The purpose of this study is to assess the perceptions of social workers employed in Florida hospitals in relation to the core values of their profession and the alignment of those values within the culture of their current work setting. The conceptual framework for the study was from organizational behavior theory specific to culture, values, and trust. The Competing Values Framework (Cameron & Quinn, 1999) provided a method to distinguish co-existing competing values within an organization. The research findings indicated that 65% of the professional social workers who participated in the study perceived that the core values of their profession are very much in alignment with the written mission statement of their hospital. However, less than half of the respondents (42%) stated the daily business of the hospital strongly reflected the mission statement. The social workers perceived the current culture of hospitals in Florida as being closely clustered among four cultures: clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy. However, they would prefer a stronger clan culture and less of a market culture in the future. A large majority (85%) of all respondents communicated that their work assignments allowed them to demonstrate their professional values on a regular basis. However, only 63% stated that they trusted that their hospital valued the knowledge and skills of their profession.

Background: Research today highlights the importance of values alignment, but all of the research has been conducted on manufacturing companies. We found it interesting to investigate if the same theories are applicable to the knowledge-intense service sector, such as consultancy firms. Furthermore, research has identified a set of key attributes of successful teamwork, which we find closely related to values alignment. Despite this, we found no previous research within this area. Purpose: This study investigates the connections between values alignment and teamwork at a consultancy firm. Method: Our research was conducted as a case study at the department of Management at a consultancy firm. A survey, based on Barrett’s (2008) Seven Level Consciousness, and Cultural Values Assessment models, was carried out. However, we have modified the model to fit Swedish work-related values. We conducted pre-survey, and follow-up survey interviews with employees at the consultancy firm, as well as an interview with a former employee. This triangulation of information gathering techniques allowed us to ensure the validity of our study. Conclusion: We found a set of four clear relations between values alignment and, what previous research has identified as, key success factors of successful teamwork. Commitment, guidance in decision making, quality of outcome and reduced interpersonal conflicts are all outcomes of values alignment, and they are in different ways connected to one or several of commitment to success and shared goals, commitment to team processes and accountability, interpersonal skills, open communication and feedback or interdependencies. / Bakgrund: Dagens forskning belyser vikten av att ha en gemensam värdegrund, men så vitt vi kan se sträcker sig forskningen till att enbart involvera tillverkningsföretag. Vi tyckte att bristen på forskning inom kunskapsintensiva serviceföretag, så som konsultföretag, var intrigerande och bestämde oss för att undersöka huruvida befintliga teorier är applicerbara även på den här sektorn. Forskning har även identifierat ett antal faktorer som kännetecknar framgångsrikt teamwork, vi anser att dessa faktorer är kopplade till att ha en gemensam värdegrund. Trots detta har vi inte hittat någon tidigare forskning inom det här området. Syfte: Den här uppsatsen undersöker sambandet mellan att ha en gemensam värdegrund och teamwork på ett konsultföretag. Metod: Den här undersökningen är genomförd som en fall studie på Mana-gementavdelningen på ett konsultföretag. Vi sände ut en enkät till de anställda, som byggde på Barretts (2008) Seven Level Consciousness och Cultural Values Assessment modeller. Vi har dock anpassat enkäten till att stämma överens med svenska arbetsrelaterade värderingar. Förutom detta genomförde vi intervjuer innan enkäten skickades ut, samt uppföljningsintervjuer. Utöver de intervjuerna, gjorde vi även en intervju med en före detta anställd på företaget. Den här trianguleringen gjorde det möjligt för oss att försäkra validiteten för vår undersökning. Slutsats: Vi fann fyra tydliga kopplingar mellan fördelarna med att ha gemensam värdegrund, och vad som genom tidigare forskning har identifierats som framgångsfaktorer för teamwork. Engagemang, stöd för beslutsfattande, kvalitet samt en minskning av sociala konflikter är alla effekter av att ha en gemensam värdegrund. Dessa är på olika sätt relaterade till en eller flera av följande; engagemang i framgång och delade mål, engagemang till team processer och ansvarsskyl-dighet, social kompetens, öppen kommunikation och feedback eller ömsesidigt beroende.

