Organizational Theory Research Articles

Assessment of Safety Culture in Recreational Scuba Diving Course among Selected Chinese Colleges: Basis for Enhanced Safety Management System

This research assesses the safety culture within recreational scuba diving courses at selected Chinese colleges, aiming to establish a foundation for an enhanced safety management system. The study not only evaluates existing safety practices and attitudes but also examines the underlying cultural factors that influence safety behaviors, aiming to propose targeted improvements that enhance overall safety and effectiveness. Grounded in Edgar Schein’s Organizational Culture Theory, the research explores safety culture through the analysis of Artifacts, Espoused Values, and Underlying Assumptions. A mixed-method approach was employed, with quantitative data collected through surveys from students and teachers and qualitative data gathered via in-depth interviews with experienced scuba diving teachers. The findings revealed significant insights into the safety culture of these courses, including the strengths and weaknesses in current safety practices. Key issues identified include the lack of availability and non-compliance with standard safety requirements for first aid equipment and emergency aid during scuba diving classes, a gap or mismatch between students' theoretical knowledge and practical scuba diving skills, poor equipment management and maintenance. The study concludes with recommendations for improving safety management systems, emphasizing the need for stricter adherence to safety protocols, enhanced teacher training, and the integration of safety culture into the broader educational framework of Chinese colleges. These recommendations aim to reduce accidents and enhance the overall safety and enjoyment of recreational scuba diving, benefiting both students and teachers.

Revealing organisational influence: conceptual and empirical reflections on doing inequality in digital work organisations.

The impact of digitalisation at work on existing inequalities is a growing concern. Social inequality is not solely determined by material circumstances, but also by the new social practises that arise in the workplace. However, the discourse about the digitalisation of work lacks specific organisational references. From an organisational theory perspective, it is important to note that digitality always takes place in an organisation-specific manner. Therefore, digitality and organisation are in a reciprocal relationship, resulting in the development of new organisational practises that impact organisational actors as structural conditions of organisational digitality. How the changes at the organisational level affect the mechanisms of production of social inequality in the course of digitalisation has not yet been taken into account, which means that previous research on inequality in digitalised work only allows an organisation-unspecific view of the subject. In contrast, this article places the organisation at the centre of the debate and presents a methodical approach for researching social inequality in the digitalisation of work from the perspective of organisational theory.

Governing the factory: microhistories of the present

ABSTRACT Microhistory is an established form of cultural history but marginal to management and organization history. Methodologically, microhistory searches out moments and practices that are meaningful to participants but deeply strange to us. Such peculiar moments are subjected to intense scrutiny to understand how they were meaningful to participants. Understanding the extraordinary becomes the portal to the cultural commonplace. Michel Foucault’s genealogies of modern disciplinary power deployed microhistorical methods to render their meaning and their strangeness visible. Microhistory’s innovative method often remains implicit in narratives. This paper demonstrates the analytical value of microhistory to management and history by considering two events separated by four decades in an aerospace factory. In the first event, the factory halted production to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 1953. In this world turned upside down the factory was under the temporary authority of the workers. The second event, some forty years later, involved the dismissal of a shop steward for flouting managerial authority and his refusal to identify as an enterprising individual responsible for his work cell’s competitiveness. Management history and organization theory can be enriched by deploying microhistory’s techniques of intense interrogation of moments that confound our assumptions. Microhistory’s ascending analysis dislodges any temptation to read organizational practices and cultures from the boardroom down.

Promoters as social controls to facilitate knowledge sharing, conflict management and innovation project portfolio performance

Organizational control theory emphasizes aligning members' actions with organizational goals through formal and social controls. In innovation management, formal controls like project management or stage‐gate processes are limited to measurable and standardized areas. For situations that are complex, unpredictable and highly idiosyncratic, social controls need to be applied for alignment. Knowledge sharing and competitive conflicts are two such innovation‐related phenomena that elude formal control and instead need social controls for alignment. In this research, we propose that promoters—individuals who actively support innovation—serve as social control agents. While previous research has shown the positive effect of single promoters on individual innovation project success, we propose a comprehensive implementation of all four promoter roles, and we test their joint effect on the intermediate outcomes of knowledge sharing and competitive conflict management facilitating innovation project portfolio performance. Drawing on cross‐industry data of 125 firms collected from 986 employees, this article provides empirical evidence that comprehensive implementation of all four promoter roles enhances knowledge sharing and reduces competitive conflicts, thereby improving innovation project portfolio performance. The research reframes promoters as social control agents, emphasizing their collective necessity for managing complex organizational issues and contributing to overall project success.

