A study of some factors influencing the individual-organization interface and their effects on job satisfaction and human performance among some agencies in the Durban customs clearing and forwarding industry.
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Date
1986
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Abstract
In this study an attempt is made to explore the individual-organization
interface -- i.e., the nature of the relationship that prevails
between an organization and its members -- and determine its effects
upon such outcome variables as job satisfaction, instrumentality
belief and work performance. Attributes of the individual (human needs)
and the organization (dimensions of organizational climate), when
combined, are hypothesized to influence this interface.
This investigation is based upon a sample of fourteen shipping agencies
drawen from among some agencies within the Durban Customs Clearing
and Forwarding Industry. Agencies in this sample are divided into two
broad categories, namely members and non members of the Durban
Forwarders Association. Two hundred and eighty-three managerial and
clerical employees from these agencies participated in this study.
Scales designed to measure a set of work related needs, organizational
climate, job satisfaction, instrumentality belief and work performance
are administered to groups of employees from each of the participating
agencies. These scales, except for that measuring organizational
climate, are subject to a statistical procedure designed to calculate
reliability. Only the scales that satisfy a minimum requirement of
seventy percent for reliability are used in any further analysis.
A factor analysis is carried out on the refined data for the scale of
work related needs. Four factors emerged, surgency, passivity,
assertiveness and financial incentive. The need indices together with
these factors are intercorrelated using a Pearson's Product Moment
Correlation. The results show that there are distinctly different
patterns of organizational climate prevailing in member and non
member organizations. Member agencies tend to be affiliation orientated;
non member agencies, achievement orientated.
A multivariate analysis is repeatedly calculated to identify the
need-climate combinations that are related to one or more of the
outcome variables. Canonical correlation is then employed to calculate
the variance explained by each group of combination variables.
The results show that the outcome variables explain approximately
eighteen percent of the total variance in the data.
In conclusion it is suggested that more research be undertaken using
different sets of outcome variables to establish grounds for comparing
the results of similar studies. It is further suggested that research
of the nature can be used by an Organization Development Consultant
as a diagnostic tool for the purpose of assessing the relationship that
prevails between the individual and the organization.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban. 1986.
Keywords
Customs administration--Durban--Officials and employees., Shipping--Societies, etc., Employers' associations--Case studies., Job satisfaction., Industrial relations--Durban., Working class--Durban., Organization--Research--Durban., Theses--Sociology.