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Dimensión Empresarial

Print version ISSN 1692-8563

Dimens.empres. vol.16 no.1 Barranquilla Jan./June 2018

https://doi.org/10.15665/dem.v16i1.1496 

Artículos

ENTERPRISE CULTURE AND MANAGERS’ MOTIVATION IN A TEXTILE INDUSTRY*

CULTURA EMPRESARIAL Y MOTIVACIÓN DE GERENTES EN UNA INDUSTRIA TEXTIL

CULTURA DA EMPRESA E MOTIVAÇÃO DOS GERENTES EM UMA INDÚSTRIA TÊXTIL

César Ricardo Maia de Vasconcelos1 

Cristiano Júlio Moreira Dourado2 

1PhD in Administration - Université Pierre Mendes-France - Grenoble II - Host institution: Potiguar University (UnP), Postgraduate Program in Management. Docente en Potiguar University (UnP), Natal, Brasil, https://unp.br/. Correo: cesarmvasconcelos@gmail.com

2Master’s in Administration, Docente en Potiguar University (UnP), Natal, Brasil, https://unp.br/. Correo: cristianojulio@unp.br


ABSTRACT

This article aims at analyzing the organizational culture in a major textile industry from Brazil and tends to study the way through which this structure can become a motivational tool for the decision makers. From a qualitative research, this investigation is characterized as a case study, whose data were collected through interviews composed of predefined questions and which were applied in writing and in an articulated way. The technique used in the interview was that of focus group, and the collected data were analyzed through text transcription, voice recording and the establishment of an analytical matrix. The results showed the existence of an integrated and shared organizational culture, besides being a motivational tool relevant to the actions of the decision makers’ intermediate managers.

Keywords: Organizational Culture; Motivation; Organizational Performance; Focus Group; Case Study

RESUMEN

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la cultura organizacional en una importante industria textil de Brasil y tiende a estudiar la forma en que esta estructura puede convertirse en una herramienta de motivación para los que toman las decisiones. A partir de una investigación cualitativa, esta investigación se caracteriza por ser un estudio de caso, cuyos datos fueron recolectados a través de entrevistas compuestas de preguntas predefinidas y que fueron aplicadas por escrito y de manera articulada. La técnica utilizada en la entrevista fue la del grupo de enfoque, y los datos recopilados se analizaron a través de la transcripción de texto, grabación de voz y el establecimiento de una matriz analítica. Los resultados mostraron la existencia de una cultura organizacional integrada y compartida, además de ser una herramienta motivacional relevante para las acciones de los gerentes intermedios de los tomadores de decisiones.

Palabras llave: cultura organizacional; Motivación; Desempeño de la organización; Grupo de enfoque; Caso de estudio

RESUMO

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a cultura organizacional em uma importante indústria têxtil do Brasil e tende a estudar a maneira pela qual essa estrutura pode se tornar uma ferramenta motivacional para os tomadores de decisão. A partir de uma pesquisa qualitativa, esta pesquisa é caracterizada como um estudo de caso, cujos dados foram coletados através de entrevistas compostas por questões pré-definidas e que foram aplicadas por escrito e de forma articulada. A técnica utilizada na entrevista foi a do grupo focal, e os dados coletados foram analisados através de transcrição de texto, gravação de voz e o estabelecimento de uma matriz analítica. Os resultados mostraram a existência de uma cultura organizacional integrada e compartilhada, além de ser uma ferramenta motivacional relevante para as ações dos gerentes intermediários dos decisões.

Palavras-chave: Cultura Organizacional; Motivação; Desempenho Organizacional; Foco do grupo; Estudo de caso

INTRODUCTION

The studies on enterprises’ Organizational Culture rose great institutional interest and deep discussions in the search for better administrative management models. According to Freitas (2007), the reported studies came out in a massive way in the 1980’s and became popular very fast. Besides, in the past decades, the teaching on organizational culture has highlighted the need to implement methodologies which could enhance and strengthen the organization, since the constant variations in the economic, political and cultural settings, which lead to changes in people’s professional and behavioural profiles, had produced several demands and deliberations in this sense.

The search for common interests reveals the success of any undertaking. Thus, we see that organizational culture is essential for the organizations’ dynamics, since the capacity to unfold work passes by individual and collective interests from the agents involved in all the Porter’s “value chain” (2016), that is, in all the enterprise’s activities and its interactions. Works on knowledge management, competencies and organizational socialization, as presented by Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), Stewart (1998), Davenport and Prusak (2000), Fleury and Oliveira (2001) and Terra and Gordon (2002), which deal with entrepreneurial knowledge and organizational socialization, enable the understanding and the need of change for a culture with higher share of individual knowledge. They present new comprehension of these processes and practices, searching for new models of management which favour some culture that is cohesive, participative, engaged and committed to the enterprise’s projects and its employees. Thus, according to Terra and Gordon (2005, 65), ‘the creation of a knowledge-sharing culture will depend mostly on the attention and the visual support from a leadership that is dedicated and committed’.

