Publication: Human Arenas
Author: JD Pincus
This article critiques the current understanding of organizational culture, highlighting the lack of theoretical consensus and clear definitions. It proposes a more grounded approach, embedding organizational culture within psychological theories of human motivation. The authors suggest that the various definitions of organizational culture can be unified under a comprehensive model of twelve human motivations. This structured motivational taxonomy offers significant benefits over existing approaches by clarifying the relationship between organizational culture, employee engagement, and well-being. The paper emphasizes the importance of a clear theoretical framework for better theory development, research methods, and practical application in understanding and cultivating organizational culture.
Organizational Culture as a Need Fulfillment System: Implications for theory, methods, and practice