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Abstract
This study uses the competing values framework as a tool to investigate the relationships between organizational culture and several important job related variables. The findings indicate that group cultural values are positively related to organizational commitment,job involvement, empowerment and job satisfaction, and negatively related to intent to turnover. While, hierarchical cultural values are negatively related to organizational commitment,job involvement, empowerment and job satisfaction, and positively related to intent to turnover.
Introduction
Back in 1998 in an article entitled, "A New Mandate for Human Resources", Dave Ulrich suggested a radical departure for the typical role of HR and stated that HR "should become an agent of continuous transformation, shaping processes and a culture that together improve an organization's capacity for change" (p. 125). Since that time, HR has increasingly been urged to become more strategic and transformational in its role as a change agent. And while it is clear that HR professionals could make a significant contribution towards organizational transformation, many of the attempted changes have failed as a result of neglecting an organization's culture (Cameron, 1997).
So, in order for transformation to occur one of the most important challenges facing organizations must be met, namely changing organizational culture. Yet, in order for HR professionals to bring about a new culture they must first understand culture. Only then will they be able to define a process for transforming the current culture into a desired new culture.
While organizational culture has received a great deal of attention from scholars, the majority of this attention has been focused on defining organizational culture (Duncan, 1989). Yet, considerably less attention has been devoted to understanding the critical impact that culture can have on a variety of organizational issues (Denison & Mishra, 1995). This is particularly relevant in the case of HR since attracting, developing and retaining individuals with the necessary skills and experiences is increasingly seen as one of the keys to success in today's competitive environment. Culture plays a critical role in this regard as HR professionals must help to create a work environment where employees are committed and contribute to the organization.
Culture has long been assumed to have an important influence on an individual's affective reactions to organizational life (Harris & Mossholder, 1996), yet...