were administered to 167 extension
personnel, who voluntarily completed them with assurances of anonymity to their
responses. The data collection exercise was undertaken during the last hour of the
fortnightly training meetings at the ADP’s four zones in the state. Eleven surveys
containing excessive missing data were excluded from the analysis, thereby leaving
156 useable responses (i.e. 93.41% responses). The response rate achieved is well
above the limit of 80.0% and non-response error is not a likely threat to the external
validity of the study findings (Lindner and Wingenbach, 2002). The sample were
predominantly men (86.5%), with mean age of 41.21 years (SD�4.61 years, min�31
and max�58 years), and mean tenure of 12.08 years (SD�4.45 years). Most of the
personnel possess BSc/HND degrees (79.5%) and others have MSc (19.9%) and PhD
(0.6%).
Measures
a. Self-esteem was measured by employing a 10-item scale (Rosenberg, 1965). The
internal consistency reliability (Cronbach a) for the scale was 0.72.
b. Relationship with organization was assessed by a six-item short version of the
perceived organizational support scale (Eisenberger et al., 1986) (Cronbach a�0.81).
c. Relationship with supervisor was indexed by a six-item short version of the
multidimensional leader�member exchange scale (Liden and Maslyn, 1998)
(Cronbach a�0.84).
d. Relationship with workgroup members was assessed using a self-constructed
four-item scale. The items were developed based on an extensive search of the
literature on team-member exchange relations. Sample items were: ‘I often
count on at least a colleague to help me with work-related problems’ and ‘My
colleagues understand my job-related problems’ (Cronbach a�0.78).
e. Global job satisfaction was assessed using a six-item scale (Brayfield and Rothe,
1951) (Cronbach a�0.89).
f. Affective commitment foci. Organizational commitment was indexed using a six-
item short version scale of Meyer and Allen (1997) (Cronbach a�0.89). To
index commitment to one’s supervisor and workgroup, we followed the
procedure of Vandenberghe et al. (2004) by rewording the items of organiza-
tional commitment to reflect commitment to these foci. Therefore, respondents
indicated their agreement or disagreement with commitments to the supervisor
on a six-item scale (Cronbach a�0.76), and workgroup on a five-item scale
(Cronbach a�0.77). Items in all the scales were rated on a five-point format of
254 O.J. Ladebo et al.
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strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Scale scores were computed by
summing across responses to items in a scale.
g. Personal factors. These are age and tenure measured in actual number of years,
and sex was coded as male�1 and female�2. Educational qualification
received the ranks of BSc/HND�1, MSc�3 and PhD�3.
Data Analysis
The moderated multiple regression (MMR) procedure was employed to ascertain the
variance contributions of the interaction terms (SE�RGM, SE�RS and SE�RO),
main effects and personal variables to the criterions. However, because of the
possibility of interaction terms being correlated with variables from which they were
formed, the means of predictors were centered on zero before creating the interaction
terms (Aguinis, 1995).
Findings
Objective One
This objective describes the extension personnel’s perceptions of job satisfaction,
organizational commitment, supervisor commitment and workgroup commitment,
SE, relations with supervisor, workgroup members and the organization. Respon-
dents’ perceptual ratings ranged between strongly disagreed (1) to strongly agreed (5).
In Table 1, the respondents expressed moderate agreement to job satisfaction (M�3.52; SD�0.85), organizational commitment (M�3.54; SD�0.85), perceived SE
(M�3.77; SD�0.51), relations with workgroup members (M�3.59; SD�0.70),
and the organization (M�3.17; SD�0.78). However, the respondents reported
strong attachment to the workgroup (M�4.15; SD�0.57) and supervisor (M�4.03;
SD�0.54). The intercorrelations between variables are presented in Table 1.
Objectives Two and Three
Objective two investigates if extension personnel’s satisfaction and commitment foci
are related to SE, relations with supervisor, workgroup members, and the organiza-
tion; and objective three was concerned with the moderating influence of SE on the
predictors-criterions linkages.
