Örgütsel Sosyal Sermaye Yatırımlarının Önbüro Çalışanları Üzerine Etkisi

Abstract

Sermaye kavramı ekonomiyi ve bağlı olguları akla getiren bir kavramdır. Ancak değişen yönetim anlayışı sermayeyi sosyal bilimlerin bir konusu haline getirmiş ve inceleme konu olmuştur. Günümüzde incelenen kültürel sermaye, beşeri sermaye ve buna benzer kavramların literatüre eklenmesi rekabetçi koşulların örgütler üzerindeki baskısının ve bu baskıyı çözüme ulaştırma yolları için yapılan araştırmaların nedenlerinden biridir. Sosyal sermaye, bireylerin ortak bir amaca ulaşmak için karşılıklı güven, paylaşılan değerler ve ilgiyle kurduğu ve koruduğu bağlar ile hareket etmesi olarak tanımlanabilir. Sosyal sermaye teorisi örgütlü eylemlerin özündeki ilişkilerin yaratıcı, sürdürülebilir ve faydalanmaya ilişkin niteliklerini ve bu ilişkilerin sağlayacağı rekabet gücü inceler. Örgütlerin gelişim ve performansına çalışanlar arası bağlar, işbirliği ve uyumlu çalışmanın katkısı sosyal sermaye çalışmalarına hız kazandırmış ve birçok alanda çalışma yapılmasına neden olmuştur. Sosyal sermayenin kaynağı oluşturan bireyler, örgütler veya topluluklar arası ilişkilerin örgütsel avantaj olarak kullanılabileceğin öne sürülmesi ile örgütsel sosyal sermaye kavramının ortaya çıkmasına neden olmuştur. Bireylerin sahip oldukları bağlar ve karşılıklı güven duygusu sosyal sermayenin bir unsuru ise bireylerin oluşturdukları topluluklardaki bağlar ve gruplar arası ilişkiler de örgütsel sosyal sermayeyi oluşturacaktır. Örgütsel sosyal sermaye; örgütün iç çevresinde bireylerin dış çevresinde ise karşılıklı iletişimde bulunması sebebiyle kazandığı sosyal varlık ve kaynak bütünüdür. Diğer bir deyişle örgütsel sosyal sermaye üyeler arasındaki bağları nedeniyle yapısal, üyelerin karşılıklı güveni nedeniyle ilişkisel ve üyelerin ortak paylaştıkları değer ve amaçlar nedeniyle bilişsel boyutlardan oluşan üyeler arasındaki ilişki bütünüdür. Örgütsel sosyal sermayeye yatırımları bireyleri bir arada tutan güven karşılıklı anlaşma ve paylaşılan değerler gibi sosyal aktifler toplamıdır. Bu yatırımda oluşturulacak güven, ortaklık duygusu ve güçlü bağlar hem örgütü oluşturan bireyler hem de örgütün kendisine fayda sağlayacaktır Örgüt üyeleri yöneticilerin seçimi sonucu bir araya gelirler. Kurulacak sosyal bağların oluşturduğu şebekeler ve bunun getirdiği birliktelikten doğacak olan işbirliği örgütleri başarıya taşıyacak önemli bir ölçüt olarak önem kazanır. Bu bağların oluşturulması, desteklenmesi ve devamının sağlaması örgüt içi bilgi akışını ve buna bağlı olarak inovasyon ve büyüme gibi performans çıktılarını arttırmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın konusunu oluşturan örgütsel sosyal sermaye yatırımları bireylerin oluşturduğu bağların devamlılığını sağlayarak çalışan performansını arttırmak ve buna bağlı olarak örgütün verimini arttırmayı hedefleyen çalışmalar bütünüdür. Çalışmanın temel amacı örgütsel sosyal sermaye yatırımlarının önbüro çalışanları üzerindeki etkisi inceleyen teorik modelin test edilmesidir. Anket tabanlı çalışmada kurulan model altı hipotez ile test edilmiştir. Anket hedef kitlesi önbüro çalışanları seçilmiştir. Bunun nedeni müşterilerle bire bir ilişki halinde olmaları nedeniyle onların özel ihtiyaçlarını görerek örgüte çok değerli geri beslemeyi sağlamaları ve bu ihtiyaçlara yönelik hizmet verebilmeleridir. Analiz sonuçları örgütsel sosyal sermaye yatırımlarının kurum kültürü, algılanan adalet ve uyum üzerinde pozitif etkili olduğu; bunun çalışanların motivasyonu üzerinde pozitif etkisinin olduğunu, bu etkinin otoriteyi kabullenmeyi sağladığını ve markaya yaklaşımı pozitif desteklediğini ortaya koymuştur.

