Induction as a method of organisational socialisation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
Loading...
Date
1981
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
Induction, Orientation, and training have been primarily concerned with the dissemination of information on work related role behaviour. In this study a video induction programme was developed to contain information or the total role behaviour and qualify it as a method of socialization. The theory of work adjustment (Lofquist and Dawis, 1969) was used to identify dependent variables to evaluate an induction as a method of organizational socialization. It was hypothesised that a socially based induction programme would increase respondent's measures of satisfaction, satisfactoryness (performance) and length of tenure. The socially based induction programme was developed and tested in a specialized plastic manufacturing company. Twenty eight new employees were assigned to control and experimental groups by their appointment dates (18 and 10 respectively) and two measures of job satisfaction were taken three and thirteen working days after their appointments using the job descriptive index, (J.D.I.) a standard check-list measure of job satisfaction with five different job facets. Performance measures of production to stock were obtained and these coincided with the second measure of job satisfaction. The number of subjects who ceased employment within 90 working days after their appointments was also ascertained. The experimental group received the socially based induction video tape after the first measure of job satisfaction. On comparison of the J.D.I. scores between experimental and control groups, there was no significant difference between the pre or post-test measures on the five scales. An analysis of subjects "work" and "supervision" post-test scores catagorised as high or low by pre-test scores indicated that the socially based induction may have sensitized low pre-test scoring subjects in a negative direction on the post-test. No significant difference was found between experimental and control groups on length of tenure and recorded performance. Anxiety is postulated as a moderater variable of the J.D.I. satisfaction measures and limitations of the operationalization of the measures used is discussed. The study high-lights the attrition, measurement, design, and administration problems of research in organizational settings.
Description
Keywords
Organisational effectiveness, Socialization