Importance of Virtuousness in Organizations

The importance of virtuousness in organizations has recently been acknowledged in the organizational sciences, but research remains scarce. This paper defines virtuousness and connects it to scholarly literature in organizational science. An empirical study is described in which the relationships between virtuousness and performance in 18 organizations are empirically examined. Significant relationships between virtuousness and both perceived and objective measures of organizational performance were found. The findings are explained in terms of the two major functions played by virtuousness in organizations: an amplifying function that creates self-reinforcing positive spirals, and a buffering function that strengthens and protects organizations from traumas such as downsizing.In response to the threats posed by climate change, water scarcity and other emerging environmental issues, corporations have prioritized sustainability as a core business issue. Many companies have learned that sustainability represents a distinct competitive opportunity, but not all companies are successfully addressing these opportunities and challenges. A review of existing literature points to organizational culture as an important driver behind the success of sustainability initiatives, yet little empirical research has been done to describe the relationship between company culture and sustainability. This study uses the Competing Values Framework (CVF) to understand the relationship between company culture and sustainability initiative success across 23 companies. The study finds that culture does indeed matter in corporate sustainability success and points towards additional dimensions for companies to consider when planning and implementing such initiatives.

Appears in Collections: Natural Resources and Environment, School of (SNRE)

Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)This paper investigates the relationship between locus of control and performance among Russian employees, using survey data collected at 28 workplaces in 2002 in Taganrog and at 47 workplaces in 2003 in Ekaterinburg. We develop a measure that allows us to categorize the Russian employees participating in our survey as exhibiting an internal or external locus of control. We then assess the extent to which there are significant differences between "internals" and "externals" in work-related attitudes that may affect performance. In particular, we focus on (1) attitudes about outcomes associated with hard work, (2) level of job satisfaction, (3) expectation of receiving a desired reward, and (4) loyalty to and involvement with one's organization. In each case we identify where gender and generational differences emerge. Our main objective is to determine whether Russian employees who exhibit an internal locus of control perform better than employees with an external locus of control. Our performance measures include earnings,