Levels and Performance Indicators of Business Under an Integral Theoretical Perspective Oriented Toward SDG

Objective: The sustainable development goals require companies to rethink the way in which economic and social value is created. This article aims to propose an alternative approach to studying business performance from an inclusive and sustainable perspective. Theoretical Framework: The contributions of organizational development theory are employed, and based on its principles, business performance, its levels, and indicators are characterized. Method: Documentary research was conducted, taking as a starting point the units of analysis proposed by organizational development theory. Results and Discussion: Variables associated with the organizational levels declared by organizational development theory were identified, and the benefits they bring to comprehensive business performance are supported. Research Implications: Business performance is characterized and classified based on the three levels of an organizational system: the individual level (personnel performance), the group and environment level (group performance), and the organizational level (organizational performance). Originality/Value: The literature is ambiguous when it comes to defining and measuring business performance. In many cases, the sole focus is financial performance. This paper highlights the need to broaden the framework for studying business performance and decent work by revaluing the role of individuals in achieving business organizational goals through work.

Industrial districts, multinational corporations, and their local/global paradoxes

Over the past fifteen years, several studies have used the organizational theory of paradoxes to understand some typical organizational tensions, including that between global and local dimensions typically faced by multinational corporations. ese studies analyze paradoxical tensions at the organizational or even intra-organizational level, while the paradox lens has not yet been applied to study systems such as industrial districts. is paper attempts to do so by analyzing and comparing the local/global paradox in multinational corporations and industrial districts. For the latter, the analysis rests on some empirical studies conducted on Italian districts. Moreover, as the presence of multinationals in these districts has become stronger in the recent phase, an attempt has been made to understand if and how this phenomenon impacts the local/global tension at the district level.

People First Services: A Qualitative Study on Library Consolidations

ABSTRACTThis poster presents results from a phenomenological research study investigating the effects of a university consolidation on the affiliated libraries of three U. S. public universities. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted through purposive sampling of twelve librarians working at three different consolidated institutions within the same university system. Data was analyzed through the lens of sensemaking theory, a process where individuals attempt to construct meaning and enact their roles within an organization through their evolving experiences (Ancona, 2011; Weick, 1995), and organizational theory which provides both a theoretical and practical way of managing, understanding, analyzing, and improving organizations based on patterns of design and behavior (Daft, 2001). The use of Bolman and Deal's (1997) organizational theory, including the structural frame, the human resource frame, the political frame, and the symbolic frame, provides insight into the effects on library services and librarians' identity resulting from consolidations.

Organizations in the Space of Reasons

AbstractBounded rationality presents a challenge to the notion that virtue is a capacity for knowledge, suggesting that judgments concerning the salience of specific facts are, in some cases, an indication of one’s incapacity to appreciate the full range of normatively salient facts. This problem can be mitigated by linking an account of the virtues with a theory of organizations. From this perspective, virtue is inherently shaped by the norms structuring one’s role(s) and is linked to the complementary set of roles, that is, the organization, in which one is participating through the virtues of loyalty and obedience. Within this perspective, human cognitive limitations are made to be strengths, allowing one to focus on a narrow set of reasons for action linked with one’s role to better achieve salient aims as a member of the organization than one could as an isolated individual.

A unified-field theory of genome organization and gene regulation

A unified-field theory of genome organization and gene regulation

The 6 Biggest Mistakes Leaders Make When Motivating Employees

Abstract: This article examines key factors that demotivate employees based on research in organizational psychology and leadership theory. It identifies a lack of feedback and praise, unclear or misaligned goals, limited autonomy and decision-making power, insufficient opportunities for skills development and growth, unrealistic workload expectations, and poor communication as universal demotivators across organizational contexts. Specific examples from the automotive industry illustrate how these issues negatively impact motivation. The article maintains that while individualized approaches are needed, certain demotivating behaviors should be avoided, such as not providing regular performance feedback or recognition. It advocates for goal setting, autonomy-enhancing problem solving, targeted skills training programs, reasonable workload calibration, and transparent communication as evidence-based ways to meaningfully boost employee engagement. The conclusion reiterates that leadership equipped with motivation science can focus on empowering rather than discouraging employees through these best practices.

