THE INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING CULTURE ON JOB SATISFACTION AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF
Ebrahim Moradi PhD Student, Faculty of Management and Human Resource Development FPPSM, University Technology Malaysia, Malaysia ebrahim_moradi82@yahoo.com
Dhaifallah Obaid Almutairi Ministry of Higher Education, King Abdulaziz Military Academy, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia PhD student at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia dalmutairi2002@yahoo.com
Prof.Dr. Durrishah Idrus Vice Chancellor cum Chief Executive Officer kPJ International College of Nursing and Health Sciences durrishah@kpjic.edu.my
Raheleh Emami PhD Student, Faculty of Management and Human Resource Development FPPSM, University Technology Malaysia, Malaysia r.emami85@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Employees are often not satisfied to perform at their highest potential, costing organizations millions of dollars each year. Therefore, employees satisfaction is an important issue to all organizations constituting much research concerning the various aspects of satisfaction. However, a review of the literature identified a gap in research in the area of higher education institutions, specifically private institutions that rely on tuition and donations to pay expenses. The purpose of this descriptive, co- relational and cross-sectional study was to gain a better understanding of the relationships between organizational learning culture and job satisfaction of employees, in private universities in Malaysia. According to Cochrans (1977) formula, a total population of 2000 employees working in the MMU in Malaysia; requires only the minimum sample size of 323 respondents. Data were collected by the distribution of two questionnaires based on job satisfaction survey (JSS) and organizational learning culture (DLOQ) among 323 employees of MMU through a simple random sampling method. Correlation analysis was done on the data gathered from the questionnaire based on 95% of confidence level. Both the organizational learning culture and job satisfaction scales showed acceptable reliability with a totaled .95 and .83, respectively. Preliminary statistical analyses consisted of descriptive statistics of all study variables. Pearson correlation coefficients were utilized for testing bivariate hypotheses. The 57 JOURNAL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT JANUARY 2013. VOLUME 5. NUMBER 1
remaining hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analyses. The findings of this research discovered support for the first hypothesis, confirming that organizational learning culture positively influences job satisfaction among employees in MMU ( = .433, F= 27.503, P < 0.001). Hypothesis two stated that: There is a correlation between employees job satisfaction and organizational learning culture in MMU. Correlation test was used to test this hypothesis. The results show a strong positive relationship between job satisfaction and organizational learning culture (r= .433, P < 0.001). As organizational learning culture have strong correlation with job satisfaction, it is very important to reinforce them by applying the right human resource policies.
Field of Research: organizational learning culture, job satisfaction, academic staff
1. Introduction Todays rapid development in economy, innovation, globalization and technology influences the academic environment. With the recent growth of the international economy and the fast-changing progress of innovation and technology, academic institutions are faced with the constant requirement for workers learning and development. As knowledge gradually becomes an important aspect in ensuring efficiency, it also gradually becomes a crucial factor when competing with others. Knowledge is usually associated with the learning process that is undergone by individuals or organizations. It enables employees and organizations to enhance their skills and expertise, which will eventually leads to job satisfaction and enables organizations to offer better quality services. Thus, it is imperative to understand aspects that contribute to organizational learning and job satisfaction in the work setting context. This is necessary in ensuring the success of human resource development (HRD) (Swanson & Holton, 2009). The environment and the culture of an organization may affect the types and numbers of learning-related events and individual job satisfaction. They also have an effect on employees motivation to disseminate the recently obtained knowledge among their colleagues. In order for an organization to be successful, it has to ascertain that its employees are satisfied with their work and the working environment. Organizations that have satisfied employees tend to be more efficient (Robbins, 2003). Usually, satisfied employees are more likely to be productive employees. The performance of an organization depends so much on its employees or workforce. Thus, it needs to ensure that they are skillful to meet its business needs and human resource development. Therefore, Arnold & Silvester (2005) has initiated that the organization should emphasis on job satisfaction among the employees. It is crucial that the employees and management team give feedback and response in completing their tasks so that satisfaction and win-win situation can be achieved amongst them. The problem being addressed within this research is that workers are often not motivated to do at their highest potential, costing organizations millions of dollars each year (Rampersad, 2006). The cost most frequently related with reduced motivation is a lack of obligation that outcomes in high turnover. Unmotivated workers illustrate poor performance by conducting individual business during work hours, absenteeism, and worker stealing - all costly aspects for organizations (Patel, 2009). A review of the literature recognized a gap in study in the region of higher education institutions, particularly private institutions that rely on tuition and donations to pay expenses. Higher education institutions face a unique challenge of employing workers that has a huge selection of specialized levels, adding another layer of difficulty to the problem of motivation (Terpstra & Honoree, 2009). Therefore, this study attempts to determine the relationship between organizational learning culture and employees job 58 JOURNAL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT JANUARY 2013. VOLUME 5. NUMBER 1
satisfaction in a higher education environment in Malaysia. To accomplish the purpose of the study, the answers to these research questions are sought: 1. Is there any relationship between organizational learning culture and job satisfaction among employees in MMU? 2. How does organizational learning culture influence job satisfaction among employees in MMU? Based on above discussion and research questions general objective of the study will be to investigate the influence of organizational learning culture on job satisfaction among the employees in MMU.
