THE NEXUS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL DOWNSIZING AND EMPLOYEES’ CONTINUANCE COMMITMENT WITHIN THE TRANSPORT AND LOGISTIC INDUSTRY IN ZIMBABWE
THE NEXUS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL DOWNSIZING AND EMPLOYEES’ CONTINUANCE COMMITMENT WITHIN THE TRANSPORT AND LOGISTIC INDUSTRY IN ZIMBABWE

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to establish the nexus between organizational downsizing and employees’ continuance commitment in the transport and logistics industry in Zimbabwe. There has been an ongoing economic downturn in many Sub-Saharan African countries over the years, which has directly impacted on industrial growth. Faced with harsh economic realities, many organisations in Zimbabwe have resorted to frantic organisational downsizing to stay afloat. Despite the wide use of organisational downsizing across industries, its effects on employee continuous commitment remains equivocal. To successfully achieve the research objectives, this paper used an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method, and collected data in a sequential manner starting with surveys and then following up with interviews. The study’s results demonstrated that frantic organisational downsizing in Zimbabwean transport and logistic organisations was exacerbated by the economic crisis faced by almost every sector of the economy. Interestingly, the results of the study suggested a positive effect of downsizing on employees’ continuance commitment with the downsized organisation. However, some negative psychological effects of frenzied organisational downsizing process were rampantly reported.

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