Configurations of resourceful and demanding attributes of organizational culture in US hotels: An innovative approach using topic modeling and fsQCA

This study distinguishes itself from existing organizational culture studies by investigating the relatively under-studied theoretical relationship between organizational culture and employer attractiveness. To capture the holistic nature of organizational culture theory, this study adopts configurational analysis, which contrasts resourceful cultural attributes (collaborative, employee development, and fair-compensation cultures) with demanding attributes (result-oriented, overworked, and job-insecurity cultures). This study proposes three configurational propositions of employer attractiveness and employs review-based topic modeling and fuzzy-set quality comparative analysis (fsQCA) to overcome the limitations of traditional survey-based measurement and regression analysis. For the empirical analysis, this study constructs an industry-wide dataset comprising 2209 quarterly samples from 157 hotels over six years, utilizing 54,889 employee reviews posted on Glassdoor in the United States. Topic modeling analysis adopting Latent Dirichlet Allocation extracts the probabilities of six cultural attributes. Finally, the fsQCA generates three groups of 13 configurations, leading to employer attractiveness: a fully resourced culture, a resourced and low-demanding culture, and a fairly compensated overwork culture. The findings confirm the core concepts of configurational analysis in contrast to regression analysis and present novel theoretical, methodological, and practical implications.

Applying the organizational justice theory to public health crisis management: The independent and interactive role of procedural and distributive justice in quebecers’ adherence to COVID-19-related sanitary measures.

Applying the organizational justice theory to public health crisis management: The independent and interactive role of procedural and distributive justice in quebecers’ adherence to COVID-19-related sanitary measures.

Technology acquisitions and investor expectations: Reputation and expectancy violation perspectives

AbstractEmploying the organizational reputation lens and expectancy violation theory (EVT), I examine how financial market investors (investors) affect the technology acquisition activity and the likelihood of survival of firms facing technological change. I theorize that when a firm has a growth reputation, that is, investors expect revenue growth in future periods, the likelihood of making an acquisition will increase in anticipation of a positive expectancy violation on the part of investors. In contrast, for a firm that has an income reputation, that is, investors expect shareholder returns in future periods, the likelihood of making an acquisition will decrease in avoidance of a negative expectancy violation on the part of investors. I predict a novel moderating effect of investor expectations—a firm's acquisition activity will exert a stronger positive effect on its likelihood of surviving technological change when investor expectations are growth‐oriented, that is, when there is a positive expectancy violation. Using a multi‐industry sample of industry convergence, a salient form of technological change, I find support for my theoretical predictions. I advance research that examines the reactions of investors to firm strategies during technological change to the domain of technology acquisitions, a salient strategic decision. I also expand the predictive utility of the reputation lens and EVT to the context of firm survival during technological change.

The Roles of Corporate Social Responsibility and Perceived Organizational Support on Employee Loyalty in the Vietnamese Public Sector

Employee loyalty is crucial for an organization’s success, especially during economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to develop a framework of employee loyalty for the public sector, examining the relationship between corporate social responsibilities (CSR), perceived organizational support (POS), organizational identification, and employee well-being. The research addresses the gap in the literature on employee loyalty in public sector organizations and provides valuable insights into the mediating roles of employee well-being and organizational identification in enhancing employee loyalty in the Vietnamese public sector. The findings of this study showed that both CSR and POS positively impact organizational identification and employee well-being. Also, organizational identification and employee well-being play mediating roles in the relationship between CSR, POS, and employee loyalty. However, there is an insignificant relationship between POS and employee loyalty in the Vietnam public sector context. By combining both social identity theory and organizational support theory perspectives, this research offers a more integrated and holistic approach to understanding the path from CSR and POS to employee loyalty, providing managers and policymakers with a more concrete perception of the value and role of CSR and POS in building long-term trustworthy relationships with employees.