Capital is commonly associated with economy and economy related fields. However, in new managerial era makes social capital a focal point of social sciences. Basic motivation of associating capital with social sciences is to find new paths to decrease pressure of competitiveness by using cultural capital, human capital, intellectual capital etc. Social capital has many descriptions caused by scholars’ perspectives. Most of them agree on social ties and networks are the main elements of social capital. It has increasing attention after 1990s and still popular topic for scholars in variety of fields. Some scholars have focused individual’s benefits from social networks and others choose to study how it effects organizations success. For a long time, organizations success and performance had explained by strong capital, marketing power and rivals positions. Human capital considered as a tool but not an organizational advantage. Organizations are social units and every unit links with social ties. After modern organization theories became to be accepted and deeply focused, scholars faced important questions: How members link with other members of organization and how organizations benefit from these links. Members work together, communicate and cooperate with each other. Being productive and efficient member can contribute organization’s performance. Individuals connect with other members, these links are important, and efficient tool for knowledge transfer. Fostering cooperation and shared norms can keep members as acting social units that leads organizations success. There is a growing interest on social capital and scholars from variety of fields have focused on, social capital has many definitions and approaches. First appearance of social capital was in early 20th century. Jane Hanifan used social capital as a control mechanism to create social cohesion for schools. He emphasized collective actions for commons goals and addressed social networks that keep individuals and families together were important things for common good. This definition is highly accepted even today which shows Hanifan’s vision was beyond his time. With the new management era became to appear in 1960s, many social scientists including Nobel Prize winning economists began to derive efficiency of employees and its effects on productivity of organizations. T.W.Schultz and Gary Becker researched human capital and investment in based on rational benefits. That was the beginning of link between social sciences with capital. Jane Jacobs was the first one that used social capital in modern era to underline social networks. Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu defined cultural, economic and social capital. James Coleman explained social capital as a strong public good that every member can benefit from. Robert Putnam is one of the most popular scientists because of his well-known book “Bowling Alone: America’s Declining Social Capital”. According to Putnam, social capital refers to the collective value of all social networks and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other.” Coleman defines social capital as personal facilitator of certain actions and consists in social structure. Like Coleman, Woolcock describes social capital facilitator of collective actions by using shared norms and networks for mutual benefit. In other words, concept of social capital is knowledge, trust and norms of reciprocity inhering in member’s social networks. Such links called embedded ties. According to OECD, social capital is networks together with shared norms, values and understandings that facilitate co-operation within or among groups. Because of networks between members, social capital provides collaboration and interaction among individuals who share their values and norms. In this manner, social capital acts as main resource generated by interpersonal networks that are embedded and available within them. Using this description, we can suggest the definition of social capital that represents the relational resources available by members through social relationships. As an organizational phenomenon, social capital has received comparatively less attention. Organization is a social entity that has a collective action within a social context. We define social capital as a facilitator of collective actions by using social networks. Whatever the definition of collective actions, organizations have to achieve their determined goals. Organizational social capital is realized through members levels of collective goal orientation and shared trust, which create value by facilitating successful collective action. Networks provide firms with access to knowledge, resources, markets, or technologies. Social capital identified as a concept that can add value to the study of network social processes. Many researchers have argued that access to new sources of knowledge is one of the most important direct benefits of social capital. Moreover, there is evidence suggesting that knowledge transfer is facilitated by intensive social interactions of organizational actors. The managers of organization choose members therefore trust is the core element of organizational social capital. Other core element is associability that is the ability of being social within organization. Associability is the willingness and ability that being member of organization and participate in collective actions. Whether profit or non-profit organization, every organization has a common goal. Managers expect chosen members act like a team player. Social capital within organizations is an important resource yet relatively ignored by researchers. It is a strong tool for competitiveness and organizational performance. In addition, organizational structures may strengthen or weaken the effects of social capital, by furnishing greater or fewer opportunities for its growth. Organizational social capital consists of the structural (connections among actors), relational (trust between actors) and cognitive (shared goals and values among actors) dimensions of the relationships between organization members. Each of these dimensions of social capital is arguably a powerful force for improving organizational outcomes by facilitating transactions that result in knowledge diffusion and collective action. Organizational social capital can lead to beneficial outcomes in four primary ways. It justifies individual commitment to the collective good, facilitates a more flexible work organization, serves as a mechanism for managing collective action, and facilitates the development of intellectual capital in the firm. However, organizational social capital should well manage to prevent side effects like strict grouping and social polarization. This study aims to determine effects of organizational investment in social capital on frontline employees by reviewing effects of corporate culture, perceived justice, and adaptability of employee on motivation and as a consequence of attitude toward brand and customer orientation. Organizational investment in social capital is to provide and nurture of social links between members. An incremental, day-to-day activities need to support collaboration, knowledge transfer and learning. Basic motivation of investment is to continue productive links among members and use as a strategic tool for organization competitiveness. Data collected from logistics and transportation firms via online survey in order to increase participation. Survey had a filter question to eliminate other workers and reach frontline employees. Conceptual model had tested by six hypotheses. Results show organizational investment in social capital has positive effect on corporate culture, perceived justice, adaptability of employee. These three factors tested to see effects on motivation. Results show the most distinctive factor is distributive justice, which explains how outcome is consistent with the goals of a particular situation. Organizational investment in social capital is positively motivated members and this motivation helps to increase members’ authority acceptance. Members who have positive motivation are accepted the outcome. This shows members have faith in their organization, which can be used as a facilitator of collective action. Acceptance has no direct effect on customer orientation. However following studies may evaluate customer orientation effected by investment in social capital.