Values integration in the workplace : the office of Hawaiian affairs
Degree Name
MA in International and Intercultural Management
First Advisor
Sora Friedman
Abstract
This paper presents a case study that analyzes the relationship between values integration and organizational performance. The study focuses on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), a government agency, in the state of Hawai'i that failed to integrate its set of adopted Hawaiian values into its daily operation thus resulting in unhappy employees, job dissatisfaction, and high employee turnover. Through the use of data collected from a focus group and a voluntary employee survey, the researcher was able to identify and establish OHA as a networked organization, thereby understanding how the organization performs and adapts to learning. Through further analysis of the data, a direct correlation was found between values integration and organizational performance. From the data gathered, a values integration model was devised specifically for OHA which also acknowledged the Hawaiian culture as it plays a significant role in identifying the purpose of the organization. As such, this research concluded that values integration should occur before any organizational changes are made since the basic structure should be established in order to cope with change. And by committing to the values integration model, the research also concluded that the organization's overall culture would be positively affected. This paper also recommends that OHA revisit its values to determine if they reflect the direction in which the organization would like to move.
Recommended Citation
Lam, Carolina, "Values integration in the workplace : the office of Hawaiian affairs" (2006). Capstone Collection. 1973.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/1973