COOPERATION AND COMPETITION AS ELEMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE SYSTEM AMONG MIDDLE TOP MANAGERS – PILOT STUDY

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Ever more researchers are interested in issues of values in work and organization context [e.g. Schwartz 1999; Ros et al. 1999]. Nowadays, one of the most acknowledged one is Shalom H. Schwartz who conducts research into values in cultural context. He defines values as “conceptions of the desirable that influence the way people select action and evaluate events.” In other words, value system is a collection of norms, which constitute a moral code – indicator of what is good and desired, and what is bad, not acceptable, or even condemned. Values may be discussed with reference to individual (individual value system), and to smaller or bigger and more complicated group like company.

And just at organizational level values are an intrinsic element or basis of organizational culture [Chatman and Jehn 1994; O'Reilly, Chatman and Caldwell 1991; Sheridan 1992; Cameron and Quinn 2003], that serves realization of company mission, goals achievement, and development of ways of coping with problems in hard or even crisis times. In order to fulfill its function values should be shared by the greatest number of participants possible, even though managers have the most influence on its shape [Giberson et al. 2009]. Organizational values are employees' lodestar, especially new ones, and are an indicator of acceptable behaviors and attitudes.

Cooperation and competition are definitely significant values from the point of view of organization.