The influence of organizational culture on

Shazaitul Azreen Rodzalan & Maisarah Mohamed Saat, The influence of organizational culture on engineering students’ team working skill development

The influence of organizational culture on engineering students’ team working skill development Shazaitul Azreen Rodzalan Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor. [email protected]

Maisarah Mohamed Saat Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor. [email protected]

Abstract: Engineering students should cultivate team working skills in order to fulfil employers’ expectations to be possible future engineers. An option is for engineering students to communicate and work together with skilled engineers through the medium of industrial training. They are required to form team working skills as they undergo these processes. Organizational culture may have an impact over this development and this is the chief emphasis of this paper. The integral concepts connected to team working and organizational culture is assessed in this theoretical paper. It is recommended that by using pre and post approaches, the impact of organizational culture creates the formation of team working skills during industrial training. This paper recommends that engineering students from Malaysian public as well as private universities be studied using a survey. The methodology used is also being defined and concluded with conclusions.

Background of study Employers look for potential engineers who are well armed with hard skills (knowledge) as well as generic skills because they are forced to do so as a result of stiff competitions within the labour market, initiated by economic changes. To work in cooperation is the essence of the engineering profession with the aim of concluding a task or handling a project. Hence, among the essential skills that engineering students should have before joining the profession is team working skill. Previous studies have also stressed team working skills as being the most essential skills (Anderson, Courter, McGlamery, NathansKelly, & Nicometo, 2010; Grant & Dickson, 2006). On top of that, numerous organizations today have adapted team working skills, resulting in it being extremely well-known among organizations and a much liked work design (Jackson, Joshi, & Erhardt, 2003). Hence, as future engineers, university students should try to form these skills during their entire learning process. Nevertheless, based on previous studies in engineering education, engineering students were found to have inadequate ability as well as skills to work with others (P’Rayan & Shetty, 2008; Stouffer, Russell, & Oliva, 2004; Zaharim, Omar, Basri, Muhamad, & Isa, 2009). P’Rayan & Shetty (2008), in their analysis, discovered that engineering students became tensed and were not confident to commence a discussion in the course of teamwork discussion. There would be a rise in unemployment rate among engineering students if this issue or problem is not solved. In the Malaysian perspective, all public universities have implemented Soft Skills Module in teaching and learning processes introduced by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) (Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, 2007). Also, an opportunity to work in real working surroundings for up to 6 months, called industrial training, is given to engineering students. The ability for them to be able to employ theory into practical work, obtain vital work experience and most essentially enhance their generic skills are the advantages of this industrial training (Knemeyer & Murphy, 2002; Shariff & Saad, 2010). Students have the opportunity to communicate and cooperate with skilled engineers to enhance their team working skills during this industrial training. It is expected that trainees (students undergoing Proceedings of the Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2013 – Kuala Lumpur

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industrial training) may be effected by other aspects such as human, environments and culture in developing this skill. Precisely, by utilizing two out of five Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this paper recommends that a study be carried out to determine the consequence of organizational culture. Power distance and individualism versus collectivism are the two dimensions (Hofstede, 1980), which will be deliberated further in a theoretical framework section. The following research questions are suggestions based on the above mentioned reasons: 1. Is there any development of team working skills among engineering students? 2. After undergoing industrial training, do organizational cultures impact the development of team working skills among engineering students? As it decreases the literature gap in team working skills associated with industrial training, this recommended study lends towards the scope of knowledge in engineering education. Also, since the study uses pre and post approach, it will deliver detailed results in terms of skill development among engineering students. In addition, in enhancing industrial training systems, the study offers options to industrial training stakeholders (university, industry and students). Fundamentally, by carrying out pre and post industrial training studies, this study plans to ensure whether there is a development of team working skills. Additionally, whether the organization culture effects the advancement of team working skills will also be identified through this study. The arrangement of this paper is organized as follows: Teamwork and organizational culture are the two theoretical frameworks that will be reviewed in the next section. The methodology, which will be implemented so as to attain the goals of the study, will be deliberated in the following section. Lastly, a conceptual framework will be recommended and this will conclude the paper.

