Impact of Workplace Spirituality on Organizational Performance: Case study of

Pharmaceutical Distributors of Southern Punjab

Introduction:

Workplace spirituality, Emotional intelligence and Organizational culture is an important

concern for many of the organization because they have strong impact on the performance of the
organization. Encouragement of Spirituality in the workplace can enhance the organizational
performance (Neck and Millimen, 1994; Thompson, 2000). It is said that the organizational
culture can be rooted from the spiritual substance within the leaders of the organization (Konz
and Ryan,1999).Maintaining the organizational culture is the key concern and the values of the
organization leaders (Konz and Ryan,1999,p.203).Emotional intelligence can also have strong
impact on the performance of the organization , presence of emotional intelligence can help
employees to cooperate better, increase motivation, increase productivity, and increase profits
(“Why we need emotional intelligence”, 1997).

Research Questions:

This study contributes towards understanding the impact of workplace spirituality on the
organizational performance and taking the emotional intelligence and organizational culture as
mediator. Keeping in mind these relationships, current study tries to answer the following
questions:

• What is the impact of workplace spirituality on emotional intelligence?

• What is the impact of workplace spirituality on organizational performance?

• What is the impact of emotional intelligence organizational performance?

• What is the impact of workplace spirituality on organizational culture?

• What is the impact of Organizational culture on organizational performance?

Objective of the Study:

In current study workplace spirituality, emotional intelligence, organizational culture and

organizational performance are considered as focus of interest and the relationship between them
is studied in somewhat different fashion where the impact of workplace spirituality on the
organizational performance with the mediating effect of emotional intelligence and
organizational culture have been considered. A lot of work has been done in each of these areas
determining different relationships, but none of the study has tested the integrated model
proposed for present study.
Considering this research gap, the objectives of current study are as following:
▪ To identify the impact of workplace spirituality on organizational performance with
mediating role of emotional intelligence.
▪ To identify the impact of workplace spirituality on organizational performance with
mediating role of organizational culture.

Literature Review

Workplace Spirituality

Workplace spirituality can increase the organizational performance (Neck and Millimen, 1994;
Thompson, 2000). Contributing towards the characteristics of workplace spirituality can enhance
the personal characteristics of spirituality (Freshman (1999, p. 325). Workplace spirituality
involves Connectedness at work , sense of wholeness, , and the deeper values (Gibbons, 2000). It
also assumes the effort to find the ultimate purpose of life of a person and flourishes a strong
relation with the coworkers and other people associated with work so that to have uniformity
between one’s core values and also the values of their organization (Mitroff and Denton,
1999).Workplace spirituality can be defined as “ the identification that employees have an inner
life which is flourished by meaningful work which takes place by the sense of community”
(Ashmos and Duchon, 2000, p. 137).
Organization Culture
Culture has been consider by many researchers as it is a unique quality and practice of
organization and something to do with the people (Kilman et al., 1985), the way people do things
in their organization (Deal and Kennedy, 1982), or these are indications to non balanced attribute
of an organization. According to (Pettigrew1979, Schein1985, Sackmann1991) Culture is a
combination of basic values and beliefs which gives sense to organization. Culture play a role in
making decisions and actions which organization take (Ralph H.Kilmann,1982). According to
(Cameron and Quinn 1998) Organizational culture is a set of beliefs, values, presumptions,
implications that tells characteristics of organization and its members. Organizational culture is
first started by Pettigrew (1979) who gives the concept of culture and demonstrate that how
different concepts like analogy , myth and procedures can be used in the study of organization.
These myths and symbols helps in identifying the broad structure of the organization (Dandridge
et al.1980). Culture plays a vital role in the overall performance of the organization (Kennedy
1982).

Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence also play an important role in the organization, a high degree of it is
present even among the organization leaders who motivate their employees and takes them to the
right path (Goleman 1998b). Peoples can deliberately make use of their emotions suitable for
them by using it in a path which can enhance their behavior and the ways of thinking, hence
increase the results (Weisinger, 1998, xvi). Emotional intelligence includes not only the self-
control but to some extent it is considered as an active use of emotional knowledge to execute
the desired behavioral results. Consequently, Emotional intelligence is a crucial attribute in the
life of managers (Cooper1997; Goleman 1998b), accountants (Kirch, Tucker, and Kirch 2000),
team communication (Yost and Tucker 2000), improving employee performance and
organizational commitment (Abraham 1999).
Organization Performance
The background of organizational performances states that in economic theory the focus is on
market power and industry structure which are considered as the determinants of performance
(Caves, 1971; Caves and Porter, 1977; Chandler, 1990; Kogut, 1988; Porter, 1985; Rumelt,
1982, 1984; Williamson, 1985). Leading a business means managing the operations of the
business (McCormack and Johnson, 2001). The performance of the organization can be
measured by quantitative financial component and also by the qualitative components of
performance. Non-financial performance techniques can also be used to measure performance of
the organization which changes overtime (Maskell, 1992). The indicators such as customer
satisfaction, quality of product, innovation and learning can also be important qualitative
performance measurements (Kaplan and Norton, 1996; Neely, 2002; Neely et al., 2002).
Relationship between Workplace spirituality and Organizational Performance
Many researchers shows the relationship among workplace spirituality and organizational
performance (Fry et al., 2011; Giacalone and Jurkiewicz, 2003; Sanders III et al., 2003). The
success of the organization and its performance can strengthened workplace spirituality and
promote advancement in the spiritual development of patron (Cacioppe, 2000). Organizations
which follow the internal processes, objectives and values to meet the expectations of their
stakeholders have effective organizational performance (Cameron, 1998). The effectiveness and
efficiency of organization can increase employee commitment and creativity and also promote
spirituality in the workplace which enhance employees their meaning and purpose at work as
well as in their lives (Izak, 2012; Duchon and Plowman, 2005; Fry, 2003; Ashmos and Duchon,
2000) and their impact on the performance of the organization (Elm, 2003; Garcia Zamor, 2003).
Relationship between Workplace Spirituality and Emotional Intelligence
Emotions are the attributes which counterpart many psychological systems such as response,
cognition and conscious awareness.They also emerge in response to a changing relationships
among individuals (Mayer et al., 2000). Emotional Intelligence is the ability to guide one’s own
thinking and actions in order to differentiate them among others (Salovey & Mayer, 1990).
Workplace spirituality is similarly related to emotional behaviors and attitudes of an individual.
But the issue is that it is from personal experience to consider that spirituality can be separated
from emotional intelligence or not. (James E. Smith,2006). The definitions and models given by
researchers some showing link between spirituality, emotional intelligence and organizational
performance (Tischer, Biberman, & McKeage (2002)