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Research today highlights the importance of values alignment, but all of the research has been conducted on manufacturing companies. We found it interesting to investigate if the same theories are applicable to the knowledge-intense service sector, such as consultancy firms. Furthermore, research has identified a set of key attributes of successful teamwork, which we find closely related to values alignment. Despite this, we found no previous research within this area.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> This study investigates the connections between values alignment and teamwork at a consultancy firm.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> Our research was conducted as a case study at the department of Management at a consultancy firm. A survey, based on Barrett’s (2008) Seven Level Consciousness, and Cultural Values Assessment models, was carried out. However, we have modified the model to fit Swedish work-related values. We conducted pre-survey, and follow-up survey interviews with employees at the consultancy firm, as well as an interview with a former employee. This triangulation of information gathering techniques allowed us to ensure the validity of our study.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> We found a set of four clear relations between values alignment and, what previous research has identified as, key success factors of successful teamwork. Commitment, guidance in decision making, quality of outcome and reduced interpersonal conflicts are all outcomes of values alignment, and they are in different ways connected to one or several of <em>commitment to success and shared goals, commitment to team processes and accountability, interpersonal skills, open communication and feedback or <em>interdependencies. </em></em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> / <p><strong>Bakgrund</strong><strong>:</strong> Dagens forskning belyser vikten av att ha en gemensam värdegrund, men så vitt vi kan se sträcker sig forskningen till att enbart involvera tillverkningsföretag. Vi tyckte att bristen på forskning inom kunskapsintensiva serviceföretag, så som konsultföretag, var intrigerande och bestämde oss för att undersöka huruvida befintliga teorier är applicerbara även på den här sektorn. Forskning har även identifierat ett antal faktorer som kännetecknar framgångsrikt teamwork, vi anser att dessa faktorer är kopplade till att ha en gemensam värdegrund. Trots detta har vi inte hittat någon tidigare forskning inom det här området.</p><p><strong>Syfte</strong><strong>:</strong> Den här uppsatsen undersöker sambandet mellan att ha en gemensam värdegrund och teamwork på ett konsultföretag.</p><p><strong>Metod:</strong> Den här undersökningen är genomförd som en fall studie på Mana-gementavdelningen på ett konsultföretag. Vi sände ut en enkät till de anställda, som byggde på Barretts (2008) Seven Level Consciousness och Cultural Values Assessment modeller. Vi har dock anpassat enkäten till att stämma överens med svenska arbetsrelaterade värderingar. Förutom detta genomförde vi intervjuer innan enkäten skickades ut, samt uppföljningsintervjuer. Utöver de intervjuerna, gjorde vi även en intervju med en före detta anställd på företaget. Den här trianguleringen gjorde det möjligt för oss att försäkra validiteten för vår undersökning.</p><p><strong>Slutsats:</strong> Vi fann fyra tydliga kopplingar mellan fördelarna med att ha gemensam värdegrund, och vad som genom tidigare forskning har identifierats som framgångsfaktorer för teamwork. Engagemang, stöd för beslutsfattande, kvalitet samt en minskning av sociala konflikter är alla effekter av att ha en gemensam värdegrund. Dessa är på olika sätt relaterade till en eller flera av följande; <em>engagemang i framgång och delade mål, engagemang till team processer och ansvarsskyl-dighet, social kompetens, öppen kommunikation och feedback eller <em>ömsesidigt beroende. </em></em></p><p> </p>

Submitted by Maria Dulce (mdulce@ndc.uff.br) on 2014-11-24T19:09:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Bastos, Vanja-Dissert-2010.pdf: 3122993 bytes, checksum: a526d8bde400c8f3b6640837944275fa (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Dulce (mdulce@ndc.uff.br) on 2014-11-24T19:10:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Bastos, Vanja-Dissert-2010.pdf: 3122993 bytes, checksum: a526d8bde400c8f3b6640837944275fa (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-24T19:10:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bastos, Vanja-Dissert-2010.pdf: 3122993 bytes, checksum: a526d8bde400c8f3b6640837944275fa (MD5) / Universidade Federal Fluminense / O objetivo geral desta pesquisa foi identificar se existe alinhamento entre os valores pessoais e organizacionais, percebidos pelos servidores do Sistema de Bibliotecas universitárias de uma Instituição Federal de Ensino Superior, a fim de contribuir com os gestores em seus processos gerenciais com vistas ao futuro do sistema. A questão investigativa buscou entender até que ponto alguns valores pessoais e/ou organizacionais dos servidores investigados interferem na cultura organizacional da instituição estudada. Foi selecionado o referencial teórico de Barret (2006), cujo modelo apresenta níveis de consciência organizacional, baseados na hierarquia de necessidades de Maslow (1954). Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, por meio de estudo de caso, que aplicou um questionário a 105 indivíduos. Responderam à pesquisa 63,8% (sessenta e três, oito por cento) do universo, ou seja, obteve-se resposta de 67 indivíduos. Os resultados identificaram os principais valores pessoais e organizacionais, segundo a percepção da amostra, segmentados por todo o grupo e por categorizações demográficas. As análises mostram a distribuição dos valores escolhidos entre os sete níveis de consciência humana e organizacional e os valores considerados positivos e limitadores para o Sistema de Bibliotecas estudado. As conclusões da pesquisa indicam que os valores atuais encontram-se desalinhados com os valores pessoais dos servidores respondentes e que existe uma relação de valores positivos e limitadores distribuídos nos estágios de consciência em desequilíbrio. / The general objective of this research is to identify whether there is an alignment of present personal and organizational values realized by the technical administrative servers of a university libraries system belonging to a Federal University in order to give subsidies to directors and managers in their management processes aiming the future of the system. The investigative question tried to understand up to what level some personal and/or organizational values of the inquired servers interfere in the organizational culture of the evaluated institution. For this research the Barrett theoretical referential (2006) was selected, which model presents Levels of Organizational Conscience based on Maslow hierarchy of meeds (1954). The research methodology is based on a qualitative research, uses a case study approach, which applied a questionnaire to 105 persons. Replied to the research 63.8% (sixty three dot eight percent) of the universe, i.e., it were obtained answers from 67 servers. The results identified the main personal and organizational values, as per the sample perception, segmented by the whole group and by demographic categories. The results evaluation indicates that the present libraries values are not aligned with the inquired servants personal values and that there is an unbalanced list of positive and potentially limiting values of consciences levels.