This article was motivated by the interest in understanding how the organizational culture can contribute to the establishment of a healthy organizational environment in the enterprises, since the recent studies on this aspect show that this theme is configured of an essential tool for the search of the best results in administration and for the strengthening of interpersonal relationships both in public and in private corporations. Thus, this paper tries to solve the following research problem: How does the organizational culture can become a motivational tool for the managers in a textile industry?

According to the industrial panorama in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, presented by FIERN (2012), among the industrial activities developed in the Potiguar region, we can highlight the textile and apparel industry, made of sewing thread, fabrics, men’s, women’s and children’s wear, beach wear and spare parts; uniforms and equipment; industrial embroidery; caps, hats and sun visors; linens and tablecloths. When it comes to nation-wide territory, according to the Brazilian Association of Textile Industry and Fabrication booklet (ABIT, 2013), the sector gathers more than 32 thousand enterprises, from which more than 80% are small and medium-sized fabrications. The sector employs around 1,7 million Brazilians, from which 75% work in the fabrication segment with women having the highest rate. In 2012, the fabrication and textile sector profited US$ 56,7 billion, and presented around 6% of the total value from production coming from the transformation industry. Still within the nation-wide territory, and according to the ABIT booklet (2013), Brazil occupies the fourth position among the biggest world producers of apparel and the fifth position among the textile manufacturing producers.

In this sense, we have the interest to know the managers’ organizational culture aspects in the fabrication textile industry and there seems to be no doubt among the specialists when we discuss about the corporations’ investment in their organizational cultures. This investment in the results, in sharing knowledge, in culture, in integration and leadership enables the establishment of criteria which cover not only their direct customers, but also the indirect ones, like managers and makers from the several tasks in the organization. Establishing criteria means managing human resources and this includes: their employees’ work relations, besides monitoring and ordering the several organizational processes, so that the employees may improve their satisfaction with work and, thus, contribute to a higher profit in the company, no matter the market’s ups and downs. The constant search for results makes the associations of all sizes look to improve their staff so that, through a motivating organizational culture, they may keep competitive.

THEORETICAL REFERENCE

Organizational Culture: a collaborators’ motivational tool

Culture, as a company’s DNA, besides leading the employees’ behavior, is guided for the enterprise’s results. Thus, the organizational culture can be defined as a cohesive set of common attitudes to all those involved in the working context. So, it is a compound of values, beliefs, myths, symbols and rituals which keep the team united at the enterprise’s core. For Jaques and Dubost (1972), the enterprise’s culture is its way of thinking and acting habitually and traditionally, distributed among all its members, which must be learned and accepted, at least partially, by the team’s new members.

Motta and Caldas (2007, p. 17) state that culture is an anthropological and sociological concept which carries multiple definitions. Among these, they highlight that it is the way through which a community fulfills its material and psychosocial needs. They also add the notion of environment as a source of survival and growth.

Collaborating to this construct, Schein (2009) even defines culture as an abstraction, but the results which come from it are perceptible, since they come from social and organizational situations of concrete nature. For the author,

Culture is the set of basic assumptions invented, discovered or developed by a group as they learn to deal with problems about external adaptation and internal integration, and which will work well enough to be considered valid and taught to new members as the correct way to notice, think and feel about these problems. (SCHEIN, 2009, p. 16).

Facing the changing picture in the organizations’ management, Groff, Marschner and Sané (2013) state that the organizational culture can contribute with the appearance of professionals committed and identified with the organizations, which favours a more efficient management. In modern management, new values need to be incorporated to these entities. These values need to meet the enterprise’s organizational culture, in terms of its behaviour with the human being appreciation, with ethics and with the managers’ integration, and directed to the working environment. Such elements aim at always strengthening the team’s service and widening the company’s results.

Thus, it is expected that the employees identify themselves with culture and with the enterprise’s values, and feel that they belong. For these to come true, it is necessary to establish a strong leadership, capable of adapting to organizational changes, preparing, collaborating and encouraging their subordinates, so as to transform the uncertainties and threats into new opportunities and in the constitution of a strong and cohesive culture.

The literature about organizational culture presents several concepts which have been systematically discussed by researchers like Fleury and Fischer (1996), Robbins (2005), Freitas (2007), Motta and Caldas (2007) and Schein (2009). For the latter (2009, p. 45) “culture is the sum of all assurance shared and seen as correct that a group has learned alongside History. It is what is left of success past”. Besides, Schein (1984) used to say that culture is built according to a learning collective process in response to the problems found in the enterprise. Thus, an enterprise’s culture reinforces its members’ behaviour, determining what must be followed or avoided. In this sense, the entrepreneurial culture may be a strong motivational tool for all the employees, once it presents some cohesion, a bond in the comprehension of its beliefs, values and fixing assumptions or articulations from the leadership. From this train of thought, Robbins (2005, p. 377) emphasizes that “the more the members accept the essential values and the greater their commitment to them is, the stronger culture will be”.

Consequently, the organizations depend on people for the maintenance of a motivating environment and, for these organizations to have a good performance, it is necessary, above all, to have a strategical planning that is able to lead and motivate those who work for it and belong to it, for the enterprise’s success and continuity depend on the behavior and union of all its employees.

