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Abstract
The study examines the relationship between organizational culture and corporate sustainability of selected maritime firms in Rivers State. The survey research design was employed. The population of this study is designed to constitute all management and staff of selected maritime firms in Rivers State. The population of the study is one hundred (100). A Self-designed questionnaires organizational culture and corporate sustainability was used and administered for the collection of data from the respondents in maritime firms. The questionnaires were filled by the staff of selected maritime firms in Rivers State who provided the needed information. The taro Yemens formula was 80. The method used to analyze the data was simple descriptive method stated in tables and expressed in percentage.
the chi-square statistical test was employed this test was used due to the nature of the questionnaire designed for the purpose of the hypothesis testing. The revealed that Organizational principles, organizational norm and organizational belief system influences corporate sustainability of maritime firms in Rivers State. based on the findings we recommended that The management of maritime firms should embrace openness. One feature of a decent organizational culture is the degree to which the management is open to new ideas and The management of maritime firms in Rivers State should review and formulate procedures that guide performance and enhance productivity at work. This is due to the fact that the rules that govern the organization should encourage the employees and other workers to be optimally productive.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Sustainability is a popular word in our society today and has entered organizations under the denomination called corporate sustainability (CS). Corporate sustainability (CS) has become a popular word over the last few years, which has led organizations to come under great pressure from individuals and the society at large. Though corporate sustainability, organizations seek legitimacy in the markets to increase their scope and securing greater financial returns. In the context of CS, the triple Bottom Line (Elkington, 1999) comes to light, which advocates that the traditional business model, that considers only economic factors in the appraisal of a company, should be expanded to a new model by also contemplating the organization’s environmental and social performance, as well as the financial.
A basic definition of organizational culture is necessary to provide a point of departure in the quest for an understanding of the phenomenon. According to Martins and Martins (2003), the general definition of organizational culture as “a system of shared meaning held by members, distinguishing the organization from other organizations”.
In relationship to the above definition, Arnold (2005) indicates that “ organizational culture is the distinctive norms, beliefs, principles and ways of behaving that combine to give each organization is distinct character”. These two definitions suggest that organizational distinguishes on organization from another organization. Therefore, organizational culture is to an organization what personality is to an individual (Johnson, 1990).
Linking up with the above definitions, Schein (1985) also defines organizational culture as “a pattern of basic assumptions invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid, and feel in relation to those problems”. This description highlights that organizational culture is creating assumptions, which are accepted as a way of doing things and are passed on to new members of an organization. For new employees this would mean adaptive behaviour within the organization that leads to new belief systems. This new and adaptive behaviour instilled through organizational values and beliefs are associated with rituals, myths and symbols to reinforce the core assumptions of organizational culture (Hofstede, 1991).
According to Brown (1998) organization culture could be defined as “the pattern of beliefs, values and learned ways of coping with experience that have developed during the course of an organization’s history, and which tend to be manifested in its material arrangements and in the behaviours of its members”. This suggests that organization culture is articulated in the organization, in order to shape the way in which organizational members should behave. However, this pattern of values, norms, beliefs ,attitudes, principles and assumptions may be unwritten or non-verbalized behavi9our that describes the way in which things get done; to give the organization its unique character (Brown, 1998).
Given the various definitions of organizational culture which were discussed in this chapter, the adopted and relevant definition for this study is stated by HARRISON (1993) as the “distinctive constellation of beliefs, value, work styles, and relationships that distinguish on generation from another”.
In other words, organizational culture includes those qualities of the organization that gives it a particular climate or feel. As a result the distinct qualities of an organization may manifest through four dimensions, namely power, role, achievement and support (Harrison, 1993).
1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
The issue of culture has been a crucial problem to the management of corporate organization starting from the origin of man. This problem has affected so many organizations and has led to tribal disputes in many organizations. In fact conflict in some human setting arises as a result of the different culture being brought into the organization by the workers. For this singular reason the study of organizational culture became imperative to researcher some decade ago. Following the same line of problems solving, this investigation is carried out to proffer solution to the following; Conflict emanating from workers diverse behavioural pattern at work place, and problem of indiscipline among co-workforce.