Theoretical Framework Team working theory: A model for understanding interprofessional teamwork A model for accepting interprofessional teamwork by Reeves, Lewin, Espin & Zwarenstein (2010) (refer Figure 1) will be assessed in this section. To fit with the area of this paper, this model was revised and altered a little. It is made up of four chief domains as per Figure 1. Each of these domains comprises of individual factors itemized in bullet style and they are relational, processual, organizational and contextual. Also, the factors are linked with one domain as illustrated by the arrows. To begin with, factors that influence the correlation among team members relational domain are made up of professional power, chain of command, associations, team constitution, team roles and team procedures. Students should create faith and reverence with their supervisor and other staff as they are superior in the organization; as per the framework of this study. Furthermore, in executing the work, the supervisor has a power to lead and educate the students. Hence, as staffs without experience, students should be humble and possess healthy characters while receiving industrial training during their learning procedure in the organization. Maybe, they will remain displaying these healthy characters in the actual workplace later on. Secondly, when given different work frameworks, processual domain connected to some factors effects the procedure of teamwork. Duration, space, routines and rituals, information technology, unpredictability, urgency, difficulty and task alteration are these factors. For instance, tasks that are almost to the due date are normally connected to the factor of urgency. Team members provide total collaboration and become more encouraged in fulfilling their jobs (Wilson, 2010). Thirdly, in relation to work surroundings in an organization, teamwork operation is influenced by factors from the organizational domain. Factors in this domain are organizational support, professional exemplification and anxiety due to litigation. In the framework of industrial training, students (as trainees and new staffs) who abide by rules and regulations without doing tasks in an immoral manner can be a demonstration of anxiety due to litigation factor. Their training evaluation will be impacted later due to

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the supervisor possessing power in the organization. The supervisor needs to display noble characters and values as he/she can impact the characters of others under his or her supervision even though the supervisor has these powers (McDaniel, Schoeps, & Lincourt, 2001). Organizational support performs critical roles in delivering efficacious training to the students in spite of the anxiety due to litigation. Prior to joining the real workforce, their team working skills tend to be enhanced through this support. Relational  Professional power  Hierarchy  Socialization  Team composition  Team roles  Team processes

Processual  Time and space  Routines and rituals  Information technology  Unpredictability  Urgency  Complexity  Task shifting

Teamwork

Organizational  Organizational support  Professional representation  Fear of litigation

Contextual  Culture  Diversity  Gender  Political will  Economics

Figure1: A model for understanding interprofessional teamwork Source: Adapted and modified from Reeves, et al. (2010). A Conceptual Framework for Interprofessional Teamwork Interprofessional Teamwork for Health and Social Care (pp. 57-76): Wiley-Blackwell. Finally, the fourth domain brings to attention the factors of culture, diversity, gender, political will and economics. Where the team is located, the issues are influenced through these factors. A group of values, beliefs and behaviour designs that are mutual within a society is referred to as culture (Asmawi & Mohan, 2010). The team members with their own distinctiveness should be able to accustom with others in obtaining agreement relating issues within the team through this mutual state. As a result, it may decrease the clashes among team members and directly create a dynamic team. Furthermore, they should attempt to get along with other team members, create a strong association with superiors, and understand how the procedure of teamwork is handled in an organizational situation. Generally, because of the impact of those factors recorded in the model (refer to Figure 1) students who undertake industrial training may advance their team working skills (refer to Figure 1).