An Organizational Culture Model

For a better definition of model and understanding of organizational culture we suggest a concept of “support” as a foundation. There are several studies which work with the cultural elements to substantiate the cultural model. Among them we can mention Fleury and Fischer (1996), Robbins (2005), Dubrin (2006), Freitas (2007), Motta and Caldas (2007), Schein (2009), Kich and Pereira (2011) and Souza, Ziviani and Goulart (2014).

Schein’s studies (2009), defined as reference in this research, point to an existence of higher levels of organizational culture. According to the author, several specialists on the topic prefer to use the term “basic values” to describe the concept in more intrinsic levels. Schein (2009, p. 25-30) presents three different levels to describe organizational culture: the artifacts level, the beliefs and values level and the basic assumptions. As for the first level, Schein makes an association with everything in the enterprise which is of public knowledge; as for the second, he relates the values to the employees acquired in the social environment and everything that has to do with the truth; as for the last level, the author relates the sensibility of those involved and how this sensibility can amalgamate one’s self with the organization’s principles. The author argues that any organizational culture can be studied in these three levels, highlighting that a culture’s essence is in the basic assumptions, and understanding them promotes the comprehension of more superficial levels, which he associates with the cause-and-effect relation.

An enterprise’s culture: sources and components as the main vector and identification conductor

According to Daft (2010, p. 687), “the most important cultural values for an enterprise pass by management and leadership”. More than bosses, the managers need to be leaders and, if they are not, then be it. Like demonstrated by Adair (2005), leadership is not necessarily an inborn skill, but it can be achieved just like any other quality. After all, the bosses are the ones who imprint the company’s strategies and rules. However, for some specialists, the leadership value is only an aspect to be observed, once the cultural values may seem to be linked to the kind of culture longed for the organization.

Upon reasoning about the types of culture, Reis and Azevedo (2015) explain that no profile is necessarily better than another, for, in every possible configuration, the organization efficiency will depend on the alignment between the type of culture and the business/market at issue.

Luz (2014) also presents a definition about the typology, or culture feature, based on three aspects which he describes as fundamental for the corporations’ organization and strategic planning. The types of culture listed by the author are: the “hard culture” (he highlights they are hard in their disciplinary aspects and that they are formal in relation to work); the “conservative culture” (associated to the slow or narrow-minded ones); and the “innovative culture” (they are the swift and modern ones, focused on goals and flexible as to the processes).

Despite the leaders’ association to the types of cultures, the changing processes in the organizations are oftentimes unsuccessful. This is since, although they make the new necessities clear, the managers do not always pay attention to the fact that people, in turn, act much more by emotion than by reasoning.

Silva Barreto et al. (2013, p. 39) show that “there is an interrelation between culture and leadership. Leaders create mechanisms for the cultural development and the reinforcement of norms and procedures which are expressed within the culture’s borders”. Under this aspect it is important to emphasize the need of cultural awareness that considers the idiosyncrasies, inherent to everyone, and imposed on contemporaneity.

Interface between Organizational Culture and its motivational aspects

When it comes to motivation, we know that, in the discussion about organizational culture, the aspects which involve the motivations can become an important acceptance tool. Notwithstanding, it is a major challenge to its managers. This motivation is related to reasons or stimuli we want for life. These reasons are usually personal, non-transferable and are directly connected to sentimental components. Bateman and Snell (2003) affirm that motivation refers to powers which energize, guide and support one’s efforts. Hence, motivation is an abstract concept and it only has a relative meaning. On this aspect, Maslow (1972) used to say that no desire is absolute; whenever a need is met, it is no longer important. On the same point of view, McGregor (1974) identified man as an animal with desires which, when met, was replaced by another man. However, as highlighted by Drucker (1977), a need changes as it is met, that is, it is something personal, but which can be somehow manageable.

Gil (2001), reinforcing the ideas by Maslow (1972), McGregor (1974) and Drucker (1977), guarantees that it is the reasons which boast and keep individuals’ behaviour. Thus, people are basically moved by necessities. Facing the understanding of motivation and the constant search to explain human behaviour through various theoretical models, we notice that there is an interface between organizational culture and motivation, due to the employees’ necessity of commitment and involvement with the organizational values, so that there is engagement in every process, whether they are internal or external to the organization. The author (2009, p. 202) states that “human behaviour is motivated by the desire to reach some objectives”. However, this objective is not always known by the individuals. Other authors like Robbins (2005), Silva (2005), Bowditch, Buono (2008), also state that motivation is internal and personal. However, in the organizational environment there is an evident need of an enterprise’s culture’s involvement and understanding, that is, comprehending the corporation’s values and beliefs. This knowledge contributes exponentially for the employee to have the urge to cooperate and feel motivated to reach goals and objectives, since they start getting involved and feeling useful and important for the enterprise.

Zago and Retour (2013, p. 183), in turn, emphasize that “the organizational culture and the behaviour in the organizations are factors which are intimately correlated and mutually determining and determined, as culture solidifies because of the organizational actors’ behaviours”. For an organizational culture to produce cohesion and commitment in the collaborators, it is necessary to run points of culture which can influence motivation, as well as the aspects of leadership in the search of adaptability, on which businesses in the entrepreneurial environment change.

