The Dissertation: An Overview
Abstract
As part of a doctoral journey the topic: The Perceptions of Fire Service Organizational Culture by Employee Subgroups: A Case Study was studied. The qualitative case study determined the dichotomy of perceptions of fire service organizational culture by employee subgroups. The fire service organizational culture, dominated by a Caucasian, male environment now interfaces with a significant influx of diverse and Caucasian female employees. The scarcity of peer-reviewed, fire-related articles and research accomplished in the last 50 years indicates fire service research is sorely needed. The conceptual framework of the social learning theory and the transformational leadership theory provided a basis for the research methodology and a structure for understanding the data collected. Four research questions were formulated to determine the perceptions of fire service organizational culture from the perspective of Caucasian males, Caucasian female service organizational culture from the perspective of each employee subgroup compared to Caucasian male employees influenced each of the employee diverse and Caucasian female subgroups was addressed. Initial access to more than 1,000 fire rescue service employees of an urban fire and rescue department was enabled by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF). Interpretations of the research outcomes of the study confirm the influence of the Caucasian male fire service organizational culture developed over the past 200 years. The phenomenon, whether subtle, overt, conscious, or unconscious, tends to hinder the positive assets diverse and Caucasian female fire service employees bring to an organization. Caucasian male, Caucasian female, and diverse employees are typically unaware of ongoing dominant organizational culture influence by Caucasian males.
An Introduction
Introduction
The study focused on the perception of fire service organizational culture by diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroups for comparison to the perception of the fire service organizational culture established and dominated by Caucasian males. The fire service organizational culture in the United States has experienced an influx of diverse and Caucasian female employees. The dichotomy of cultures influences how employees relate. Organizational culture evolves through the beliefs of each individual in an organization and is driven by social interactions and biases exchanged, amended, or discarded (Ellinas et al., 2017). The absence of peer-reviewed, fire-related articles, and research accomplished in the last 50 years indicates fire service research is in its infancy (Massaro et al., 2015).
Relevant Literature
Literature Review
A synthesis of literature conceptually relevant to fire service organizational culture was provided. Formulation of the literature search strategy was the product of identifying theoretical and empirical terms related to the research topic, problem, and purpose (Levin, 2014). The literature review addressed elements relating to the research problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions. The importance of organizational culture and fire service culture in the United States of America was discussed. A comparison of diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroup perceptions of fire service organizational culture to Caucasian male employee perceptions of organizational culture were addressed. The research revealed the dichotomy of the pertinent organizational culture perceptions by employee subgroups and the relationship to fire service leaders, and organizational success. There is a lack of peer-reviewed articles and research into the perception of fire service organizational culture from the perspective of employee subgroups (Massaro et al., 2015). Several pertinent themes emerged from the literature search, such as the importance of organizational culture, fire service organizational culture, and the dichotomy of perceptions of fire service organizational culture (Avsec, 2017; Beauchamp, 2017; Ting-Toomey & Dorjee, 2018).
Literature encompassing fire service organizational culture was identified and reviewed. An introduction to the study and an overview of the purpose of the research and the associated research questions were identified. The theoretical framework of the social learning theory (Bandura & Walters, 1977) and the transformational leadership theory (Bass, 1990) provided a basis for the research methodology and a structure for understanding the data collected. The framework, serving as an alignment for the research problem, purpose, and research questions, supported the development of the study’s research methodologies and literature review.
The literature review synthesized related, existing, and available literature and confirmed research gaps and the need for additional research within the subject area. There are several gaps in the literature on firefighter culture, including the ongoing impact on mental health as emergency service providers (Lanza et al., 2018. The masculine emotional culture should be explored as it relates to organizational culture and employee subgroups. Additional research is needed to improve the understanding of the perceptions of fire service organizational culture by employee subgroups
Research Methodology
Methodology
To confirm approval for the protection of human subjects of research by the American College of Education, IRB, strict adherence to Title 45-Subtitle A-Subchapter A-Part 46, Protection of Human Subjects (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, 2018) was adhered to. Risks to participants were minimized, and procedures consistent with sound research design by not unnecessarily exposing participants to risk were used (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, 2018). All aspects of informed consent and the basic ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice were adhered to (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, 2018).
Ethical concerns are of paramount importance when human subjects are involved in research (Yazan, 2015). All participants were kept from potential harm. All participants in the study were consenting adults and electronically signed an informed consent document delineating participant’s rights, the expectations regarding voluntary, confidential, and anonymous participation, and ethical considerations commensurate with the American College of Education, IRB.
Four research questions were formulated to accomplish the qualitative exploratory case study:
Research Question One:What are the perceptions of fire service organizational culture from the perspective of fire service Caucasian male employees?
Research Question Two: What are the perceptions of fire service organizational culture from the perspective of diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroups?
Research Question Three: What is the dichotomy of perceptions of fire service organizational culture from the perspective of diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroups compared to fire service Caucasian male employees?
Research Question Four: How does the dichotomy of perceptions of fire service organizational culture influence each of the employee subgroups?
