Longitudinal Investigation of Determinants and Consequences of Person-Organizational Culture Fit

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

This research will employ a longitudinal design with a sample of approximately 35 organizations and a variety of measures specifically developed for this study to examine the causes, nature and consequences of person-organizational fit. Combining qualitative and quantitative elements, the study will collect data from managers and others to assess organization culture; job applicants will complete a set of scales to measure personal cultural preferences and individual personality characteristics; participating organizations will provide abesnteeism, performance, and other organizational outcome data for new employees; and employees will participate in ongoing assessments of satisfaction with job stress, work, job involvement and organizational commitment. A new model of the person-organizational cultural fit process is proposed, and hypotheses derived from the model address a variety of main and moderating effects of culture, ndividual differences, and other variables. The study employs a true longitudinal design, as opposed to the more typical cross-sectional and quasi-longitudinal designs. It adopts an unusually comprehensive view of culture, considering descriptions of cultural elements, rewarded behaviors, and organizational metaphors, as well as measures of culture strength and degree of use of cultural elements. It considers parallel measures of organizational culture and individual culture preferences, and examines the potential role of a variety of key individual difference variables, including work values, propensity to commitment, positive affect, the Big-5 personality variables, and propensity to prosocial behaviors.