To Schein (2009, p. 388), “leadership requires not only insight about a culture’s dynamics, but also the motivation and the ability to intervene in its own cultural process”. Furthermore, according to Rosa (2015), leadership is interspersed with culture education, evolution, transformation or destruction. In this sense, culture is produced by the leaders’ actions. Besides, the author presents a relationship between the actions which can shock the motivational stimulus, or the understanding, and the involvement with the organization culture. Such an attitude can create a possible improvement in the level of motivation in the collaborators due to the strong relationship represented by culture from each member in the institution.

METHODOLOGY

The methodology applied in this study is that of qualitative nature and is characterized as a case study, whose data were collected through interviews. For such, we used pre-defined question guides, applied both in writing and in an articulated way. The technique used in the interview was that of focus groups, since, as underlined by Barbour (2007, p. 31), “they are great for allowing us to study the process of attitude education and the mechanisms involved in the views’ interrogation and modification”. And he adds “they are useful when we deal with investigating what the participants think, but they are excellent in finding out why the participants think the way they think” (MORGAN, 1987, p. 25). This is what is expected from the study to be developed along with a voluntary managers’ team agreed upon by the enterprise.

Boaventura (2009, p. 56) points out the qualitative research in its essence as a “direct data source in the natural environment, making the thinker as the main tool; it is a descriptive research in which the investigators, more interested in the process than in the results, examine the data in an inductive way and favour the meaning”. Thus, the qualitative research for this investigation is appropriate since it favours the data meaning and not only the result, enabling the researcher with the culture and motivation understanding while objects in the researched enterprise. As for the means employed in the investigation, we chose the field research which, according to Lakatos and Marconi (2010, p. 188) is the appropriate expedient in order to obtain “information about a problem, to which we seek an answer, or to a hypothesis which we are trying to prove, or still, find out new phenomena of the relationship among them”.

Moreover, we can classify the investigation as a case study, for it tries to understand the social phenomena in a given enterprise and its cultural organization. Yin (2014) defines that the case study is used in many situations as a contribution to the knowledge of individual, group, organizational, social and political-related phenomena. As to the ends, we chose to use a descriptive kind of research, since this type of approach allows the description of the characteristics in a given population, phenomenon or situation through the relationships among variables, and the employment of data collection standard techniques through questionnaires, forms and systematic observations, according to reflections by Gil (1999), Vergara (2009), Lakatos and Marconi (2010) and Farias Filho and Arruda (2013).

To better define the research population or universe, Vergara (2009, p. 50) refers “to the set of elements which have specific population characteristics” (enterprises and people). The author states that “the sample population or sample is part of the universe (population) chosen according to some criteria of representation”. Based on this definition, the set of informers was typified in the research as intermediary decision-maker managers, a group composed of Managers, Coordinators, Supervisors and People in Charge. The intermediary managers, the aim of this research, are made of 11 (eleven) managers, 03 (three) coordinators, 36 (thirty-six) supervisors and 116 (one hundred and sixteen) people in charge of all the industrial complex, made of three factories, besides people responsible for the textile production in general and also for the sewing, meshing, fabrics, dry cleaner’s, upholstery, human resources, distribution and logistics.

The sample to be used in this study was collected in the textile unit located at the industrial district in the town of Extremoz, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, in charge of the meshing production and for part of the shirting sector from the investigated group. Besides, as mentioned previously, the technique employed was the focus group type of interview, composed, when possible, of managers’ agenda accessibility and typified in groups by the researchers, thus defined: Group A, characterized by managers and coordinators with the participation of 02 (two) managers and 03 (three) coordinators; Group B, defined by the supervisors and containing 11 (eleven) informers and; Group C, composed of the people in charge, totaling 31 (thirty-one) managers.

For the participating intermediary managers, we observed a non-probabilistic sample with 47 (forty-seven) members (Groups A+B+C), selected by the accessibility criteria, interviewing only those available. Group A was composed of managers and coordinators; group B, supervisors, and group C, people in charge. In relation to the number of managers/coordinators, we should mention that 02 (two) were managers and 03 (three) were coordinators.

The “focus group” interview was applied to the intermediary managers in the first week of April 2016, between the 04th (fourth) and the 08th (eighth), and followed these steps: publishing the research in the Human Resources sector to the intermediary managers, in order to explain the objectives in the study; taking part in the meeting scheduled with the managers (Managers, Coordinators and Supervisors) from groups A, B and C, which took place on April 4th, 2016, aiming at personally elucidating the research objective and its importance; focus group type of interview with supervisors and managers/coordinators on April 05th, 2016, in the morning shift with group B. At the time, we took note on field notebooks and recorded the dialogues, which lasted for an average of 50 (fifty) minutes. The same procedures were applied in the afternoon shift with group A. However, we did not perform any recordings with group A - we only took notes during the interview, which lasted for around 45 (forty-five) minutes. After that, we scheduled the interviews with the focus group C (people in charge). This interview was scheduled for April 05th, 2016. However, due to the unavailability of the people in charge because of the demand for work, we could not proceed with the focus group. Due to what happened, and exceptionally, we adopted the delivery of interview questions through forms as a research strategy, with the material do be handed in later, which did not jeopardize the constructivist paradigm in the investigation we adopted. Even with the setback, the data collection instrument hand-in happened the following day and was collected two days later, on April 08th, 2016, for analyses. We should mention that, among the deontological principles, and based on what was agreed on with the enterprise which is the object of this study, both the organization and the interviewees’ identity were kept confidential.

