The Role of Organizational Learning and Professional Ethics in the Job Performance and Motivation in a Sample of Banks' Employees

Transcription

1 The Role of Organizational Learning and Professional Ethics in the Job Performance and Motivation in a Sample of Banks' Employees Nasrollah Ghajari MA of Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran Alireza Heidarie* Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran *Corresponding Author: nmsd59@gmail.com Abstract This study aimed to investigate the relationship between organizational learning and professional ethics with performance and motivation of the banks' employees of Ahvaz. This was a descriptive and correlational study. The statistical population of this study included all banks' employees of Ahvaz in 2015, of whom, employees were selected using the convenience sampling method. In order to collect data, Nife's Organizational Learning Questionnaire (2000), Robiner's Professional Ethics Scale (2000) and Paterson's Job Performance Questionnaire (1986) were used as the three valid and reliable instruments. SPSS-18 was used for data analysis and results were reported in form of descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate linear regression. The results showed there is a positive and significant relationship between organizational learning and job performance (p = and r = 0.34). Results also showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between professional ethics and job performance (p = and r = -0.31). Results of regression showed that job performance of the employees is significant in terms of components of organizational learning (shared vision, organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, systemic thinking and collaborative leadership and development of the competencies of employees) and professional ethics (ethics, commitment, organizational justice and working conscience (p < and F = 15.80). Ethics with the coefficient of 0.28 and working conscience with the coefficient of 0.23, knowledge sharing with coefficient of 0.20 can explain positively and significantly 0.55% of the variance of job performance of the employees. Keywords: Organizational Learning, Professional Ethics, Job Motivation, Job Performance. Page 319

2 Introduction Job performance of the employees is one of the fundamental issues that organizational managers seek to improve it. Since the mid-twentieth century, organizational commitment has been substantially considered and analyzed. All jobs have their certain circumstances. For example, some needs intellectual power others need physical one. Some need the crowded environment and others need uncrowded one. Some jobs are personal others are social. Managerial methods and some other issues are important, too. Job performance includes a series of activities of the employees in order to achieve the predetermined organizational goals and consists of various indices such as job satisfaction, skills, and so on (Moghimi, 2008). Some believe that the performance means the results and efficiency of an organization and some define it as the process of doing a task (regardless of the results or outcomes). Both results and working process are emphasized in evaluating the human resources. In other words, performance results from the human activities in terms of doing the tasks and after a while, it may be efficient and productive (Mir Sepasi, 2006). Performance is the doing the tasks by the employees using the abilities and motivations. Therefore, motivational aspects of job after recruiting human resources are of great significance. Two factors are of more importance compared to other factors. First, the way job behavior is easily taught and the rewards may be given to this kind of behaviors. Performance of the human resources performance is evaluated to satisfy two above-mentioned requirements and provides effective feedback for learning of job tasks. In other words, it evaluates information and determines the rewards. Job performance may be defined as the knowledge and ability to perform specific tasks that require proficiency in the use of special tools and techniques and practical competence in behavior and activity. This kind of performance is carried out through education, training, and experience. One of the significant features of the job performance is the extent to which highest competence and skill are obtained, because job performance is clear and objective and measurable (Saatchi, 2007). With development of knowledge, technology, and business scope including the virtual organizations, economic enterprises develop and change the markets as a competitive and challenging arena. In addition, new paradigms emerged that threaten the survival of some enterprises. Naturally, in such an environment, competitive advantages change. Learning is the biggest advantage of the new business paradigm. Therefore, new paradigm focuses on learning. On a personal level, learning is to access and understand information and earn skills. However, from an organizational point of view, learning is familiarizing with conventions, viewpoints, strategies, and transfer of knowledge. In both perspectives, learning is interwoven with discovery, innovation, recognition, creativity, and knowledge production. Arjrys and Stone (1978) are of the most prominent theorists of organizational development who discussed concept of organizational learning. From an organizational perspective, learning occurs when information is collected and analyzed to produce and develop new facts, change the existing beliefs and attitudes, create new perspectives and transfer it to all organizational levels through communication, teaching, dialogue, and interaction (Keramati, 2006). Page 320

