I conducted a case study at Multisite (a pseudonym), an established
community college that is becoming a university college. I explored and
attempted to understand (a) the organizational culture, and (b) how faculty
members interpret this transition. I conducted prolonged observations and
interviews with 39 faculty members.
I explored the culture by means of what I label the themes of family, of
participation, and of institutional mission. I also explored it using multiple
perspectives, especially a fragmentation perspective (Martin, 1992). I used the
metaphor of a kaleidoscope to signify shared frames of reference without
consensus on meanings.
I modified Geertz' (1973) sensemaking perspectives and developed a
framework. It entails three elements: (i) a perspective, (ii) a symbol or issue, and
(iii) the interpretation of (ii) within (i). It is consistent with Weick's (1995)
description of organizational sensemaking.
An individual may focus on (a) traditional (e.g., communal and
participatory) cultural values, (b) emergent (e.g., academic) cultural values, or (c) pragmatic interests. The interpretation may be positive, negative, neutral, or
postponed, depending on the perceived status of the cultural value or of the
pragmatic issue. Interpretations seem not to be associated directly with objective
characteristics, such as length of service, program affiliation, or academic
credentials attained.
Fragmented meaning systems are associated with fragmented
interpretations; fragmented interpretations are associated with fragmented patterns
of organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Faculty who use a traditional
cultural perspective indicate that they or their colleagues retain their level of
commitment or have lost it, according to whether traditional values seem retained
or lost. If they are uncertain what will happen to traditional values, they are
uncertain whether they or their colleagues will remain engaged. Faculty who use
an emergent cultural perspective indicate an increased job satisfaction; they may
indicate decreased organizational commitment. Faculty who use a pragmatic
perspective may see the transition positively and express enthusiasm for their
work; they may see it negatively and express low levels of organizational
commitment. I suggest that factors in the external environment have precipitated
changes in organizational values which, in turn, have precipitated changes in
organizational commitment and job satisfaction.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/6126 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Owen, Starr Leona Allaby |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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