To meet the steps developed and the tools used in the data collection, we set up some debate guidelines for each focus group, so as to know the managers’ perception about the organization culture and motivation. The tool used to identify the managers’ perception was developed based on the organizational culture pattern presented by Schein (2009). Thus, we set up a data collection model to be used in the interview. This model was organized in 03 (three) sections, composed of 12 (twelve) questions and 03 (three) objectives, and divided as follows: Sociodemographic Aspect - participants’ profile identification; Organizational Aspect - enterprise’s organizational culture identification; and Motivational Aspect- employees’ level of modification identification in relation to organizational culture transmitted by the enterprise. In relation to the Sociodemographic Aspect, 06 (six) questions considered basic were developed.

For the enterprise’s Organizational Aspect verification, we elaborated 08 (eight) questions divided into three levels: visible artifact level - three questions; beliefs and personal values level - two questions; and basic assumptions level - three questions. For the Motivational Aspect verification in the working environment we elaborated 04 (four) questions with the objective of understanding the collaborators’ level of motivation.

According to Vergara (2009), the data processing refers to that section on which we explain to the reader how we intend to deal with the data, besides justifying the reason why such processing is adequate to the research’s proposal. The data collected in the interview composed the investigation corpus and were analyzed in a qualitative way. From the data organization, we went on to the analyses following the steps proposed by Bauer and Gaskell (2007): criterial analyses of the text transcription collected in the interview, including every spoken word; voice recording analyses, linking it to the textual transcriptions; and the conception of a qualitative analyses form, relating the investigation objectives with the organizational culture model and the topics discussed in every question, which served as a foundation for the applied study instrument construction.

For the interviews analyses and detailing, we favored the manual method (artisanal), that is, we adopted the traditional techniques that have been used for a long time and that are sometimes employed, considering the investigator’s proximity to the interviewee’s reality and to the reports then collected. In this sense, as highlighted by Lincoln and Guba (1985), besides reading and re-reading several times to get familiar with the textual data transcription (interviews and conversations), we used “the highlighter to highlight the text, check and enhance shapes and graphic representation of the topics, annotation files and, eventually, theme analyses” (BAUER AND GASKEL, 2007, p. 85). Furthermore, for the authors (2007, p. 85), “upon reading the transcriptions, they are reminded of aspects from the interview which go beyond words, and the researcher kind of relives the moment”. So, what happens is not only a record followed by a simple report, but also the adoption of a conservative behavior which aggregates former techniques with a more improved, updated know-how.

Especially because, as stated by Weis and Engem (2006), even though the technological support speeds up data analyses meaningfully, in relation to the HX-Express good performance, available as a freeware and which can run in Microsoft Excel, if referred to technical support, it provides the same results from the manual processing, that is, the results are identical.

DATA ANALYSES

The data produced through interviews and conversations with the focus group, done along with the intermediary managers and typified as managers/coordinators, supervisors and people in charge of the enterprise, which is the object of this examination, present as follows:

Group A Profile (Manager/Coordinator)

The demographic profile analyses were done based on the variables of “gender”, “age group”, “marital status”, “level of education”, “period of employment” and activity “sector or subsector”.

In relation to “gender”, we noticed that the manager employees and coordinators interviewed are mostly composed of female gender individuals. The data showed a total of 03 (three) female gender informers and 02 (two) male gender informers. As to the “age group”, the data revealed that the informers were neither below 20 (twenty) years of age nor above 51 (fifty-one). We verified that the 02 (two) managers are in the age group between 41 (forty-one) and 50 (fifty) years old, and the coordinators are mostly in the age group between 21 (twenty-one) and 30 (thirty) years of age. As to the “marital status”, the data showed that the informers are mostly married people. When it comes to the informers’ “level of education”, we noted that the 02 (two) managers and the 03 (three) coordinators interviewed identified themselves as “other” (they have a college degree with post-graduation). These data seem to suggest that the college degree in the enterprise is one of the ascending factors to these positions.

About the “period of time” the managers and the coordinators have worked in the enterprise’s management, they present a period of employment above six years, with coordinators between 06 (six) and 10 (ten) years and the managers above 11 (eleven) years. This suggests the enterprise meets its employees’ expectations for these two positions. As for the “sectors or subsectors” employed, the data from 02 (two) managers showed that one of them was linked to production and the other one was linked to Human Resources. About the coordinators, 02 (two) were found allotted both to the production sector and to the Human Resources sector. We should mention the Human Resources sector relationship with the production sector, for they kept a direct connection with every action which pertains to the employees in the three factories investigated.

Organizational culture

The following results correspond to the managers’ and coordinators’ perceptions and are related to the organizational culture, which, in Schein’ mind (2009) are presented as: artifacts, values and beliefs and basic assumptions. They suggest there are some matches in the replies and, in order not to repeat the same pieces of information, the data were compiled in question blocks. Later, each block was summarized, having the main manager informers’ understandings and perceptions highlighted for Managers and Coordinators.