3 Transformational management is to plan and implement organizational transformation, but nowadays, organizational learning may be one of the most important and best practices. Learning organizations provide opportunities for doing tasks, use the experiences, and are satisfied with the results. Some scholars believe that future organizations should change into a permanent learning system in order to survive in the dynamic competitive markets (Zomorodian, 2008). Nowadays, ethical values are one of the requirements in analysis of organizational behaviors. Ethical values are the representation of organizations that results from the various organizational values. However, some organizations violate these values and this causes concerns of the public and private sectors. Therefore, some studies seek to focus on the theoretical backgrounds on this issue in order to help the organizations to consider this issue. One of the main concerns of the successful managers is to provide the opportunities for the human resources in all professions so that they can feel responsibility on doing their organizational tasks and observe the ethical organizational values. The first step in achieving these goals is the correct understanding of ethical concepts and identifying the factors affecting the ethical values of the employees. There is a difference between two terms of ethics and morality. Morality means the temper or habits that refer to the internal state of the people. However, ethics means the systematic knowledge that discusses the good and evil (Sarmadi and Shalbaf, 2007). Professional ethics originally was used to refer to the job ethics that nowadays, some authors still use it in this sense. Arianpoour. Ethical behavior is one of the new areas that seek to solve the various professional problems and determine the certain principles (Hartog, 2006). Personal ethics denotes the individual responsibility, just as a human being, and professional ethics denotes the professional responsibility in an organization for the professional behaviors as an organizational member and includes a set of values, behavioral tasks, and orders. Ethical behavior discusses the ethical professional tasks and its issues and it is defined as a certain activity that help the people to achive a certain position with its certain ethics (Gharamaleki, 2006). Concerning the importance of job performance and professional ethics in organizations, this study seeks to identify factors affecting the proper implementation of these strategies. Literature provides interesting results about the impact of organizational learning on the performance, but they are not complete. Most of the studies have investigated the relationship between the organizational learning and performance and have not considered the relationship between the organizational learning and professional ethics and its role in improving the performance and job motivations of the employees of the banks. Therefore, this study aims to answer the following question: Is there any relationship meaningful work the organizational learning and professional ethics with the performance and job motivation of the banks' employees of Ahvaz? Method This was a descriptive and correlational study. The statistical population of this study included all banks' employees of Ahvaz in 2015, of whom, employees were selected using the convenience sampling method. Page 321

4 Research Tools Nife's Organizational Learning Questionnaire (2000): it was developed by Nife (2000) and has 21 questions on a scale from strongly agree (5), agree (4), no idea (3), disagree (2), strongly disagree (1). Zarinezhad (2014) obtained the Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of the questionnaire as 0.81 that shows this questionnaire is reliable. In the present study, reliability of the questionnaire was obtained as 0.88 using the Cronbach's alpha that shows the acceptable reliability of the questionnaire. Robiner's Professional Ethics Scale (2000): this questionnaire was developed by Robiner (2000) and has 30 questions on a scale from strongly agree (5), agree (4), no idea (3), disagree (2), strongly disagree (1) and measures four dimensions of ethics, commitment, organizational justice, and work conscience. For scoring and interpreting the results, the score of each statement is considered and added. If the total score is lower than 65, it shows that ethical behaviors are violated in the organizations and if it is higher than 65, it shows that these values are observed in the organizations. The reliability of this questionnaire was obtained using the Cronbach's alpha as 0.87, which demonstrates the high reliability. Paterson's Job Performance Questionnaire (1986): it was developed by Paterson (1986) and translated by Shekarkan in Iran (1990). It includes 15 questions and measures the job and organizational performance of the employees. It is scored based on the five-point scale from 1 (Never) to 5 (Always).c Thus, the range of scores for each subject is between 5 to 75. The validity of this questionnaire was obtained by Salehi using the Cronbach's alpha and split-half as 86% and 78%, respectively. Obtained validity coefficient is significant at 0.01 and shows the acceptable validity. In the present study, the reliability of the questionnaire was determined using the Cronbach's alpha for the whole questionnaire as 0.82 that shows the acceptable reliability of the job performance questionnaire. Data analysis Data were analyzed using the SPSS-18 using the descriptive and inferential statistics. For descriptive statistical analysis, frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviation were measured and for inferential statistical analysis, Pearson correlation test and multivariate regression were used. Findings The descriptive findings of this study included statistical parameters such as mean and standard deviation for all variables that are presented in Table 1. Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of variables related to organizational learning and professional ethics and job motivation of the employee Variable Mean SD No. Organizational Learning Organizational Learning on shared vision Organizational learning on organizational culture Organizational learning on team work and learning Page 322