In Table 2, are results of job satisfaction regressed on personal factors, predictors
and interaction terms. On Step I, the personal factors (age, sex and tenure) explained
no significant variance (DR2�0.00, ns) in job satisfaction. On Step II, the
relationship between SE and job satisfaction was positively significant (b�0.30,
pB0.0001); and on Step III, job satisfaction was positively related to RO (b�0.62,
pB0.0001) and unrelated to RS (b�0.06, ns) and RGM (b�0.04, ns). However,
there was independence between the interaction terms (SE�RO, SE�RS and SE�RGM) and the criterion.
Table 3 shows results of workgroup commitment regressed on controls, main
effects and interaction terms. On Step I, there was independence between the
biographics (age, tenure and sex) and the criterion. On Step II, SE was positively
Extension Personnel’s Self-Esteem and Workplace Relationships 255
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Table 1. Means, standard deviations, alpha reliabilities, and intercorrelations of variables (N�156)
Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1. Age �2. Sex �0.24** �3. Tenure 0.63** �0.08 �4. Self-esteem 0.14 �0.09 0.03 (0.72)5. RGM �0.03 �0.13 �0.01 �0.08 (0.78)6. RS �0.03 0.04 �0.01 0.34** 0.23** (0.84)7. RO 0.02 �0.03 0.03 0.18** 0.13 0.24** (0.81)8. Job satisfaction 0.09 0.01 0.06 0.30** 0.12 0.28** 0.67** (0.89)9. AGC 0.16* 0.04 0.06 0.35** 0.04 0.32** 0.24** 0.25** (0.77)10. ASC 0.01 �0.03 0.01 0.27** 0.13 0.65** 0.27** 0.25** 0.38** (0.76)11. AOC 0.16* �0.10 0.08 0.31** 0.14 0.32** 0.64** 0.69** 0.33** 0.35** (0.89)Mean 41.21 � 12.08 3.77 3.59 4.10 3.17 3.52 4.15 4.03 3.54Sd 4.61 � 4.45 0.51 0.70 0.54 0.78 0.85 0.57 0.54 0.85
*pB0.05; **pB0.01.
Note: Reliabilities in parenthesis in diagonal. AGC, affective group commitment; ASC, affective supervisor commitment; AOC, affective organizational commitment; RGM,
relationship with group members; RS, relationship with supervisor; RO, relationship with organization.
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related to the criterion (b�0.33, pB0.0001). The criterion was related to RS (b�0.20, pB0.005), RO (b�0.15, pB0.05), and unrelated to RGM (b�0.01, ns) on
Step III. The implication of these results is that the notion of most salient foci having
influence on an individual’s behavior did not receive support concerning workgroup
commitment. However, none of the interaction terms (SE�RO, SE�RS and SE�RGM) was significantly related to job satisfaction.
In Table 4, the block of controls (age, tenure and sex) explained no significant
variance in supervisor commitment (DR2�0.001, ns) in Step I. On Step II, the
relationship between SE and supervisor commitment was significant (b�0.28, pB
0.0001). And on Step III, the criterion was positively related to RS (b�0.62, pB
0.0001) and unrelated to RGM (b��0.02, ns) and RO (b�0.12, ns). Thus, the
notion of most salient foci having a strong effect on an individual’s behavior received
support. There was independence between the interactions (SE�RO, SE�RS and
SE�RGM) and the criterion.
In Table 5, the controls did not explain significant variance in commitment to
organization (DR2�0.032, ns) on Step I. On Step II, the criterion was positively
related to SE (b�0.29, pB0.0001). On the third step, organizational commitment
was positively related to RO (b�0.58, pB0.0001), and unrelated to RGM (b�0.04,
ns) and RS (b�0.12, ns). There was independence between the interaction terms
(SE�RO, SE�RS and SE�RGM) and the criterion.
Table 2. Results of MMR analyses on job satisfaction (N�156)
Variables b DR2
Step I: Controls 0.001. Age 0.092. Sex 0.023. Tenure 0.01
Step II: Predictors4. Self-esteem (SE) 0.30* 0.092*
Step III 0.403*5. Relationship with group member (RGM) 0.046. Relationship with supervisor (RS) 0.067. Relationship with organization (RO) 0.62*
Step IV: Terms 0.0058. SE�RGM 0.059. SE�RS 0.0310. SE�RO �0.03
Total R2(adj) 0.474
R2 0.508R 0.713F 14.97*df 10/145
*pB0.0001.