When it comes to the questions related to the “artifact” level, all 05 (five) interviewees took an active part in the discussions. During the questionings the supervisors showed satisfaction with every socialization and communication action related to the enterprise’s history, knowledge of the jargons used at work, commemorative days and the institutional norms. However, one of the interviewees, the manager, emphasized that the integrated commitment with the enterprise’s proposals took place upon the arrival of a new team of administrators - managers, which, for him, besides offering a change in the organization’s culture, enabled some integration with the company’s expectations and some meaningful improvement in its performance.

As for the “beliefs and values” level, they were all unanimous in their speech, ratifying the supervisors’ reports. The informers showed there is a very strong connection to the organization’s proposals. These links, according to them, are worked out through trainings - the Coaching methodology - in which they are shown the paths to follow and the awakening of everyone employed. From the interviewees’ point of view, this methodology ends up rooting in every employee the values aimed by the organization.

The questions pertaining to the “basic assumptions” level, the respondents pointed out the existence of meritocracy, whose performance is valued with promotions by worthiness. The informers emphasized the constant meetings to discuss the good practices and which must be shared by all in the team, as well as meetings for discussion about quality

- the 100% quality program. This same informer also explained the management participation in the Internal Performance Program (IPP), which values and recognizes the works developed.

When it comes to the offering of responsibilities upon decision taking related to the tasks performed, everyone revealed they had autonomy referenced by the presidency. They also related they had the freedom to discuss with their subordinates - Supervisors, People in Charge - when searching for better ways to solve conflicts and problems.

The reports also showed a great capacity of resilience and change from the managers in the interests faced by the enterprise before market competition. On the working conditions, the informers showed they are offered a very good physical structure with modern equipment for the increment of their activities.

Motivational aspects in the working environment

Referring to the managers’ and coordinators’ perceptions and motivational aspects, the data show satisfaction in every report when it comes to the offer of further training courses with internal and external trainings provided by the employers. It was evident that the organization offers a good package of benefits, besides those mentioned previously by the group of supervisors. The informers showed there are annual prizes about production, like trips for the managers and the coordinators.

In relation to the aspect which contributes to satisfaction and well-being, the respondents were emphatic as they reported that team work with their peers and subordinates resulted in very strong integration, besides having a direct impact on happiness and pleasure. They were also emphatic about the good results in the institutional performance. Besides, everyone reported there was some integration between their managers and their subordinates, despite the position or social class, and mentioned the commemorative dates as an example, stating that on these occasions the managers complimented each collaborator personally, acknowledging the importance of those involved as main actors of the organization.

Group B profile - Supervisors

The demographic profile analyses were done based on the variables of “gender”, “group age”, “marital status”, “level of education”, “period of employment” and activity “sector or subsector”.

In relation to “gender”, we noticed that the supervisor collaborators were composed mostly of female individuals. We had a total of 06 (six) female gender individuals and 05 (five) male gender individuals. As to the supervisors’ “age group” in the 03 (three) factories researched, we noticed all of them were in the age group above twenty. We noticed this age group ranged from 21 (twenty-one) years of age to over 51 (fifty-one) years of age, which suggests an experienced managing group. As to the supervisors’ “marital status”, we identified that in the group there was a balance between the married ones and those who lived with their companions, 04 (four) were married and 04 (four) lived with their companions. Only 01 (one) is currently separated and 03 (three) are single. In relation to the “level of education”, the data pointed that, out of the 11 (eleven) supervisors, 08 (eight) have a college degree and 03 (three) finished high school. As to the period of employment, the data showed that out of the 06 (six) supervisors, most of them had a time of employment between 06 (six) and 10 (ten) years. Two employees had 04 (four) to 05 (five) years and 03 (three) supervisors had over 11 (eleven) years of employment in the enterprise. In relation to the “sectors and subsectors” in which they work, the data showed that the employees - Supervisors - performed their managing activities in the production sector in the factories researched, which, in their turn, are divided in subsectors like quality control, packaging and fabrication. The data also showed that 09 (nine) are allotted to the fabrication, 01 (one) to the quality control and 01 (one) to the packaging sector.

Organizational Culture

The organizational culture is structured according to the model proposed by Schein (2009). In relation to the discussion about the “artifacts” level, all 11 (eleven) supervisors took active part in the discussions and showed that every ingredient in the institution had some technical training in order to know and be aware of the enterprise’s abbreviations. Besides, the members who are already acquainted pass the daily working terms and the abbreviations used in their daily routine on to the newcomers. Moreover, they informed that most of the candidates come with some external knowledge, acquired in the university or in specific courses about industrial market. This way they are able to associate the knowledge acquired in the course done with the technical languages demanded by the enterprise.

