Connecting with Multi-Campus Systems in Higher Education: The Moderating Role of Proximity Between Perceived Organizational Support and Employee Commitment

This study examines how proximity influences the relationship between perceived organizational support and employee commitment in multi-campus organizational structures. Authors have underlined how geographical proximity is not the only measure of the closeness of an organization. Proximity can be further examined through cognitive, institutional, social, and organizational proximities. We hypothesized that not only does the closeness of an organization influence employee commitment, but it also influences the relational dynamics of an employee's perceived organizational support. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to provide a conceptual framework to measure an organization's closeness and assess how proximity influences the relationship between organizational support and employee commitment. A survey was sent to the faculty and staff at a regional community college (n=92). The regression results aligned with the direct effects of perceived organizational support and employee commitment; however, the hypothesized moderating effects of proximity were insignificant. This research has implications for higher-education institutions with multiple campuses and contributes to organization proximity and employee commitment literature.