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Discussion
The findings of this study showed that extension personnel are fully committed to
their workgroups, supervisors, and moderately committed to the extension organiza-
tions. Extension personnel reported moderate levels of job satisfaction. The
respondents had a healthy self-view of social worth and competence. These results
may have positive implications for the wellbeing of extension personnel and
organization. However, the extension personnel reported having higher quality
relations with workgroup members, supervisor and the organization.
Further, the results of MMR indicated strong positive relationships between SE
and job satisfaction as well as supervisor commitment; organizational commitment,
and workgroup attachment that are consistent with the literature (Luthans, 1998;
Reece and Brandt, 1999). This shows that an extension agent that has a higher
perception of SE would readily feel satisfied with his/her job. The extension personnel
would build trusting relations with and assist the organization, supervisor and
coworkers to succeed based on their unique qualities and needs.
The strong positive relationship between job satisfaction and extension personnel’s
relations with the organization is consistent with extant studies (Rhoades and
Eisenberger, 2002). This implies that respondents are satisfied with their job because
of the perceived benefits being enjoyed in their relations with the organization. This is
because extension organization is viewed as being receptive to employees’ opinions,
showing concern for employees’ wellbeing, goals and recognizing good performances.
Table 3. Results of MMR analyses on affective workgroup commitment (N�156)
Variables b DR2
Step I: Controls 0.0361. Age 0.22*2. Sex 0.093. Tenure �0.06
Step II: Predictors4. Self-esteem (SE) 0.33*** 0.111***
Step III 0.072**5. Relationship with group member (RGM) 0.016. Relationship with supervisor (RS) 0.20*7. Relationship with organization (RO) 0.15*
Step IV: Terms 0.0288. SE�RGM 0.019. SE�RS �0.1210. SE�RO 0.17*
Total R2(adj) 0.195
R2 0.247R 0.497F 4.75***df 10/145
*pB0.05; **pB0.01; ***pB0.0001.
258 O.J. Ladebo et al.
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Job satisfaction is unrelated to relations between workgroup members and
supervisors, probably because global satisfaction is indexed in this study. This result
underscores the importance of matching the exchange relations with a target to the
outcome(s) that are specific to the target. Perhaps, the results could have been
different if facets of satisfaction with supervisor and coworkers had been employed in
the study. Future studies may examine this proposition.
However, contrary to expectations, SE did not moderate the job satisfaction-
exchange relations’ foci, which may imply that extension personnel are likely to be
satisfied with their job due to either higher SE or having higher quality relations with
extension organization or both.
Further, this study demonstrates that having a higher quality relationship with the
supervisor motivates extension personnel to reciprocate with greater commitment to
the supervisor. Similarly, there is a strong link between extension personnel’s
perceptions of having a higher quality RO and organizational commitment. Both
results are in line with the reasoning that most proximal stimuli will produce in an
individual a response that is relevant to the stimuli. Thus, for extension workers to
develop greater commitments to the supervisors and the extension organizations,
they are expected to have quality relations with the supervisors and organizations,
respectively.
The expected moderating effect of SE on the relationships between exchange
relations with supervisors and the supervisors’ commitments and relations with the
organization�organizational commitment linkages are not supported by the results.
Table 4. Results of MMR analyses on affective supervisor commitment (N�156)
Variables b DR2
Step I: Controls 0.0011. Age �0.012. Sex �0.033. Tenure 0.01
Step II: Predictors4. Self-esteem (SE) 0.28* 0.078*
Step III 0.366*5. Relationship with group member (RGM) �0.026. Relationship with supervisor (RS) 0.62*7. Relationship with organization (RO) 0.12
Step IV: Terms 0.0068. SE�RGM 0.099. SE�RS �0.0310. SE�RO 0.00
Total R2(adj) 0.413
R2 0.451R 0.672F 11.92*df 10/145
*pB0.0001.