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation and Sustainability of Community Development Projects in Kitui West Constituency, Kenya

There are significant challenges faced by project managers in Kitui west constituency when it comes to implementing sustainable projects, in particular, the Community Level Infrastructure Development Program was aimed at promoting equitable development across the entire constituency through implementing small scale infrastructure projects. However, there was a partial or no realization of the envisaged benefits. The aim of this study was therefore be to assess the impact on sustainability for Community Development Projects in Kitui West Constituency, Kenya from Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation. The study was based on theory of sustainability, the ladder of participation, stakeholder theory, modern organizational theory and real assessment theory. Research was conducted using a descriptive design for this study. 10 projects that have been operational within 2016 - 2021 was the target population of this study. The researcher targeted 87 respondents comprising of 20 project management committee and 67 constituency development committee members. The study conducted a census of 87 respondents. The study sample size was 10 projects with 87 respondents. For the purpose of collecting data in this study, a questionnaire was used. The study tested the instruments in Kitui central constituency involving 8 respondents. Research instruments were assessed for content, face, and criterion validity. Reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation, regression). Results, shown in tables and figures, indicated that community engagement, capacity building, resource use, and communication positively impacted project sustainability. The study concludes that involving community members in project planning, implementation, and evaluation fosters ownership and empowerment. The study recommends that the constituency should involve community members in the planning and decision-making processes is crucial which can be achieved through community meetings, workshops, and focus group discussions where residents can voice their needs, priorities, and ideas.

Implementation of the Integrity Zone Program to Improve Indonesian Customs’ Anti-Corruption Culture: A Case Study of Denpasar Customs

This paper explores Indonesia’s Integrity Zone program’s effectiveness, identifies issues related to corruption and provides recommendations for enhancing the program’s impact. By the end of 2023, all Indonesian Customs offices had received a ‘corruption-free region’ predicate (certificate). This program is ubiquitous, with banners stating the slogan ‘Welcome, You Enter a Region Free From Corruption’ at almost every government agency entrance. The government, however, must be cautious in declaring the achievements of the Integrity Zone program to avoid potential issues related to intellectual corruption. This paper found that the issue of sustainability is also very important in this program, and can only be maintained if there is a change in the organisation’s basic underlying assumptions. Using Schein’s three levels of organisational culture theory, this research provides new knowledge about the effectiveness of the Indonesian government’s reformation program.

Sociological Behaviour and Excise Duty Compliance Nexus: Do Dispute Resolution Mechanisms Matter? Evidence From Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturers in Kenya

Purpose: Despite implementation of several initiatives to improve tax revenue collections, actual tax revenues have fallen short of projected targets. The purpose of the study was to determine the moderating role of dispute resolution mechanisms on the relationship between sociological behaviour and excise duty compliance among alcoholic beverage manufacturers in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by the theory of planned behaviour and judicial organization and adjective law theory. Methodology: The study employed explanatory research design. The target population of the study was 231 respondents. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaires. Out of 231 issued questionnaires, 185 filled and returned the questionnaires. Results: The study found that sociological behavior had a positive and significant effect on excise duty compliance, β=0.270 and p-value=0.000124<0.05. The study also found that dispute resolution mechanisms moderate and enhance the positive effect of sociological behaviour on excise duty compliance, β=0.113 and p-value of 0.000000<0.05. Conclusion: It is recommended that policymakers should consider and incorporate the theory of planned behaviour into tax compliance frameworks since understanding how sociological behaviour influences tax compliance can inform the development of targeted interventions and policies. It is also recommended that effective and affordable dispute resolution mechanisms should be put in place as they provide clarity and ultimately result in resolution of conflicts arising on account of excise duty thus promoting excise duty compliance. Future studies should be conducted on the effect of tax incentives on excise duty compliance.

