The purpose of this study was to identify a causal relationship among individual learning, learning motivation, job characteristics, and organizational culture of worker in small and medium-sized enterprises. The specific objectives was to identify th...
The purpose of this study was to identify a causal relationship among individual learning, learning motivation, job characteristics, and organizational culture of worker in small and medium-sized enterprises. The specific objectives was to identify the effect of learning motivation, job characteristics, and organizational culture on individual learning, to identify the moderate effect of learning motivation between individual and job characteristics, organizational culture. The population for this study was workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, random sampling method could not be applicable because the actual number of population was difficult to be identified, Therefore, this study was restricted to the target population as workers be exposed in Small and Medium Businesses Information System(http://sminfo.smba.go.kr).
A survey questionnaire was conducted to measure variables of this study. It was consisted of individual learning scale, learning motivation scale, job characteristics scale, organizational culture scale and demographic items. In this study, individual learning scale was developed including concrete experience, search and reflection, formation of knowledge, application and evaluation. Learning motivation scale was developed including intrinsic goal orientation, extrinsic goal orientation, task value. Job characteristics scale was developed including skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, task feedback. Also, organizational culture scale was developed including adaptability, consistency, participation, mission. Through pilot test and final survey, reliability and validity of these scales were examined.
The data were collected by mail, and e-mail and on-line survey from October 30th 2011 to November 8th. A total of 359 out of 380 questionnaires were returned, of which 323 were used for analysis after data cleaning. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for data analysis. To estimate parameters of proposed research model, covariance structure analysis were used. All data analysis was accomplished using the SPSS 15.0-Win statistics package, and AMOS 7.0 version. A alpha level of 5% was established prior for determining significance.
The findings of the study were as follow: First, the indexes of causal model among individual learning, learning motivation, job characteristics, and organizational culture were identified suitably. Second, factor loading of learning motivation to individual learning was significant(=0.613), organizational culture was =0.210). The factor loading of job characteristics was not significant. Third, in relationship between individual learning and job characteristics, learning motivation had moderating effect as 0.363. Also in relationship between individual learning and organizational culture, learning motivation had moderating effect as 0.217.
Based on the findings of the study, major conclusions of this study were as follow: First, casual model of this study is suitable to empirical analysis on research variables. Second, learning motivation and organizational culture in SMEs has indirect effect on individual learning. However, job characteristics has not direct effect on it. Third, job characteristics had indirect effect on individual learning positively with the mediation effect of learning motivation, but had not direct effect on it. Forth, organizational culture not only had direct effect on individual learning with the mediation effect of learning motivation, but also had indirect positive effect on it.
Some recommendations for future researches were suggested: First classification by organizational culture examine the causal relationship between individual learning. Second, further research needs to investigate the relationship between individual learning and other variables that were not dealt in this study. Third, in order to consider hierarchical data, further research needs to analyze individual learning by separating the level into organization and individual level. Forth, individual learning need to be measured by dividing its activities and achievement level.