Hypothesized Research Model:

Based on the research gap and research objective, researcher have proposed a model given in
Figure. In today’s era, where competition is increasing everywhere, HR is an important asset for
every organization. People prefer to work in those organizations, where they can experience
sense of meaning and membership. Such workplace can impact emotional component of human
behavior that can then enhance organizational performance. Similarly, organizational culture can
affect the relationship between workplace spirituality and organizational performance.

Emotional
Workplace Spirituality Intelligence
H2 H4
iii). InnerLife
Fig 1. Hypothesized
H1
Research Model Organizational
iv). Senseof Performance
Hypothesis of the Study
Meaning
Based on hypothesized
v). Sense of research model, following hypothesis has been proposed for analysis
H7
Membership
purpose. H3 H5
Organizational
H1:Workplace spirituality positively predicts organizational performance
Culture

H2: Workplace spirituality positively predicts emotional intelligence.

H3: Workplace spirituality positively predicts Organizational Culture.

H4: Emotional intelligence positively related to organizational performance.

H5: Organizational Culture is positively related to organizational performance.

H6Emotional intelligence will partially mediate the relationship between workplace spirituality
and organizational performance.

H7: Organizational Culture will partially mediate the relationship between workplace spirituality
and organizational performance.

Operationalization of Variables

i). Workplace Spirituality:

Workplace spirituality can be defined as: “the recognition that employees have an inner life that
nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community.
Most definition of workplace spirituality includes the notion of meaning, purpose and being
connected to others (Ashmos and Duchon’s; 2000).

Components of workplace Spirituality:

Inner Life

It speaks to the feeling individuals have about the fundamental meaning of who they are, what
they are doing, and the contributions they are making.

Sense of Meaning:

Calling refers to the experience of transcendence or how one makes a difference through service
to others and, in doing so, finds meaning and purpose in life.

Sense of Membership:

Membership encompasses a sense of belonging and community

ii). Emotional Intelligence:

Emotional intelligence is about self-awareness and empathy, and those skills which are needed
for both employees and bosses need to build a successful organization (McGarvey, 1997).
iii). Organizational Culture:

Organization Culture can also be defined by researchers as a set of shared mental assumptions
that guide interpretation and action in organizations (Ravasi and Schultz, 2006).

iv). Organizational Performance:

Performance shows that how well organization is performing.

Research Methodology:

Sample Size and Description:

Medical Representatives of different Pharmaceutical Companies will be taken as sample.

Stratified Random Sampling technique will be used for selecting respondents. Data will be
collected from selected officers on permanent or contractual payroll. The medical representatives
of Companies of Southern Punjab like GSK, Merck, Bayer will be our respondents.

Data Collection Method and Procedure:

Questionnaires and structured interviews will be used to collect the data. Questionnaire will be
distributed and collected personally, through personal contacts ad via email. Respondents will be
given surety that collected data will be utilized only for educational purpose and all the
information provided will be kept confidential. From respondents, interviews will also be done
simultaneously. But interviews will not be done from all respondents, rather from few
respondents of every organization from which data will be collected through questionnaire.

Data Coding and Analysis Techniques:

For sake of analysis purpose, data which will be gathered through questionnaire will be entered
into SPSS after assigning them different codes. SPSS, AMOS and NVIVO will be used for
analysis purpose. Structural Equation Modeling and Parallel Triangulation will be used as a
technique. SEM is more versatile than most other multivariate techniques because it allows for
simultaneous, multiple dependent relationships between dependent and independent variables.
That is, initially dependent variables can be used as independent variables in subsequent
analysis.

Instrumentation:

Workplace Spirituality: Workplace spirituality scale developed by Ashmos and Duchon (2000)
will be used by the scholar. Three dimensions that will be used are meaningful work, inner life
and sense of community.

Emotional Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence is measured by scale developed and validated

by Schutte, et al., 1998.
Organizational Culture: It will be measured by using the scale proposed by Aydin and Ceylan
(2006).

Organizational Performance: Three measures that will be used to measure performance in the
study are job satisfaction, career satisfaction and life satisfaction. Scale of job satisfaction of
Locke (1976) will be used by the scholar. For career satisfaction, scale of Greenhaus,
Parasuraman, and Wormley (1990) and for measuring life satisfaction, scale of Scott Huebner,
2001 will be used in the present study.
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