Social capital and organizational commitment on job performance among academic staff : A case study at Universiti Sains Malaysia

To what extent is a healthy and long lasting performance culture in an organization such as a university reliant on non tangible forms of social capital and commitment? Is there a critical difference between the way we understand deep and fundamental performance longevity and culture in an organization and how we measure more proximate key performance indicators? Finally, if the proximate critical influences on KPIs do not reveal intangibles such as forms of social capital and forms of commitment, how do we ensure that fundamental performance culture and the deep necessity of intangibles to it are not ignored in the rush for KPIs? Having an awareness of the role that intangible values and forms of social capital and emotional and normative commitment has on individual productive outcomes as well as the broader performance culture of an institution is critical to understand if we are to fully grasp the processes necessary to attain increases in the productivity of staff in universities. Are performance indicators a sufficient indicator of deep and fundamental performance culture? Is performance reliant on forms of more or less intangible social capital and commitment? What would be the outcome of university life if immediate and present KPIs are thought of to represent and adequately reveal the deeper or more fundamental nature of a universities performance culture and its practical rationality? The normative, affective and social identities of academics are strongly related to their motivational efforts and also arguably are critical to the broader stability and sustainability of organizational performance in the long run. A healthy and vibrant learning and supportive culture in an organization relies on emotional and moral commitments and buy in by staff that is based on more than simple calculative reasons. Academic identity which is a critical influence on the nature of performance is itself a moral characteristic, and the way identity is developed , through social interaction or without social interaction gives us some clue as to the deeper moral nature of academics relations with each other and the university. Commitment and positive regard for others in universities is arguably the foundation for moral decision making and a deep ethical culture in universities that stands in contrast to pure self regard and individualism.