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The relative importance of Glaser, Zamanou and Hacker's six cultural dimensions in engendering employee identification: a survey of Chinese employees
Author(s)
Wang, Gang
Date Issued
2004
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Peninsula Technikon
Abstract
Organizational identification has been regarded as a new control strategy for
modem organizations. High levels of organizational members' identification
result in various benefits to organizational performance.
Among organizational theorists there exists a strong school of thought, which
sees organizational culture as the antecedent to organizational identification.
Culture, and therefore also organizational culture, is a complex and integrative
phenomenon which encompasses the values, assumptions, interactions and
behaviours within a particular group. As point of departure, this research
adopted Martin's (2000:26) argument that culture is best studied through the
cultural artefacts, being the most visible manifestations also of deep-seated
values and assumptions.
Previous studies on organizational culture-related organizational behaviours
have been conducted mostly in a Western-cultural context. It was hoped, by
this research, to fill the theoretical gap by establishing a link between
organizational culture and organizational identification in Chinese
organizations.
The relationship between organizational culture and organizational
identification was investigated through a survey conducted in three Chinese
organizations representing a cross section of industry.
The six organizational cultural dimensions, as identified by Glaser, Zamanou,
and Hacker (1987: 192-193), formed the basis for the survey instrument, the
purpose of which was to establish if, and to what extent, organizational culture,
IV
as reflected in these dimensions in their positive manifestation, were seen as
contributors to organizational identification on the part of employees.
The data analysis and interpretation showed that Chinese employees viewed
all six cultural dimensions as having a positive influential power on
organizational identification. This could be accepted as proof that the theories
that organizational culture enhances organizational identification (Kunda, 1992;
Ray, 1994; Tompkins and Cheney, 1985; Trice and Beryer, 1993) can be
applied both in the Westem-cultural context and Chinese-cultural context. By
applying the Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests it was established that,
among the six cultural dimensions, 'Morale' and 'Supervision' were the most
influential dimensions of culture according to the responses of Chinese
employees; 'Information Flow', 'Teamwork' and 'Meetings' were the least
influential dimensions.
As indicated, the study was limited to a survey of employees as regards the six
dimensions of organizational culture. Further research would be required in
order to provide more concrete and extensive proof of the role played by
organizational culture in nurturing employee identification and concomitant
commitment.
modem organizations. High levels of organizational members' identification
result in various benefits to organizational performance.
Among organizational theorists there exists a strong school of thought, which
sees organizational culture as the antecedent to organizational identification.
Culture, and therefore also organizational culture, is a complex and integrative
phenomenon which encompasses the values, assumptions, interactions and
behaviours within a particular group. As point of departure, this research
adopted Martin's (2000:26) argument that culture is best studied through the
cultural artefacts, being the most visible manifestations also of deep-seated
values and assumptions.
Previous studies on organizational culture-related organizational behaviours
have been conducted mostly in a Western-cultural context. It was hoped, by
this research, to fill the theoretical gap by establishing a link between
organizational culture and organizational identification in Chinese
organizations.
The relationship between organizational culture and organizational
identification was investigated through a survey conducted in three Chinese
organizations representing a cross section of industry.
The six organizational cultural dimensions, as identified by Glaser, Zamanou,
and Hacker (1987: 192-193), formed the basis for the survey instrument, the
purpose of which was to establish if, and to what extent, organizational culture,
IV
as reflected in these dimensions in their positive manifestation, were seen as
contributors to organizational identification on the part of employees.
The data analysis and interpretation showed that Chinese employees viewed
all six cultural dimensions as having a positive influential power on
organizational identification. This could be accepted as proof that the theories
that organizational culture enhances organizational identification (Kunda, 1992;
Ray, 1994; Tompkins and Cheney, 1985; Trice and Beryer, 1993) can be
applied both in the Westem-cultural context and Chinese-cultural context. By
applying the Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests it was established that,
among the six cultural dimensions, 'Morale' and 'Supervision' were the most
influential dimensions of culture according to the responses of Chinese
employees; 'Information Flow', 'Teamwork' and 'Meetings' were the least
influential dimensions.
As indicated, the study was limited to a survey of employees as regards the six
dimensions of organizational culture. Further research would be required in
order to provide more concrete and extensive proof of the role played by
organizational culture in nurturing employee identification and concomitant
commitment.
Additional information
Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Peninsula Technikon, Cape Town, 2004
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