Out of the 11 (eleven) interviewees, 04 (four) insisted on emphasizing these questions, which shows some affection towards the enterprise. As to the commemorative dates, everyone showed the knowledge behind the cause. Besides, they took part in the internal campaigns announced through the newsletters, special dates and through the bulletins available in murals in several of the factories’ sectors. However, they said the company had the habit of giving small gifts to their employees in special dates, not only to those involved, but also to their children. From the perception of all the informers, these initiatives showed acknowledgement from the enterprise and gave the sensation of local belonging. In relation to traditions and historical organization, all the interviewees also reported to know them, even before coming to the organization. For them, the company has some actions to root and to make their history and traditions known. These actions are developed in the first days of work. In order to anchor and root more and more an organizational culture in the enterprise, the reports showed that they frequently perform some nation-wide recycling with the manager collaborators to emphasize every organization tradition and history. At this moment, even the enterprise’s President takes part narrating his/her life experience.

In relation to the level of “beliefs and values”, everyone was unanimous in their speeches with special highlight to four interviewees who emphasized the organization’s mission and values, relating them to the Coaching informative and methodology, used to guide the leaders and which allows for a better understanding of the values that are connected to the enterprise’s mission and insight.

In the questions pertaining to the last level of “basic assumptions”, there was acknowledgement of the work developed by the supervisors. The professionals stated that the enterprise manages meritocracy very well and bases it on everybody’s individual and collective performance. For them, the appreciation is present when they observe the position adjustments and promotions by worthiness. They all stated they are given constant feedback and that they take part in the IPP, and that the tasks are appreciated and acknowledged.

As for the taking of decisions pertaining to the tasks to be performed, everyone stated they have autonomy from their leaders to perform their activities. They stated a relationship of trust between them and their direct manager. They also described they are almost daily followed up in the activities’ delegation and that they have the freedom to discuss the best way to problem solving. About the working conditions, the informers related that the enterprise offers a good physical structure of work with modern equipment for the development of their activities. They all expressed knowledge that the institution invests a lot in technology and in the employees’ capacitation through workshops, trainings and an open channel to new ideas which are discussed through brainstorming.

Motivational aspects in the working environment

In relation to the perception on the motivational aspects of the courses offered, the respondents stressed satisfaction with the offer of improvement courses. The internal and external trainings promoted by the Human Resources Sector, along with the education and professional capacitation institutions make the difference. English classes, for instance, are a successful thing. It was also explained the offer of lectures and forums which, according to them, contributed to function updating and improvement. It was also explained by all that the organization offered a good package of benefits, such as: health insurance, paid partially by the enterprise and partially by the employee; profit according to productivity; subsidized meals for only R$ 0,10 (ten cents) per meal, besides the clothing artifacts, which are sold much cheaper. They also reported the offer of transportation (bus) for those who live far away from the factory. As for satisfaction and well-being, they all stressed that team work is very satisfactory and promoted the unity of all the supervisors, that is, there was some integration which promoted bonds of friendship due to the organizational environment being very favourable. They also mentioned a very challenging working environment with good working structure, which contributes to the team’s satisfaction and comfort perception. About the recreation and entertainment activities, they said during a discussion that the organization offers an educational game room, cultural centres - a room with the enterprise’s history, city culture, reading books and an art room. It was also reported that, during the shift, they have working ergonomic breaks with physical therapists. However, some mentioned the necessity of more relaxing moments during their working hours.

Group C profile - People in charge

The Group C demographic profile analyses was done based on variables like “gender”, “age group”, “marital status”, “level of education”, “period of employment” and activity “sector or subsector”.

In relation to the social-demographic aspect of the people in charge, the data showed that, as for gender, out of the 31 (thirty-one) interviewees, 27 (twenty-seven) are female gender individuals and only 04 (four) are male gender individuals. As for the “age group”, the data showed that most of them are young and in the professional maturation process. We noticed that 18 (eighteen) people in charge are in the age group between 21 (twenty-one) and 30 (thirty) years old. There are also 10 (ten) people in charge ranging from 31 (thirty-one) to 40 (forty) years old and only 03 (three) ranging from 41 (forty-one) to 50 (fifty) years old. In relation to the “marital status”, the data showed that 11 (eleven) people in charge are currently single, 14 (fourteen) are married and 06 (six) live with their companions. We noticed that the collaborators interviewed are mostly composed of married people in relation to the single ones. As for the level of education, the data showed that 17 (seventeen) interviewees finished high school and 13 (thirteen) have a college degree. Only 01 (one) identified the “level of instruction” as ‘other’ - post-graduation. About the period of employment, the data also show that 18 (eighteen) people in charge have worked in the enterprise from 06 (six) to 10 (ten) years, which means a very high level of expressive engagement in this age group. When it comes to the “level of employment” variable, we noticed that only 02 (two) have been working in the enterprise for up to 01 (one) year, 01 (one) person in charge between 02 (two) and 03 (three) years, 03 (three) between 04 (four) and 05 (five) years and 07 (seven) for over 11 (eleven) years.

In relation to the “sector or subsector”, the managers - People in Charge - perform their managing activities in the fabric production sector, whose subsectors are those of quality control, packaging and fabricating. The data show that out of the 31 (thirty-one) interviewees, most of them, 24 (twenty-four), are allotted to the fabricating. Only 03 (three) in the quality control subsector and 04 (four) in the packaging subsector.

