Recent hires (n = 149) in 12 electronics manufacturing firms were asked to relate their experiences of formative events and the messages derived from them. Newcomers also described the behavioral norms characterizing their organization, one facet of its culture. Critical incidents newcomers reported were significantly related to their perceptions of behavioral norms. The messages newcomers interpreted from these incidents were coded in terms of positive or negative frame (emphasizing desirable or undesirable outcomes). Positively framed events were related to experiencing the organization's culture as team-oriented. Negatively framed events were related to describing the culture as more control-oriented. Analyses indicate that the critical incidents impact beliefs regarding cultural norms through their effect on the frame of the message newcomers derive from the events. Moreover, team norms were negatively related to role conflict and positively related to role clarity. Findings are interpreted with respect to proactive and reactive roles played by newcomers in their own socialization.
ALLEN, N. J., & MEYER, J. P.Organizational socialization tactics: A Longitudinal analysis of links to newcomers' commitment and role orientation. Academy of Management Journal, 1990, 33(4), 847-858.
2.
AQUINO, K. H., & ROUSSEAU, D. M.Confirmatory factor analysis of comparable measures of personality and culture: Level I: Life Styles Inventory and Level V. Organizational Culture Inventoty. Educational and Psychological Measurement. In press.
3.
ASHFORD, S. J.Feedback-seeking in individual adaptation: A resource perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 1986, 29, 465-487.
4.
BALDWIN, A. L.A cognitive theory of socialization. In D. A. Goslin (Ed.), Handbook of socialization theory and research. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1969.
5.
BAXTER, L., & WILMOT, W.Secret tests: Social strategies for acquiring information about the state of relationships. Human Communication Research, 1984, 11, 171-201.
CHATMAN, J. A.Matching people and organizations: Selection and socialization in public accounting firms. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1991, 36, 459-484.
8.
COOKE, R. A., & LAFFERTY, J. C.Organizational culture inventory. Plymouth, MI: Human Synergistics, 1989.
9.
COOKE, R. A., & ROUSSEAU, D. M.Behavioral norms and expectations: A quantitative approach to organizational culture. Group and Organization Studies, 1988, 13, 245-273.
10.
DENZIN, N. K.Interpretive interactionism. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1989.
11.
DUNNETTE, M. D.Personnel selection and placement. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1966.
12.
FELDMAN, D. C.The multiple socialization of organization members. Academy of Management Review, 1981, 6, 309-318.
13.
FETTERMAN, D. M.Ethnography: Step by step. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1989.
GEERTZ, C.The interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books, 1973.
16.
GLASER, B. G., & STRAUSS, A. L.The discovery of grounded theory. Chicago: Aldine, 1967.
17.
HACKMAN, J. R., & MORRIS, C. G.Group tasks, group interaction process, and group performance effectiveness: A review and proposed integration. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 8). New York: Academic Press, 1975.
18.
HEBDEN, J. E.Adopting an organization's culture: The socialization of graduate trainees. Organizational Dynamics, 1986, 15, 54-72.
19.
HOFSTEDE, G., NEUIJEN, B., OHAYV, D. D., & SANDERS, G.Measuring organizational cultures: A qualitative and quantitative study across twenty cases. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1990, 35, 286-316.
20.
ISABELLA, L.Evolving interpretations as a change unfolds: How managers construe key organizational events. Academy of Management Journal, 1990, 33(1), 7-41.
21.
JACKSON, J.A conceptual and measurement model for norms and roles. Pacific Sociological Review, Spring 1966, 35-47.
22.
JERMIER, J. M., SLOCUM, J. W., FRY, L. W., & GAINES, J.Organizational subcultures in a soft bureaucracy: Resistance behind the myth and facade of an official culture. Organization Science, 1991, 2(2), 170-194.
23.
JONES, G. R.Socialization tactics, self-efficacy, and newcomers' adjustments to organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 1986, 29, 262-279.
24.
KAHNEMAN, D., & TVERSKY, A.Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 1979, 47, 263-291.
25.
KATZ, D., & KAHN, R. L.The social psychology of organizations. New York: Wiley, 1978.
26.
KILMAN, R. H., & SAXTON, M. J.The Kilman-Saxton culture-gap survey. Pittsburgh, PA: Organization Design Consultants, 1983.
27.
LEON, F. R.The role of positive and negative outcomes in the causation of motivational forces. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1981, 66, 45-53.
28.
LOUIS, M. R.Surprise and sense making: What newcomers experience in entering unfamiliar organizational settings. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1980, 25, 226-251.
MARTIN, J., FELDMAN, M. S., HATCH, M. J., & SITKIN, S.The uniqueness paradox in organizational stories. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1983, 28, 438-453.
31.
MARTIN, J., SITKIN, S. B., & BOEHM, M.Founders and the elusiveness of a cultural legacy. In P. Frost, L. Moore, M. Louis, C. Lundberg, & J. Martin (Eds.), Organizational culture. New York: Sage, 1985.
32.
MILES, M. B., & HUBERMAN, A. M.Qualitative data analysis: A sourcebook of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1984.
33.
MILLER, V. D., & JABLIN, F. M.Information seeking during organizational entry: Influences, tactics, and a model of the process. Academy of Management Review, 1991, 16, 92-120.
34.
ROBERTS, K. H., HULIN, C. L., & ROUSSEAU, D. M.Developing an interdisciplinary science of organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1978.
35.
ROBERTS, K. H., ROUSSEAU, D. M., & LaPORTE, T. R. The cultures of high reliability. Journal of High Technology Management. In press.
36.
ROUSSEAU, D. M.The price of success? Security-oriented cultures in high reliability organizations. Industrial Crisis Quarterly, 1989, 3, 285-302.
37.
ROUSSEAU, D. M.Assessing organizational culture: The case for multiple measures. In B. Schneider (Ed.), Frontiers in industrial and organizational psychology (Vol. 3). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990. (a)
38.
ROUSSEAU, D. M.Normative beliefs in fund-raising organizations: Linking culture to organizational performance and individual responses. Group and Organization Studies, 1990, 15, 448-460. (b)
39.
ROUSSEAU, D. M., SHORTELL, S. M., & GILLIES, R.Culture in Intensive Care Units: Behavioral Norms of Nurses and Physicians and Their Links to Unit Performance and Staff Turnover. Paper presented at Academy of Management meetings, San Francisco, 1990.
40.
SCHEIN, E. H.Coming to a new awareness of organizational culture. Sloan Management Review, 1984, 25(2), 3-17.
41.
SCHNEIDER, B.Interactional psychology and organizational behavior. In L. L. Cummings and B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 5). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1983.
42.
SMIRCICH, L.Concepts of culture and organizational analysis. Administrative Science Quarterly, 1983, 28, 339-359.
43.
VAN MAANEN, J.Experiencing organizations: Notes on the meaning of careers and socialization. In J. Van Maanen (Ed.), Organizational careers: Some new perspectives. New York: Wiley, 1977.
44.
VROOM, V.Work and motivation. New York: Wiley, 1964.
45.
WANOUS, J.Organizational entry: From naive expectations to realistic beliefs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1976, 51, 22-29.
46.
WANOUS, J.Organizational entry: Recruitment, selection, and socialization of newcomers. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1980.
47.
WEXLEY, K. N., & LATHAM, G. P.Developing and training human resources in organizations. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1981.