2. Literature Review 2.1 Job Satisfaction For almost 80 years, investigators have come out with different definitions of job satisfaction. There is no conformity on a worldwide definition; a variety of definitions highlight different factors of job satisfaction (Gruneberg, 1979). For instance, job satisfaction has been defined as the pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job as achieving or facilitating the achievement of ones job values (Locke, 1969). Chelladurai (2006) has identified the degree of job satisfaction a worker experiences and has based this on assessments of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral essentials towards the given tasks. Job satisfaction is also defined as the feeling concerning or emotional answers to exacting works, which typically are reflecting in six regions: satisfaction with pay, supervision, promotion, people, the work itself and overall satisfaction (Smith, Kendall, & Hulin, 1969). Spector (1997) has explained that, job satisfaction has been defined as the feelings of individual concerning their work and the diversified facets of their works. Literally, this definition may sound relatively straight-forward. However, job satisfaction actually contains a more complex idea with several aspects that need be addressed. One of the major challenges of studying job satisfaction is that there is disagreement on the exact meaning of the term and the aspects that it truly includes. Generally, the term job satisfaction can be conceptualized as a combination of job characteristics, work environment, and personal traits and attitudes. However, to complicate matters, all of these elements are dynamic and can quickly change based on organizational structure, changes among co-workers and supervisors, as well as in any other number of things that can happen in ones life away from work that affects his/her moods, attitudes, behaviors, or life circumstances. Ones job does not occur in a vacuum and, thus, other environmental factors can affect it (Moradi, 2011). As previously noted, job satisfaction can include many concepts and, as a result, it is also related to a number of behaviors. Job satisfaction has been correlated with overall life satisfaction (Quinn, Cammann, Gupta, & Beehr, 1973; Spector, 1997), low self-esteem (Quinn, et al., 1973) and stress (Ramanathan, 1991), physical and mental illness (Quinn et al. 1973), productivity and performance issues (Dantzker, 1994; Hackman & Oldham, 1975; Spector, 1997); absenteeism and turnover (Caers, et al., 2008; Hackman & Oldham, 1975). It should be stressed at this point that these are related with job dissatisfaction rather than the notion that job dissatisfaction is causal in the relationships. Nonetheless, job satisfaction plays a significant function in many of the things that are important to us, not only as individuals, but as a society. The importance of being satisfied with ones work, which plays a strong role in defining ones identity and position within our society, should not be underestimated.
2.2 Organizational Learning Culture Cullen (1999) stated that the recent recognition of the learning organization is from Peter Senge and his famous book, The Fifth Discipline. In the academic region, most investigators agree that Senge is the 59 JOURNAL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT JANUARY 2013. VOLUME 5. NUMBER 1
first person to create the concept of a learning organization. Later, Watkins & Marsick (1993, 1997) developed a seven-factor learning organization concept and its instrument, Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) to assess organizational learning. Learning is a dynamic concept and highlights the repeatedly altering the nature of organizations. The focuses are regularly changing from individuals learning to organizational learning. As learning is necessary for the development of individuals, it is also necessary for the development of organizations. Below are several definitions of organizational learning culture from previous research studies and detailed explanations of Senges five disciplines and Marsick and Watkinss seven learning dimensions. Senge (1990) explained the learning organization as one that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future (p.14). Huber (1991) stated that learning happens in an organization if throughout its dispensation of information, the vary of its (the organizations) latent behaviors is altered. He expands the definition of organizational learning by comprising four essential constructs: information distribution, knowledge acquisition, organizational memory and information interpretation.
