16th Economics & Finance Conference, Prague

MANAGEMENT ATTITUDE SHAPING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN A TAXI COMPANY: AN ISRAELI CASE STUDY

YAFFA MOSKOVICH

Abstract:

This paper examined the effect of management attitude on cultural features of a taxi company, basing its analysis on the ice-berg and institutional models to reveal the firm’s hidden characteristics. The main object of this research was to report the interaction of management behavior on shaping organizational culture and sustainability, as reflected in one case study of a taxi company. This research would like to explore how managerial attitudes effected the cultural behavior of the employees (i.e., the drivers and the administrative workers). Moreover, this research illuminates the ability of management to shape organizational culture that can became a threat to organizational sustainability. This research contributes to literature about organizational culture and sustainability by focusing on the owners of a taxi company in northern Israel and the impact of their control over the organizational culture. The ethnographic research developed along qualitative lines: 18 interviews and 10 direct observations in the organizational setting. The research question was: How did the owners' attitude shaped the culture of their taxi company? The findings portrayed a culture of conflict, driven by the owners’ motivation to become rich quickly. They exploited the drivers’ inferior status, created a high level of stress, and openly humiliated them. The drivers were deeply dissatisfied, which led to high rates of turnover. This study contributes to the literature of organizational sustainability by analyzing ways to overcome mistrust and conflict in management-labor relationships. This paper presents insights and practical suggestions for managers about how to improve a conflictual climate in a taxi firm in specific, and all firms in general and to enhance organizational sustainability.

Keywords: Driver turnover; Organizational culture; sustainability; Taxi; Cab