Participants completed a Competing Values Framework Questionnaire developed through research by Cameron and Quinn (2011), and some participants participated in a semi-focused, subgroup, in-depth interview. The questionnaire was anonymously administered by the Survey Monkey organization via email addresses provided directly to Survey Monkey by the International Association of Fire Fighters without researcher involvement. Once a potential participant received the electronic questionnaire by the IAFF email, participants were prompted to sign an informed consent document electronically. If the participant elected not to sign the informed consent form electronically, the participant was not permitted to proceed with the questionnaire and questionnaire participation was terminated. When the participant had completed the electronic informed consent form and the questionnaire, the participant confidentially and electronically returned the completed material to Survey Monkey by email for preliminary analysis. Survey Monkey provided initial data after categorizing raw data by employee subgroups. Survey Monkey retains the collected data for 13 months.
Semi-focused, subgroup, in-depth interviews were conducted. Six interview questions had been directly extrapolated from the six key aspects of organizational culture assessed through the Cameron and Quinn (2011) validated Competing Values Framework Questionnaire (see Appendix F). The interviews were audio-recorded using an ACEE DEAL Digital Voice Recorder 8GB, Audio Voice Activated MP3 Player with Android USB Port, Multifunction Recorder Dictaphone with Built-in Speaker for transcription at a later time for coding purposes. The semi-structured focus group interviews were transcribed by third-party transcription individual. Interview transcriptions were theme coded by hand. The inclusion of expected codes and themes (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) was better served by a hand-coded process serving the triangulation process. All research, audio, data collection, data analysis, and coding material were stored in a dedicated lockbox maintained in a locked file cabinet in the researcher’s home office. The study material is scheduled to be destroyed three years after the final dissertation is approved
Findings and Results
Research Findings and Data Analysis Results
Data analysis focused on the perceptions of the organizational culture by each employee subgroup related to the study research questions. To provide for an analysis process to identify trends, commonalities, and contrasts across the data for interpretation a validated questionnaire using a competing values (ipsative) framework and semi-structured focus group interviews, were employed (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The analysis process used for the semi-structured focus group interviews was accomplished through a hand analysis of the transcriptions of the interviews. The coding and theme analysis of the semi-structured focus group interviews involved emerging and predetermined codes. The semi-structured focus group analysis was compared to the analysis of data collected by the Competing Values Framework Questionnaire from the triangulation perspective. Discrepant data were not identified.
The qualitative case study determined the dichotomy or congruence of perceptions and understandings of fire service organizational culture by employee subgroups for comparison to the perception of the fire service organizational culture established and dominated by Caucasian male fire service employees. Fire service organizational culture now interfaces with the significant influx of diverse and Caucasian female employees (Hollerbach et al., 2017). The Caucasian male-dominated fire service organizational culture expects diverse and Caucasian female employees to conform to the dominant cultural practices and benefits, hindering the assets the employees bring to the organization (Yongbeom & Strickland, 2015). A dichotomy or congruence between the fire service Caucasian male-dominated organizational culture and the perceptions and interpretations of fire service organizational culture by diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroups influence how employees and managers relate. The data gleaned from the validated Competing Values Framework Questionnaire (Cameron & Quinn, 2011) for each employee subgroup was graphically documented on radar charts. These graphics afforded ease of comparing questionnaire data from each of the employee subgroups and to predetermined and emerging codes and themes identified through the semi-structured focus group interview process.
Data for the study chapter were organized according to the research questions, the results of the validated Competing Values Framework Questionnaire (Cameron & Quinn, 2011), and the emergent themes from participants’ responses to semi-structured focus group interviews. All data were collected through the two instruments providing triangulation to ensure validity and reliability. Results were reported using figures, tables, and detailed interview responses using participants’ own words.
Addressing Research Question One resulted in determining the dominant organizational culture for Caucasian male employees was Control/Hierarchy and served as the basis for comparison for participating employee subgroups. Answering Research Question Two identified the dominant culture type perceptions of each of the participating employee subgroups. Responding to Research Question Three provided the dichotomy and congruence of employee subgroup perceptions of fire service organizational culture compared to the dominant, Caucasian male organizational culture. Answering Research Question Four provided how the dichotomy and congruence of fire service organizational culture influenced each of the employee subgroups.
Discussion and Conclusion
Interpretations
The qualitative case study determined the dichotomy and congruence of perceptions and understandings of fire service organizational culture by employee subgroups for comparison to the perception of the fire service organizational culture established and dominated by Caucasian male fire service employees. Two significant factors were integral to pursuing the case study. First, the United States career fire service is dominated by Caucasian males since its inception more than 200 years ago (U. S. Department of Labor, 2017). Second, the fire service organizational culture now interfaces with the significant influx of diverse and Caucasian female employees (Hollerbach et al., 2017).