5 Organizational learning on knowledge sharing Organizational learning on systemic thinking Organizational learning on organizing Organizational learning on collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences Professional ethics Professional ethics on ethics Professional ethics on commitment Professional ethics on organizational justice Professional ethics on work conscience Job performance This study includes the following hypotheses. Each hypothesis is shown with the analytical results as follow. First hypothesis: There is a relationship between organizational learning and job performance. Table 2: Simple Correlation coefficients between organizational learning and job Criteria variable Statistical index Predictor variable p r (n) Job performance Organizational learning Shared vision Organizational culture Team work and learning knowledge sharing Systemic thinking Collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences As shown in Table 2, there is a significant positive relationship between organizational learning and job performance (p = and r =0.34). Therefore, the first hypothesis is confirmed. In other words, improved job performance is the result of the improved organizational learning and vice versa. Moreover, there is a positive and governmental relationship meaningful work the organizational learning on the organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, systemic thinking, collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences with the job performance of the employees. In other words, improved judicial performance is the result of the improved organizational learning on the organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, systemic thinking, collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences. The second hypothesis: There is a relationship between professional ethics and job performance. Page 323

6 Table 3: Simple correlation coefficients between professional ethics and job performance of the employees Criteria variable Job performance Statistical index Predictor variable professional ethics Ethics commitment Organizational justice Work conscience (r) (p) (n) As shown in Table 3 there is a significant positive relationship between professional ethics and job performance (p = and r = -0.31). Therefore, the second hypothesis is confirmed. In other words, as the professional ethics is improved, the job performance is improved, too and vice versa. Furthermore, there is positive and significant relationship work conscience the professional ethics on ethics, commitment, organizational justice, work conscience with the job performance of the employees. In other words, as the professional ethics on ethics, commitment, organizational justice, and, work conscience is improved, the job performance is improved, too and vice versa. The third hypothesis: there is a multiple relationship between organizational learning and professional ethics with job performance of the employees. Page 324

7 stepwise Simultaneous Special Issue Table 4: multiple correlation coefficients of the predictor variables (components of organizational learning and professional ethics) with job performance using the simultaneous and stepwise entry Method Predictor variables R R 2 F = p t =p Shared vision Organizational culture Team work and learning Sharing knowledge Systemic thinking collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences ethics commitment Organizational justice Work conscience 1- ethics Work conscience Knowledge sharing As shown in Table 4, predictor regression of the job performance of the employees on the components of organizational learning (shared vision, organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, collaborative leadership and systems thinking and development of employees competences) and professional ethics (ethics, commitment, organizational justice and work conscience is significant (p> and F = 15.80). Therefore, the third hypothesis is confirmed. Variables of ethics with coefficient of 0.28 and work conscience with coefficient 0.23 and sharing knowledge with coefficient of 0.20 can predict significantly and positively the job performance of the employees. Moreover, R2 shows that 55% of the variance of the job performance is explained by the above-mentioned variables. Discussion and conclusion As shown in Table 2, there is a significant positive relationship between organizational learning and job performance (p = and r =0.34). Therefore, the first hypothesis is confirmed. In other words, improved job performance is the result of the improved organizational learning and vice versa. Moreover, there is a positive and governmental relationship meaningful work the organizational learning on the organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, systemic thinking, collaborative leadership and development of the employees' competences with the job performance of the employees. The results of this study are consistent Page 325