Watkins & Marsick (1993) has been defined the learning organization as one that learns continuously and transforms itself (p. 8). 2.3 The Relationship between Organizational Learning Culture and Job Satisfaction The characteristics of learning organization include several features, such as knowledge sharing, organizational learning capacity, workplace learning, innovation, empowerment, team work, and so forth. In general, work and organizational conditions are mainly influenced by the situational approach of job satisfaction (Chiva & Alegre, 2008). The characteristics of a learning organization may, then, have some impact on job satisfaction. There are a number studies on job satisfaction associated to person characteristics of the learning organization. Mikkelsen, Ogaard, & Lovrich (2000) identified a positive relationship among job satisfaction and learning climate. Keller, Julian, & Kedia (1996) reported that work climate has a significant influence on job satisfaction and team productivity, especially participation, cooperation, and work importance. Rowden & Ahmed (2000) and Tsai, Yen, Huang, & Huang (2007) concluded that workplace learning promoted a high level of job satisfaction between employees. Eylon & Bamberger (2000) concluded that empowerment has a positive association on job satisfaction. Griffin, Patterson, & West (2001) confirmed that the degree of teamwork is associated to perceptions of job autonomy, which, in turn, effects job satisfaction. Lund (2003) (2003) indicated that organizational culture with entrepreneurship, innovation, and flexibility achieves a higher level of worker job satisfaction. Chiva & Alegre (2008) confirmed that organizational learning ability through a stimulating job environment has impacts in developing employees competencies and job satisfaction (Emami, 2011). With respect to the full scope of organizational learning culture, several studies from a variety of industries have indicated that employee job satisfaction is related to perceptions of facets of the organizational learning culture. A study of an engineering company showed that an effective learning organization can result in beneficial effects not only on organization performance, but also on improvement in individual job performance and job satisfaction (Gardiner & Whiting, 1997). A study of a sample of employees from the financial, insurance, manufacturing, and service industries in Taiwan was conducted by Chang & Lee (2007). They found that the presence of organizational learning culture demonstrated a positive association with job satisfaction. As we can see from the empirical research, 60 JOURNAL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT JANUARY 2013. VOLUME 5. NUMBER 1
the promotion of organizational learning culture can increase job satisfaction. Based on the above review of literature this study is designed to test the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 1: Organizational learning culture positively influences job satisfaction among employees in MMU. Hypothesis 2: There are correlations between employees job satisfaction and organizational learning culture in MMU.
3. Research Methods This research employs a quantitative, non-experimental survey research design in collecting data by using a questionnaire. The population of this research is the total of workers in MMU. According to Cochrans (1977) formula, a total population of 2000 employees working in the MMU in Malaysia (http://onlinecyber.mmu.edu.my/main/index.jsp); requires only the minimum sample size of 323 respondents. There are 57 items in the survey with a 5-point Likert-type response scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The questionnaire consisted of three separate parts; Section A will be included biographical data such as gender, age, race, marital status, level of education, tenure at the current position and level of income. Section B will be focused on measuring job satisfaction by utilizing the Spector (1997) JSS questionnaire. Section C, organizational learning culture will be assessed by the 21items of the dimensions of the learning organization questionnaire (DLOQ) from research by Watkins and Marsick (1997), utilizing the short form of the instrument developed by Yang (2003). According to sample size formula of this investigate, the questionnaires were randomly distributed to 323 workers in MMU, and asked them to answer the questionnaire. The time for investigation was 1st to 30th October 2011 in Malaysia within Multimedia University (MMU). After four weeks given sufficient time to respondents only 131 questionnaire returned by workers. Those respondents were selected among unlike units in MMU. Preliminary statistical analyses consisted of descriptive statistics of all study variables. Pearson correlation coefficients were utilized for testing bivariate hypotheses. The remaining hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analyses. Both the organizational learning culture and job satisfaction scales showed acceptable reliability with a totaled .95 and .83, respectively.
4. Characteristics of the Respondents
The total number of respondents participated in this study was 131. As described in Table 4, over half of the respondents were female (51.1%) and (63.4%) were married. Most of respondents (42.7%) had at bachelors degree. Only (36, 6%) had a monthly income, 4001- 6000 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). A total of 39.7% of employees had work experience more than 6 years. Most of the employees in this research are Malay which represents 60 or 45.8% of the population. The age of MMU employees ranged from 20 to 50, with an average age of 29 %; between 26-30.
