Chapter 6 Organizational Socialization

1
Chapter 6Organizational Socialization
2
Introduction
Organizational culture and organizational
socialization
OrganizationalCulture(Chapter 4)
OrganizationalSocialization(Chapter 6)
What a newemployee needsto learn.
The process by whicha new employeelearns the
culture.
3
Roles and Role Behavior

• Role activities, duties, responsibilities,
  required behaviors
• Contributions from the person in exchange for
  inducements from the organization (pay, fringe
  benefits)Psychological Contract
• Must roughly balance for the person to accept the
  role

4
Roles and Role Behavior (Cont.)

• Role behavior
• Pivotal role behaviors must accept them to join
  and remain a member of an organization
• Relevant role behaviors considered desirable and
  good by the organization, but not essential to
  membership
• Peripheral role behaviors neither necessary nor
  desirable but tolerated

5
Boundary Transitions

• Socialization process is continuous throughout a
  person's association with an organization
• Most intense before and after boundary
  transitions
• Boundary transitions occur when a new employee
  crosses the organization's boundary upon joining
  the organization

6
Boundary Transitions (Cont.)

• Also occur as the person's career unfolds and she
  crosses other boundaries within the same or
  different organization
• Employee is most susceptible to organizational
  influences just before and just after those
  transitions

7
Boundary Transitions (Cont.)

• Dimensions
• Functional emphasizes development and use of
  skills and abilities in doing a particular task
• Hierarchical move upward in organization
  (promotion)
• Inclusionary emphasizes acceptance of values,
  norms, and required behavior. Become part of the
  inner circle.

8
Individual and Organizational Perspectives on
Socialization
Person Individualization
Organization Socialization
Socialization Versus Individualization
9
Stages ofOrganizational Socialization

• Three stages of socialization
• Choice Anticipatory socializationbefore joining
  the organization
• Entry/Encounterafter entering the organization
• Change Metamorphosislate stage featuring a new
  selfimage
• Result of one stage becomes input to next stage

10
Stages ofOrganizational Socialization (Cont.)

• Individual perspective experiences at each stage
• Management perspective each stage helps the
  socialization process achieve its goals
• When experienced?
• First job
• New position in same organization
• New position in different organization

11
Stages ofOrganizational Socialization
Choice Anticipatory socialization(Getting in)
Expectations
Entry/encounter(Breaking in)
Reality
Change Metamorphosis(Settling in)
Taking on the role
12
Ethical Issues inOrganizational Socialization

• Several ethical issues center on informed consent
• Should the organization tell potential new
  employees that it will try to change some values
  and behavior?
• Should present employees be told that each time
  they change positions, their values and behavior
  will also change?
• Should an organization reveal the socialization
  and training goals of its training programs
  before employees enter the programs?

13
Ethical Issues inOrganizational Socialization
(Cont.)

• Debasement experiences
• Most organizations use mild forms of debasement
• Sororities, fraternities, basic military
  training, military academies use strong forms of
  debasement (historically)
• Can create feelings of fear and intimidation
• Debasement experiences pose a clear ethical
  dilemma for organizations and managers