At the end of this investigation, the findings so far will be expected to solve the research problems by answering the research questions.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The primary objective of this study is to investigate the significance relationship between organizational culture and corporate sustainability. Some of the specific objectives include:
1. To examine the relationship between organizational norms and corporate sustainability.
2. To examine the relationship between organizational principles and corporate sustainability.
3. To examine the relationship between organizational beliefs system and corporate sustainability.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. To what extent does organizational norms enhance corporate sustainability?
2. To what extent does organizational principles enhance sustainability?
3. To what extent does organizational belief system enhance corporate sustainability.
1.5 Statement of Hypotheses
Hypothesis One
H1: There is no significance relationship between organizational norms and corporate sustainability.
Hypothesis Two
H2: There is no significance relationship between organizational principles and corporate sustainability.
Hypothesis Three
H3: There is no significance relationship between organizational belief system and corporate sustainability.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The information generated by this study will be useful in many respects. Firstly, management of corporate establishments including private and public organization will find this study useful. This is because the issues it addressed are the key to business success in this competitive era. The study will not only provide information on the need for integrating organizational culture but how effectively this can be planned and implemented for sustainability and growth of the organization.
Secondly, the study will identify and analyze the problems that hamper effective sustainability generally in organizations. Finally, the study will be useful to students and other researchers who will cary out studies in related field in the future. The study will serve as a reference material.
1.7 Scope of the Study
Content Scope: This study is focused on organizational culture and corporate sustainability in Maritime firms in Rivers State.
Geographical Scope: The Geographical scope of this study is restricted to three Maritime firms in Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State.
Units of Analysis: The units of analysis are International maritime and Shipping Limited, Close 7 Block Elekahia Housing Estate. Confer Marine Logistics Limited. No 18 Sentals Plaza, Opp. Deeper Life Rumuodara, and Charkin Centre, KM 4, Ozuoba, all in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The main limitations to this study include:
1. Refusal of some of the staff of the firms to complete the questionnaires or to be interviewed. This made primary data collection a difficult exercise.
2. Inadequate finance at the disposal of the researcher which made her unable to cover more firms in the study especially those operating outside Port Harcourt metropolis.
3. Time constraints. Inadequate time at the disposal neither of the researcher made this study nor to be completed within a record time.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Corporate: Corporate is a legal entity that is separate and distinct from its owner.
Culture: Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behaviour and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, law, customs, capabilities and habits of the individuals in these groups.
Economic Sustainability: This refers to practices that support long-term economic growth without negatively impacting social, financial, and cultural aspects of the organization.
Financial Sustainability: This refers to any form of financial service integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into the business or investments decisions for the lasting benefit of both clients and society at large.
Organization: Organization is an entity comprising multiple people, such as an institution or an association that has a particular purpose.
Organizational Principles: These are a set of Principles, which determines the existence and functioning of organization.
Organizational Belief System: This are set of values that describe the aspirational features in the culture: integrity, teamwork, customer focus, accountability, innovation, and so on.
Organizational Norms: This are set of rules for human behavior in the organization.
Productivity: Productivity describes various measures of the efficiency of production. Often, a productivity measures is expressed as the ratio of an aggregate output to a single input or an aggregate used in a production process.
Profitability: is the ability of a company to use its resources to generate revenues in excess of its expenses. In other words, this is a company’s capability of generating profits from its operations.
Planning: This is the process of anticipating the future courses of action and deciding in advance the best courses of action to achieve organization objectives.
Social Sustainability: This is a process for creating sustainable successful places that promote wellbeing, by understanding what people need from the places they live and work.
Sustainability: This is the configuration, civilization and human activity so that society or is members can be able to meet their needs.