Organizational Culture Theory: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory The Hofstede’s Framework on job-associated cultural dimensions has been broadly used by numerous studies overseas over time for more than thirty years (Khastar, Kalhorian, Khalouei & Maleki, 2011; Mooij & Hofstede, 2010; Segelstrom & Holmlid, 2011). Hofstede mentions over 200 external comparable studies and duplications that have sustained his work specified in the second edition of his book, Culture’s Consequences which proves the undeniable legitimacy of the framework (Hofstede, 2001).Furthermore, due to the legitimacy and dated of his work the number of investigators utilizing his framework has increased every year. In this theory, Hofstede recognized five dimensions in elucidating national cultures. The five dimensions are: 1. Power distance: power of inequality among members in an organization (Hofstede, 1980).


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2. Individualism versus collectivism: a nature of relationship between individual and the collectivity in one culture that have their own authority in societies (Hofstede, 1980). 3. Masculinity versus femininity: distribution of roles between genders, where assertive pole has been called “masculine” and the modest, caring pole “feminine” (Hofstede, 1980). 4. Uncertainty avoidance: the extent where the members of the organization feels threatened by ambiguous or unknown situation (Hofstede, 1980). 5. Long-term orientation (LTO): values associated with thrift and perseverance (Hofstede & Bond, 1988). But, the first two dimensions which are power distance and individualism versus collectivism will be targeted in this study. As novices, compared to low power distance organizations, engineering students who undertake industrial training in high power distance organizations are anticipated to have lower skills development. The dissemination of power among supervisor and subordinates are considered equal in low power distance organization. Hence, students develop their skills through the communication procedure and close association within the organization. Then again, teamwork design is associated with collectivism dimension, while individualism dimension have a tendency to work by itself and tight slackly with others. Members who have routine communication and socialization will be apt to build their trust and respect in the collective culture. It is anticipated that engineering students are capable of enhancing their team working skills if they are being subjected to this culture.

Team working skill, industrial training and organizational culture Reaching target goals and also increase organizational performance are the contributions of an effectual team (Cooper & Kagel, 2005). All team members need to honour, accept and instil belief among each other to fulfil the process of creating an effectual team. On top of that, by understanding how to communicate effectually and capability of solving team differences, each of them should have the requirements of team working skills. Hence, in order to ensure a job position later, it is imperative for engineering students to arm themselves with the needed skills (Anderson, et al., 2010). In the meantime, a detailed evaluation in connection to the chemical engineering profession by the World Chemical Engineering Council (WCEC) which requested 2158 young chemical engineers to rate a list of 26 skills was studied by Grant and Dickson (2006). Communication skill was discovered by them as being ranked the most vital skill followed by team working skill. Conversely, engineering students’ awareness regarding industrial training was analyzed by Sumathi, Zainal Ambri Abdul & Su Li (2012). Most of the students were capable of working together during the training duration as mentioned in the study’s outcome. In a comparable study of industrial training, the team job skills of mechanical engineering students improved after attending industrial training which gained them experience in teamwork was recognized by Li, Lau & Li (2011).This study recommends the subsequent hypothesis with the proof of previous analysis: H1: There is a development in students’ team working skill after undergoing industrial training. As mentioned in the introduction part, one of the goals in this study is to ascertain if there is any impact of organizational culture on engineering students’ team working skills development. Power distance and individualism versus collectivism are the two out of five of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. In the framework of high power distance, which revolves more around hierarchy type, as the top management has authority in delegating the work, they may use more team roles in delegating the goals (Pan & Tse, 2000). During the duration of industrial training is where the culture, either individualism or collectivism type can only be studied. In a collective culture, people are inclined to honour other peoples’ feelings but it contraries for individualism culture which stresses towards the topic matter of the message that is being interacted (Mortenson, 2002). Engineering students might involve in interacting with other


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people from different cultures, which necessitates them to learn other peoples’ cultural background and sensitivity in the course of their industrial training. In order to avert misconception and instil respect for each other they should have skills and awareness in creating interaction with them (Al-Nashmi & Zin, 2011). On top of that, the team efficaciousness seems to be influenced by organizational cultures. Three attributes: trust, creativity and respect form the basis for the impact on the team efficaciousness by factors of organizational cultures based on Jose Luis (2010) workplace religiousness. As work in a team is linked to the nature of collectivism dimension, it is anticipated that this dimension will affect the advancement of team working skills among engineering students after enduring industrial training. This study theorizes that as per previous studies: H2: There is a relationship between organizational culture and students’ team working skill development after undergoing industrial training.