Holacracy: redefining organizational ontology and epistemology

Purpose This paper aims to examine Holacracy as a self-management system and its implications for organizational theory. By exploring its distinctive ontology and epistemology, the paper explains how Holacracy redefines organizational structures and contributes to organizational change. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a conceptual approach, this essay draws upon existing literature to explore Holacracy’s departure from conventional organizational theories. Findings The paper discusses how Holacracy challenges traditional organizational concepts, defining its holarchical approach, and emphasizing dynamic hierarchies and role-based organization. It also highlights Holacracy’s focus on emergent intelligence, continuous feedback loops and structured knowledge acquisition through roles and organization spaces. By examining its unique ontology and epistemology, the paper offers insights into how Holacracy aligns with an emergent paradigm known as integral, metamodern or teal. Research limitations/implications Further empirical research is needed to assess its practical implementation and long-term effects on organizational performance and employee well-being. Future studies could also explore challenges and limitations associated with adopting Holacracy in different organizational contexts. Practical implications Organizations considering alternative ways of working should examine Holacracy. Implementing Holacracy requires understanding its principles and may involve significant changes, with potential benefits such as increased agility and employee engagement. Social implications Holacracy’s departure from traditional structures and approach to power can have broader social implications and contribute to more democratic and participatory cultures. Originality/value This paper is a pioneering contribution to the under-researched domain of alternative organizational models. It sheds light on the originality and distinctiveness of Holacracy, highlighting its unique approach to hierarchy, role-based organization and consciousness within organizations.

Understanding Nonprofit Financial Health: Exploring the Effects of Economic Recession and Environmental Factors (2007–2012)

During an economic recession, the gaps between community service demands and available resources for nonprofits widen. Nonprofits with financial vulnerability cut back on their services or activities when facing a turbulent economic downturn. To make sense of such situations, drawn from organizational ecology theory, we examine the relationships between environmental factors and a nonprofit’s financial health and the moderating role of the Great Recession of 2008 on their relationship. Employing IRS 990 and US census data (2007–2012) on counties, our longitudinal analysis finds that: 1) nonprofits’ county-level environmental factors, i.e., service demand and available resources, are associated with their financial health; 2) the impact of economic recession on nonprofits’ financial health is particularly severe in communities with greater racial diversity; and 3) nonprofits located in communities with more resources are more likely to be financially healthy and are less affected by the economic recession in the long term.

The Duality of Technological Innovation and Dynamic Capabilities: The Micro-Foundation of China's Construction Machinery Industry's Rise up the Global Value Chain

In the context of global value chain reconstruction, Chinese construction machinery enterprises are facing the dual challenges of technological innovation and global competitiveness improvement. Based on organizational learning theory and dynamic capability perspective, this study constructs a theoretical framework of dual integration of technological innovation (exploratory innovation and pioneering innovation) and dynamic capability, and explores its impact mechanism on the global value chain upgrading of Chinese construction machinery enterprises. The study adopts a mixed research method, combining large-scale patent data analysis and in-depth case study, and constructs a longitudinal data set of 146 Chinese construction machinery enterprises from 2005 to 2022. By using structural equation modeling, dynamic panel regression and machine learning algorithms, this study reveals the following main conclusions: (1) The relationship between technological innovation duality and the global value chain position of enterprises is inverted U-shaped, and there is an optimal equilibrium point; (2) Dynamic capabilities partially mediate the relationship between technological innovation duality and global value chain climbing, among which absorptive capacity and reconstruction capacity are particularly critical; (3) The degree of internationalization of enterprises positively moderates the impact of technological innovation duality on dynamic capabilities; (4) The quality of the institutional environment moderates the relationship between technological innovation duality and dynamic capabilities, and a high-quality institutional environment strengthens the positive relationship between the two. The theoretical contributions of this study are: (1) it expands the global value chain theory and incorporates the duality of technological innovation into the analytical framework; (2) it reveals the mediating mechanism of dynamic capability theory in innovation and value chain climbing, enriching the dynamic capability theory; (3) it provides new empirical evidence for organizational learning theory and clarifies the dynamic process of exploration and utilization equilibrium. At the practical level, the research results provide guidance for engineering machinery companies to formulate innovation strategies and enhance global competitiveness, and also provide a basis for the government to formulate industrial upgrading policies. Future research can further explore the long-term evolution path of technological innovation duality and its differences in cross-cultural contexts.