Extension Personnel’s Self-Esteem and Workplace Relationships 259
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The results indicate that an extension worker having higher exchanges with
workgroup members can still feel less attached to the workgroup. However, the
results did not support the expected moderating influence of SE on the linkage
between relations with workgroup members and workgroup commitment. The lack
of support for significant main effect of relations with workgroup members on
workgroup commitment may be due to the nature of the extension agent’s
workgroup. Anecdotal evidence indicates that members of extension workgroup
only converge at zonal offices from their cells on a fortnightly basis to plan and to
receive training on agricultural technologies they are to disseminate to farmers.
Although, extension personnel exchange information with each other, receive
training together, and cooperatively perform assigned duties and fieldwork, they
nonetheless, are responsible for their individual performances at cell levels. At the cell
level, extension personnel is responsible for establishing demonstration plots on the
farmers’ farms, organizing women-in-agriculture groups and agricultural clubs in
secondary schools.
Further, an unexpected result emerged as relationships with supervisors and
organizations are related to workgroup commitments. These may be due to a
combination of factors including the perceived benevolence of extension organiza-
tions to members, the organizations’ policies and cultures that constrain its members
to work in group, and the nature of a supervisor’s actions at ensuring that members
comply with the extension organizations’ requirements.
Table 5. Results of MMR analyses on affective organizational commitment (N�156)
Variables b DR2
Step I: Controls 0.0321. Age 0.162. Sex �0.063. Tenure �0.02
Step II: Predictors4. Self-esteem (SE) 0.29* 0.085*
Step III 0.378*5. Relationship with group member (RGM) 0.046. Relationship with supervisor (RS) 0.127. Relationship with organization (RO) 0.58*
Step IV: Terms 0.0138. SE�RGM 0.129. SE�RS �0.0810. SE�RO �0.02
Total R2(adj) 0.474
R2 0.508R 0.713F 14.95*df 10/145
*pB0.0001.
260 O.J. Ladebo et al.
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Recommendations
In accordance with the literature on employees’ attitudes, it is imperative for the
extension organizations to have workforces that are satisfied with their jobs as well ashave strong attachments to the organizations, the supervisors and workgroups. The
findings provide some implications for extension managers. High quality interactions
with the organizations, supervisors and coworkers are important to extension
personnel’ wellbeing. Therefore, extension managers need to understand the factors
that promote high quality social exchanges in their organizations to achieve effective
management of extension personnel.
The provision of favorable job conditions such as enriched jobs, enactment of fair
and equitable policies, good pay, promotions, job security, emotional support andesteem are practical interventions at enhancing the extension personnel�organization
relationships (Rhoades and Eisenberger, 2002). Furthermore, extension managers
may focus interventions to develop, nurture, and sustain higher quality exchanges
between extension personnel and supervisors, and among workgroup members.
Given that higher SE can influence job satisfaction and commitment, it is
suggested that extension managers pay more attention to recruiting staff with higher
SE or ensure that their existing personnel develop higher SE through:
a. showing empathy to extension personnel, when they have personal problems or
crises and also, to value their opinions and contributions to work;
b. assisting extension agents to form realistic views about their abilities and
encouraging them to always accept the responsibility for their decisions;c. providing work assignments that offer challenges, autonomy, and variety to
match extension personnel’s skills and competences;
d. building trust among coworkers and between managements and extension
personnel; and
e. providing clearly defined work expectations and feedbacks on performances.
The limitations of this study need to be mentioned. The study is co-relational. Cross-
sectional data are employed. Therefore, causal attributions cannot be made about the
results. To test for causal relationships, future research needs to obtain data that are
based on longitudinal or quasi-experimental designs.
Further, the global SE of the respondents was examined and this could have been
responsible for the non-significant moderating effects on the predictors-criterionslinkages. Future investigations may want to examine the possible moderating effects
of sub-dimensions of self-liking and self-competence or the organization-based SE
on social exchange relationships-outcomes linkages.
Finally, because the data used was generated from one of the 36 ADPs in the
country, the results should be interpreted with caution and regarded as exploratory.
Future investigations may consider collecting data from a larger sample of ADPs in
the country and even, consider a cross-national study. This is because no such cross-
national study in the area has been documented.
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