Abstract: While the link between goal-related motivation and work attitudes has been studied extensively in large organizational contexts, there is limited research on small firms. This study seeks to explore the link between small business owners' goal autonomy and work attitudes, namely job satisfaction, affective commitment, and exit intentions. Data were collected from small firms located in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The results indicate that small business owners who pursue autonomous goals tend to be more satisfied and committed to their firms. Additional analyses revealed that job satisfaction may act as a potential mediator between small business owners' goal autonomy and their emotional commitment to the organization, as well as reducing their likelihood of pursuing new ventures or permanently quitting their current businesses. Limitations are discussed, primarily as regards the generalizability of the findings, and future research is proposed in light of these conclusions.

Keywords: Autonomous goals, goal concordance, satisfaction, commitment, exit intentions, small firms

Pages: 1584-1595