The Impact of Organizational Factors on the Level of Work Ethic among State Office Employee (Case of Study: Khansar City Employees)

• Main Authors: Mehrangiz Mohammadkhani, Esmaeel Balali, Akram Mohammadi
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: University of Isfahan 2013-07-01
• Series: جامعه شناسی کاربردی
• Subjects: Work Ethic; Work Environment; Style of Management; Meritocracy
• Online Access: http://uijs.ui.ac.ir/jas/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-171&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Introduction Today organizations have to face increases in speed, intensity and depth of internal and external conditions. Copying with organizational goals, employee views, managers' attitudes, strategies and activities is an important key which impacts development of societies. Human resources are the main bases upon which nations can increase their wealth, realize their capitals, promote social, political and economic organizations, and support national development. Therefore, a country which cannot develop its citizens' skills and knowledge and use them effectively in national economy, cannot make progress in any other context (Harbinson,1973:3). Todaro believes what ultimately determines characteristics and trend of social and economic development of a country is its human resources rather material and capital wealth. So, the difference of developmental power of countries is laid in their differences in the quality of labor forces. This article studies the effect of organizational factors on level of work ethic based on a micro perspective. Work ethic is a part of society’s culture which entails values and norms related to work which can be studied or measured. It is a set of characteristics and behaviors which members of a society show in observing qualitative and quantitative conditions of committed work. These behaviors result from a notion based on workers’ attitudes and are in a relation with society's goals in general. With regard to important effects of work ethic on fulfillment of goals, strategy provision, individual behaviors, function of organization, job satisfaction, innovation and creativity, quality of decision making and so on, we can say that there is no other variable more important than the effect and role of this conception in the organization. Studies show that weak work ethic and low levels of useful work in Iran is a problem. For example, of the standard 8 hours work in Iran, only less than 1 hour is considered to be useful work. Whereas, this figure is 7 hours and 34 minutes for Japan (Moidfar,1378:34). Reports show that index of human labor productivity in Iran is low in comparison to our neighboring countries and Eastern Asia . In addition, problems such as lack of motivation, time waste, etc. are indicators of weakness of work ethic among Iranian employees. Today, work ethic is one of effecting factors in development and progress of industrial countries and studying it is sociologically relevant. Material and Methods The method of this study is survey and data was gathered by questionnaire. Before making final questionnaire, random interviews were made by some employees to select those variables which are more relevant and appropriate. The population of study was estimated to be nearly 1000 employees. Based on Cochran formula, 250 employees were selected by simple random sampling. Mostly, items of questionnaire were extracted from Gregory. C. Petty’s work (with elimination of some unsuitable items) which has shown a good reliability and validity in previous studies. Before distribution of questionnaire, some corrections were made based on experts' views. In this study, work ethic is consisted of four dimensions as: 1- Dependable 2- Ambitious 3- Considerate, and 4- Cooperative. The first dimension is measured by five characteristics: 1- Accuracy 2- Honesty 3- Effectiveness 4- Depression 5- Dependability. The second dimension is measured by four characteristics: 1- Loyalty 2- Autonomy 3-Innovation 4- Assiduity. The third dimension is evaluated by four characteristics: 1- Canniness 2- Being helper 3- Affability 4- Being thankful. And the fourth dimension is measured by: 1- Compatibility 2-Spirit of cooperation and participation 3- Following the rules 4- Following one's Superior. Organizational factors are independent variables which themselves are divide into two dimensions: 1- Style of management 2- Work environment conditions. The first dimension is measured by four characteristics: 1- Power distance 2- Supervisory 3- Reward system 4- Planning against unplanned. The second includes capability of Organization. Discussion of Results and Conclusions The Results of the study show that there are relationships between organizational factors and level of work ethic and this relationships are positive and significant, but are weak. Among variables, meritocracy, style of management, environmental conditions of work have positive relationships with work ethic. Regression analysis of organizational factors and work ethic show that there is a linear relation between them. Adjusted r – squares change from .27 to .2 from model 1 to 3. Based on the third model, independent variables explain 27 percent of the variance of the dependent variable. According to standard regression coefficients, environmental conditions, meritocracy and style of management have the most impacts on dependent variable, respectively. The results show that relationships of all variables with work ethic are significant only when they are viewed with each other, but in regression model only environmental conditions, meritocracy and style of management had significant and linear relationships with work ethic. In the analysis of the relationship between meritocracy and work ethic, it could be said that when employees understand that without commitment and merit they cannot move to higher orders, they try to achieve merit with endeavor and education. Of course, this should be done in accordance with society’s dominant values. Inattention to merit, specialization and skill causes a weakness in spirit and domination of selfishness, Work environment conditions have also an important impact on job satisfaction. If suitable work environment conditions prevail in an organization, feelings of being valuable and likable are created among employees. In this respect, job security has more impact on work ethic by creating spiritual security at work environment. Unfortunately in our organizations, job satisfaction is weak. From one point of view, this is because historically the government has seen itself as competent for any action and can break its contracts with employees at any time. From another point of view, we are in a period which production and industry has increasingly progressed and so the way for brain and capital drain is open. So, absorbing human and material capital needs provision of suitable economic, social and political conditions. According to Weber and Herzberg, unsuitable work conditions lead to dysfunction. They have negative spiritual and physical impact on employees and decrease their efficacy. Therefore when starting their work, individuals put security and hygienic dimensions of work environment at propriety before anything else. So they prefer a safe, without risk, and clean environment. We believe that initiatives such as supervision and examination of work conditions, may increase motivation of individuals and decrease negative consequences such as laziness, absence and low efficacy of employees.