Methodology The chief research instrument is a questionnaire in which this study implements quantitative method. This study has self-designed two sets of questionnaires as there are no precise instrument that has been created to recognize students’ generic skills. The questionnaires will be disseminated to undergraduate students prior to and after they participate in the industrial training. These undergraduate students are enrolled in the engineering program and come from both public and private universities in Malaysia. The suitable sample size is roughly 300 students based on the given populations (Krejcie and Morgan, 1970), for each public and private university. These students make up chiefly third and final year students, as the design of the program differs slightly between public and private universities. Pre phase (Phase 1) where students are going to attend and post phase (Phase 2) where students have finished the industrial training are the two phases where the data collection process will be conducted. Based on the conditions set by the universities, the time difference between the two phases can range from two to six months. Similar students in Phase 1 will be utilized in Phase 2 to ensure the validity of the study. The questionnaire consists of two sections in Phase 1, which are Sections A and B for students demographic and team working skills development respectively. Particularly, Section A consists of questions based on gender, race, type of institution and academic achievement (latest Cumulative Grade Point Average, CGPA), while items in Section B represent the degree of agreement that will measure team working skills development using the seven-point Likert Scale. Conversely, in the second phase questionnaire there are four sections; Section A for supervisor’s background (gender, race, position and working experience), Section B for organizational demographic (type of sectors, sizes and type of industries), followed by Section C for organizational culture and concluding with Section D for team working skills development. Part C will target on chosen questions connected to power distance and individualism versus collectivism where this study internalizes Values Survey Module 1994 by Hofstede (1994). Apart from that, as this study aims to recognize any of the development students’ team working skills after they complete the industrial training, Section D will use comparable items on team working skills development from the questionnaire in Phase 1. By utilizing frequency distribution and central tendency measurements (mean and percentage), the data in Part A (for both phases) will be analysed. In ensuring if any relationship exists between organizational culture and team working skills development, this study will analyse utilizing the Pearson correlation, while in measuring team working skills development, paired t-test will be utilised. This paired t-test is being utilised as it allows differentiating two populations means on comparable samples from two different spans of time (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2000). A description of the conceptual framework on team working skills development will be shown in the following section.


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Conclusion As stated earlier, a conceptual framework team working skills development will be recommended in this study. Figure 2 describes this framework, which the independent variable includes organizational culture. Two out of five Hosftede’s cultural dimensions are focused on this study; based on power distance and individualism versus collectivism. This concept predicts that development among engineering students may be impacted by organizational culture during their learning process in the organization after going through previous studies connected to team working skills and industrial training. Moreover, as different organizations have diverse cultures being established, the development of team working skills among engineering students may differ among each other. As compared to high power distance and individual culture, it is predicted that students who endure industrial training in low power distance and shared culture result in enhanced development in team working skills. Independent variable

Organizational culture

Dependent variable

Team working skill

Figure 2: Conceptual framework The outcomes of this study will lend credence to the scope of knowledge in engineering education and contribute to all stakeholders. These stakeholders comprise of universities, industries and students. The fact that universities and industries are capable of recognizing loop holes in industrial training; especially in the framework of how students enhance their team working skills is expected in this study. As it aids students to comprehend the goals of training, subsequently they being able to develop team working skills all through the learning process in an organization, these two stakeholders should create an enhanced system of planning and implementation. In deduction, this paper is chiefly a quantitative analysis, by utilizing pre and post industrial training strategies in ensuring if there are any developments in students’ team working skills, as well as to recognize whether organizational culture has impact on this skill development.