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Table 1: Percentage of participants
Demographic parameters Frequency Percent Valid Percent Valid Male Female Age 20-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45 46-50 Marital Status Single Married Level of Education secondary school and below Diploma Bachelor Master PhD Years Within the University 1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 Race Malay Indian Chinese Others Income Level < RM 2000 RM2001-RM 4000 RM 4001- RM 6000 RM 6001- RM8000 >8001 64 67
11 38 35 25 17 4
46 83
1 10 56 49 15
46 52 29 4
60 41 28 2
6 46 48 29 2 48.9 51.1
8.4 29.0 26.7 19.1 13.0 3.1
35.1 63.4
.8 7.6 42.7 37.4 11.5
35.1 39.7 22.1 3.1
45.8 31.3 21.4 1.5
4.6 35.1 36.6 22.1 1.5 48.9 51.1
8.5 29.2 26.9 19.2 13.1 3.1
35.1 63.4
.8 7.6 42.7 37.4 11.5
35.1 39.7 22.1 3.1
45.8 31.3 21.4 1.5
4.6 35.1 36.6 22.1 1.5
5. Findings The regression and correlations between the independent variable and dependent variable have been analyzed utilizing SPSS 19.0. Regression was employed to test the first hypothesis of the research. The findings of this research discovered support for this hypothesis, confirming that organizational learning culture positively influences job satisfaction among employees in MMU (Table 4.2). ( = .433, F= 27.503, P < 0.001). The sign of the r shows that this relationship is positive (r= .433, P < 0.001).
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Table 2: Model Summary Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate 1 .433 a .188 .181 .24960 a. Predictors: (Constant), Organizational learning culture
Table 3: Coefficients a
Model Unstandardized Coefficients Standardized Coefficients t Sig. Correlations B Std. Error Beta Zero-order Partial Part 1 (Constan) 2.456 .137
Hypothesis two stated that: There is a correlation between employees job satisfaction and organizational learning culture in MMU. Correlation test was used to test this hypothesis. The results show a strong positive relationship between job satisfaction and organizational learning culture (r= .433, P < 0.001).
Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 129 121 JS Pearson Correlation .433 ** 1 Sig. (2-tailed) .000 N 121 123 **. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
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Table 5: Summary of Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis
Analysis Data Result Hypothesis 1: Organizational learning culture positively influences job satisfaction among employees in MMU. Regression was used to test the first hypothesis of the study
Supported Hypothesis 2: There are correlations between employees job satisfaction and organizational learning culture in MMU. Correlation Test was used to test this hypothesis
Supported
6. Conclusions The correlations among the worker's job satisfaction and dimensions of the learning organization were significant. The job satisfaction subscales were strongly and positively correlated between themselves. Correlations among dimensions of the learning organization culture, and job satisfaction subscales were significant and strong. Coefficients were significant at of 0.01 significant levels for all outcomes (Glass & Hopkins, 1996). Concerning the association among learning organization culture seven dimensions and intrinsic job satisfaction, Pearson coefficient scores were highest for "providing strategic leadership for learning" dimension and least for "creating continuous learning opportunities" dimension. For extrinsic job satisfaction, coefficients were least for "creating continuous learning opportunities" dimension and highest for "encouraging collaboration and team learning". And, for overall job satisfaction, coefficients ranged were highest for two dimensions: "Connecting the organization to its environment" and "providing strategic leadership for learning" and least for "creating continuous learning opportunities" dimension. Little studies in the West linked job satisfaction with characteristics recommended by the learning organization theory as recommended by Watkins & Marsick (1997). Egan, Yang, & Bartlett (2004) indicated that organizational learning culture was a valid construct to forecast job satisfaction and motivation to transfer learning. They recommended that job satisfaction was related with organizational learning culture and that while these constructs were highly associated; they tended to be conceptually separate. Little studies related the seven dimensions of the learning organization culture with job satisfaction (Egan, Yang, & Bartlett, 2004). Several studies provided confirmation of associations among job satisfaction and one of the dimensions of the learning organization, for instance, relationship among job satisfaction and worker perceptions (Fraser, Kick, & Barber, 2002), participative supervision (Kim, 2002), worker empowerment (Eylon & Bamberger, 2000), employee engagement in problem solving (Bussing, Bissels, Fuchs, & Perrari, 1999), teamwork and leadership (Gaertner, 1999), and association among job satisfaction and organizational culture as connected to empowerment, recognition and involvement. These evaluates reflect obviously the aspects of the learning organization culture as drawn by Watkins & Marsick (1997). 64 JOURNAL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT JANUARY 2013. VOLUME 5. NUMBER 1
This research added to the body of literature on the relationship between the notion of the learning organization culture and its related measures, applied through the DLOQ seven dimensions, and job satisfaction as a job-related result. Outcomes implied that contributions of the learning organization culture are vital on worker and organizational success (Watkins & Marsick, 1997). A main purpose of this research study was to assess the relationship between learning as a procedure and satisfaction as job-related results. Quantitative data recommended strong correlation. The respondents, who replied the questions on satisfaction, confirmed this relationship with comments suggesting that training activities would lead to more employee job satisfaction.
7. Acknowledgements The authors gratefully acknowledge the Multimedia University manager and employees for their assistance in performing this study.
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