Organizational culture

In the present focus group, the questions followed the same organization, and so we observed compatibilities in the responses with the reports from groups A and B. Thus, to avoid repetitions from the pieces of information analyzed, the answers were compiled in question blocks. This way, we approached each section highlighting the main perceptions from the managers in charge. In this section we deal with the questions pertaining to the “artifacts”. We noticed that all the 31 (thirty-one) informers took active part in the research. The data showed parities in the answers discussed in the managers’ groups A and B, that is, the data showed a high level of satisfaction when it comes to the socialization and communication actions, the enterprise’s history, the commemorative dates and the institutional norms.

In relation to the level of “beliefs and values”, they all answered somehow similarly to the reports from the managers’ groups A and B. The informers described that when it comes to the enterprise’s mission, insight and values, they received training for adaptation/socialization, connected to the organization’s proposals, and according to the desired performance. These values were also identified through murals and performance assessments.

In the questions pertaining to the last level of “basic assumptions”, and according to the organizational culture model, they highlighted points which became more evident in this group.

As for the acknowledgment perception of the work developed, most of them mentioned several times the existence of meritocracy based on performance, with promotions by worthiness. They all emphasized the constant meetings to discuss the good practices which are shared by all in the team. When it comes to the offering of responsibilities in the taking of decisions, which pertain to the tasks performed, most answered they had autonomy from their managers and supervisors. We also noticed that all the people in charge had some freedom to discuss demands with their subordinates or bosses. In relation to the working conditions offered by the organization, we noticed that only five people in charge emphasized they would not agree with the good physical structure and the modern equipment for the development of their activities. However, most of them agree there are good working conditions.

Motivational aspects in the working environment

In relation to the perception of the motivational aspects of the people in charge, most of them stated there was some satisfaction in the offer of improvement courses with internal and external trainings provided by the organization. However, some interviewees reported the trainings and capacitation courses could be offered more frequently.

As for the benefits offered by the enterprise, we noticed that most of them agree with the good policy of benefits. However, some of them stated the need for it to be wider. Over the question on satisfaction and well-being, they all were unanimous to say that team work, along with their peers, bosses and subordinates, denoted a favourable organizational atmosphere. And, when it comes to leisure and entertainment, a minority stated it should be widened and didn’t meet their expectations. Notwithstanding, most of the interviewees point out satisfaction with the commemorative dates, leisure activities and relaxing moments, such as Father’s and Mother’s Day, June celebration parties and Christmas parties.

CONCLUSION

The organizational culture presents some normative character, working as a filter for that which the members should feel, think and notice, besides being responsible for the organization’s success. Denying the instituted cultural beliefs and values can endanger the enterprise’s working development. Ignoring the cultural aspects can equally transform the institution works; altering or changing the strategies become even more incomprehensible when the managers neglect the underlying values and beliefs which lead the administrative activities. The establishment of organizational criteria and the well-defined activities performance roles may help shape the behavior and the awareness of a whole team work.

In this study we noticed the relevance to transmit the organizational culture to the employees since the beginning of their activities. Such procedure promotes a learning environment and emerges the spirit of belonging, interpersonal solidarity and personal commitment to the new employees before the corporation, which must contribute exponentially to its growth and development.

When it comes to human motivation and, as presented in the theoretical review, motivation is considered an essential factor for the enterprise’s growth, since the employees feel prepared, satisfied and committed to the development of their activities.

The general objective of this study, besides trying to solve the research problem presented, was to know the way through which the organizational culture can become a motivational tool for the intermediary managers of a textile industry. This way, this paper allowed for the discussion of the absorption and cultural socialization processes of the enterprise studied and the results showed the existence of a cohesive organizational culture, in which the decision maker managers’ reports evaluated showed their efficiency as a motivational tool of common development. In the meantime, we noticed the extension of motivational benefits caused by an integrating organizational culture to the other employees. So, we notice that a strong and motivating culture will be able to push the organization to more relieving commercial results.

Among the limitations experienced, the research presented a delay in the acquisition of an authorization for the execution of the interviews with the managers, which highly jeopardized the time dedicated to data collection, directly reflecting in the results analyses and processing. Later, there was the difficulty to contact the managers due to the fact the factories were found in full production that could not be interrupted, which contributed to the decrease of time that was dedicated to the interviews with the established groups and which stopped us from getting better acquainted with the respondents, besides restricting some managers’ participation due to what was stated above.

We suggest the development of a further study with more time for its accomplishment due both to the work overload of those involved and their difficulty for time availability to contact the researchers. In this case, through a mixed type or research, which comes from the integration between the qualitative and the quantitative methods, the researcher could identify possible subcultures from the enterprise’s culture and know the level of influence of these subcultures in the generation of motivational behaviour, which could intervene in the enterprise’s performance. An empirical study also seems to be pertinent to confirm the results of this case study.

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*Artículo de investigación adelantado en Potiguar University, Natal, Brasil, https://www.laureate.net/OurNetwork/LatinAmerica/Brazil/UniversidadePotiguarUnP#t1.

CITATION: Vasconcelos, César R.M. & Dourado, Cristiano J.M. (2017) Enterprise culture and managers motivation in a textile industry. Dimensión Empresarial, 16(1), 147-163. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15665/dem.v16i1.1496 JEL: D21, M14.

Received: November 19, 2017; Accepted: December 21, 2017

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