Acknowledgement We would like to thank Sekolah Pengajian Siswazah (SPS) UTM, for assisting this study financially through Zamalah Scholarship as well as Research Management Centre (RMC) UTM.

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Shazaitul Azreen Rodzalan & Maisarah Mohamed Saat, The influence of organizational culture on engineering students’ team working skill development Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Hofstede, G., & Bond, M. (1988). The Confucius Connection: from Cultural Roots to Economic Growth. Organizational Dynamics, 16(4), 5-21. Jackson, S. E., Joshi, A., & Erhardt, N. L. (2003). Recent Research on Team and Organizational Diversity: SWOT Analysis and Implications. Journal of Management, 29(6), 801-830. Khastar, H., Kalhorian, R., Khalouei, G. A., & Maleki, M. (2011). Levels of Analysis and Hofstede's Theory of Cultural Differences: The Place of Ethnic Culture in Organizations. Paper presented at the 2011 International Conference on Financial Management and Economics. Knemeyer, A. M., & Murphy, P. R. (2002). Logistics internships: Employer and student perspectives. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 32(2), 135-152. Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. , 30: 607-610. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607-610. Li, S. K., Lau, K., & Li, V. (2011, 6-9 Dec. 2011). In house industrial training for mechanical engineering students: A multidisciplinary approach. Paper presented at the Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management (IEEM), 2011 IEEE International Conference on. Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education. (2007). National Higher Education Action Plan 2007–2010. Putra Jaya: Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education. McDaniel, C., Schoeps, N., & Lincourt, J. (2001). Organizational Ethics: Perceptions of Employees by Gender. Journal of Business Ethics, 33(3), 245-256. Mooij, M. d., & Hofstede, G. (2010). The Hofstede model Applications to global branding and advertising strategy and research. International Journal of Advertising, 29(1), 85-110. P’Rayan, A., & Shetty, R. T. (2008). Developing Engineering Students’ Communication Skills by Reducing their Communication Apprehension. English for Specific Purposes World, 4(20), 1-24. Pan, Y., & Tse, D. K. (2000). The Hierarchical Model of Market Entry Modes. Journal of International Business Studies, 31(4), 535-554. Reeves, S., Lewin, S., Espin, S., & Zwarenstein, M. (2010). A Conceptual Framework for Interprofessional Teamwork Interprofessional Teamwork for Health and Social Care (pp. 57-76): wiley-Blackwell. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, P. (2000). Research Methods for Business Students (2nd ed.). England: Prentice Hall-Pearson Education Ltd. Segelström, F., & Holmlid, S. (2011). Online Services And Cultural Diversity: Applying Hofstede’s Framework To Predict Potential Design Issues. 1-10. Shariff, S. M., & Saad, S. (2010). Continual Improvement In Outcome-Based 41 Education (OBE) For Industrial Practicum Training Program. Business Management Quarterly Review (BMQR), 1(1), 41-51. Stouffer, W. B., Russell, J. S., & Oliva, M. G. (2004). Making the strange familiar: Creativity and the future of engineering education Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference Exposition Sumathi, R., Zainal Ambri Abdul, K., & Su Li, C. (2012). Students’ Perception of Industrial Internship Programme. Education + Training, 54(2), 8-8. Wilson, C. (2010). Bruce Tuckman's Forming, Storming, Norming & Performing Team Development Model. Retrieved 6 March 2013, from http://www.performancecoachtraining.com/resources/docs/pdfs2/BruceTuckman_Team_Development_Mo del.pdf Zaharim, A., Omar, M. Z., Basri, H., Muhamad, N., & Isa, F. L. M. (2009). A Gap Study between Employers’ Perception and Expectation of Engineering Graduates in Malaysia. Paper presented at the WSEAS TRANSACTIONS on ADVANCES in ENGINEERING EDUCATION.

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