Interpretations of the data resulting from participants completing the Competing Values Framework Questionnaire (Cameron & Quinn, 2011) and the complementing semi-structured focus group interviews confirmed Caucasian male employee fire service organizational culture dominance. The strength and prevalence of organizational culture were determined by the number of points awarded to a particular culture type by participants (Cameron & Quinn, 2011). Caucasian male employees discerned the Control/Hierarchy organizational culture, which is associated with purposes and practices reflecting predictable, dependable performance, emphasis on planning, processes, and enforcement. Clear role definitions are considered important. The Control/Hierarchy culture type reflects the quasi-military organizational environment relative to the fire service.
Except for the Black/African American employee subgroup, the American Indian/Alaskan, Asian, Caucasian female, and Hispanic/Latino employee subgroups were congruent with the Caucasian male employee subgroup and the Control/Hierarchy organizational culture. The point gap value range was 2.82–9.60 less than the Caucasian Males. The Black/African American employee subgroup determined the dominant fire service organizational culture to be Collaborate/Clan by a small margin.
Of significance are two factors. First, the disparities between the American Indian/Alaskan, Black/African American, Caucasian female, and Hispanic/Latino employee subgroup point values and the Caucasian male employee subgroup point values discerned for the dominant Control/Hierarchy culture type. Second, the determination of the Collaborate/Clan culture resulting in the second-highest point valued culture type. The point value disparity comparison of the Collaborate/Clan culture type to the Control/Hierarchy culture type range was only <1-1.91 for the American Indian/Alaskan, Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latino employee subgroups (See Table 10). The point value disparity for the Caucasian female subgroup was only 4.58.
The dominant organizational culture is influential and molds employees to show a behavior favored by the dominant group, employees tend to unconsciously copy, coach, and correct each other (Cameron et al., 2014). Applying the Cameron et al. (2014) premise to the results of the Competing Values Framework Questionnaire (Cameron & Quinn, 2011) and complementing semi-structured focus group interviews results reflects the dominant Caucasian male employee culture influence over the other fire service employee subgroups. The analysis indicated the congruence was accomplished with a significant gap in the Competing Values Framework Questionnaire of lesser point values. The analysis was interpreted as the dominant Caucasian male employee subgroup influenced employee subgroups into the Control/Hierarchy culture type.
The interpretation was reinforced, except for the Asian employee subgroup, by the Collaborate/Clan culture type receiving the second-highest point values with a point value gap comparison to the Control/Hierarchy culture type range of only 1.66 – 1.91 for the American Indian/Alaskan, and Hispanic/Latino employee subgroups. The Collaborate/Clan culture type receiving the highest point value from the Black/African American employee subgroup (See Table 10). The corresponding point value gaps between the Control/Hierarchy culture type and the Collaborate/Clan culture type by the Asian, Caucasian male, and Caucasian female employee subgroups were 15.83, 14.60, and 4.58, respectively.
One of the primary elements inhibiting personal growth are individuals viewing other cultures and people through a prism only permitted by related culture (Venter, 2016). Fire service organizational culture evolves through the culmination of individual beliefs and is driven by interactions and cognitive biases members exchange, amend, or discard (Ellinas et al., 2017). The dichotomy between the fire service Caucasian male-dominated organizational culture, and the perceptions and interpretations of fire service organizational culture by diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroups may limit how employees relate. In certain scenarios, employee subgroups have higher problem-solving capabilities and increased organizational performance based on more diverse perspectives, skills, and insights (Yongbeom & Strickland, 2015). Caucasian male fire service employees expect diverse and Caucasian female employees to conform to the dominant cultural practices and benefits. (Yongbeom & Strickland, 2015). Greater representation and diversity dilutes behavior tacitly tolerated due to homogeneity and solidarity and have positive impacts on overall organizational integrity (Choi et al., 2018).
Implications for Leadership
Implications
The knowledge gained from the study is of significant benefit to fire service leaders and policymakers. Consciously and unconsciously, fire service Caucasian males expect diverse and Caucasian female employees to conform to the dominant culture organizational practices (Yongbeom & Strickland, 2015). Fire service organizational culture has developed over hundreds of years through Caucasian male influence. The phenomenon tends to hinder the positive assets diverse and Caucasian female fire service employees bring to the organization. Fire service organizational culture now interfaces with the significant influx of diverse and female employees (Hollerbach et al., 2017).
Positive Social Change
A positive individual and organizational change in the leadership understanding of perceived diverse and Caucasian female employee subgroup culture would facilitate identifying with employee subgroup heritage, groups, entities, causes, and nationalities (Venter, 2016). The enhanced understanding would transcend all aspects of the organization. Personal employee growth inhibition of viewing other cultures through a prism only permitted by a related culture would be reduced.
Stakeholder and Leadership Implications
Organizational culture evolves through the aggregation of beliefs of each individual the organization is composed of and is driven by social interactions and cognitive biases members exchange, amend, or discard, which results in organizational culture remaining in a state of continuous flux (Ellinas et al., 2017). A greater understanding of the perceptions of fire service organizational culture by diverse and Caucasian female employees by leadership encourages increased organizational performance through more diverse perspectives, skills, and insights (Yongbeom & Strickland, 2015). The fire service leadership enhanced understanding of the perceptions serves to dilute Caucasian male employee behavior tacitly tolerated and encourages increased homogeneity and solidarity within organizations.