8 with those of Molahosseini et al. (2010), Allameh and Moghadami (2010), Saadat (2008), Keshtkaran (2009), Jaminz and Sanzval (2012), Youan et al. (2012) Howva (2012), Aragon and Koria (2011). Concerning the first hypothesis, it can be said that many experts and scholars call the new world as the Age of Discontinuity. It means that experiences and solutions or strategies are not useful for the current or future success of an organization. Therefore, new strategies should be sought that are based on the new structures in order to supply the goods and services with the lowest price and highest quality and satisfy the customer s needs. In this way, organizations can be successful in global markets. For a prosperous economy, organizations should compete and this requires the active and motivated employees with creative minds that use their scientific experiences and increase the efficiency of the organization. As shown in Table 3 there is a significant positive relationship between professional ethics and job performance (p = and r = -0.31). Therefore, the second hypothesis is confirmed. In other words, as the professional ethics is improved, the job performance is improved, too and vice versa. Furthermore, there is positive and significant relationship work conscience the professional ethics on ethics, commitment, organizational justice, work conscience with the job performance of the employees. In other words, as the professional ethics on ethics, commitment, organizational justice, and, work conscience is improved, the job performance is improved, too and vice versa. The results of this study are consistent with those of Hasanavi and Ramazan (2011), Farhang et al. (2011), Borhani et al. (2011), Behnamjam (2010), Shatoo (2010), Butler (2010), Robinson (2009), and Petty John (2008). Concerning this hypothesis, it can be said that today nowadays, ethical values are one of the requirements in analysis of organizational behaviors. Ethical values are the representation of organizations that results from the various organizational values. Ethics is a set of pros and cons that differentiated the good and evil in an organization.. In general, individual characteristics form the personality. These personal traits may affect the organizational efficiency, too (Aghaei, 2013). As shown in Table 4, predictor regression of the job performance of the employees on the components of organizational learning (shared vision, organizational culture, team work and learning, knowledge sharing, collaborative leadership and systems thinking and development of employees competences) and professional ethics (ethics, commitment, organizational justice and work conscience is significant (p> and F = 15.80). Therefore, the third hypothesis is confirmed. Variables of ethics with coefficient of 0.28 and work conscience with coefficient 0.23 and sharing knowledge with coefficient of 0.20 can predict significantly and positively the job performance of the employees. Moreover, R2 shows that 55% of the variance of the job performance is explained by the above-mentioned variables. Page 326

9 Concerning this hypothesis, it can be said that Job performance of the employees is one of the fundamental issues that organizational managers seek to improve it. Since the mid-twentieth century, organizational commitment has been substantially considered and analyzed. All jobs have their certain circumstances. For example, some needs intellectual power others need physical one. Some need the crowded environment and others need uncrowded one. Some jobs are personal others are social. Managerial methods and some other issues are important, too. Job performance includes a series of activities of the employees in order to achieve the predetermined organizational goals and consists of various indices such as job satisfaction, skills, and so on (Moghimi, 2008). Some believe that the performance means the results and efficiency of an organization and some define it as the process of doing a task (regardless of the results or outcomes). Both results and working process are emphasized in evaluating the human resources. In other words, performance results from the human activities in terms of doing the tasks and after a while, it may be efficient and productive (Fathi Azar, 2006). Job performance shows the individual potentials, weaknesses, and strengths. Therefore, by evaluating the individuals, their future job career may be identified. Job career is the process of taking different positions in an organization (Saadat, 2008). Organizations should achieve their goals using their employees therefore, the way employees work is effective in this regard. Consequently, reviewing and identifying the way employees work and developing the necessary plans for improving the performance is one of the main organizational activates that is achieved by evaluating the human resources (Zarei Matin, 2010). As this study showed there is a strong reliability work conscience the factors affecting organizational learning and professional ethics on job performance and motivation. For example, organizational latitudes are one of the main effective factors on the ethical behaviors. Employees with high latitudes for making different decisions should be monitored to prevent the financial abuses. Ambiguous organizational goals may lead to the administrate abuses, too. However, clear short run and long run goals can improve the organizational health. Rewarding system is also effective in showing the ethical behaviors and improves the organizational health. For organizational success, employees should be committed to do their task because good performance increases the organizational productivity and leads to an increase in the national economy. This is critically important for those public organizations with impaired performance that fail to provide the public services and for those private organizations that may experience bankruptcy if they do not improve their performance. Limitations of this stud included: weak collaboration, apathy and fear of disclosure of personal life secrets of the subjects to fill out the questionnaires, using merely the self-reports, inability to control some confounding variables such as IQ, level of interest, motivations, fatigue or other effective variables, and high number of questions. Therefore, results should be generalized based on these limitations. Using the proper strategies for training the employees in order to transfer knowledge to the younger employees and training the professional ethics are recommended for increasing the motivations and job performance of the employees. Page 327

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