Organisational well-being

A study of negative and positive organisations in Portugal

Abstract

Organisational well-being: a study of negative and positive organisations in Portugal _ A country’s culture is determined by a set of characteristics, attitudes, norms, beliefs and values that make a given nation unique and distinct, setting it apart from all others. It is the foundation upon which a society is built, dictating the “correct and expected” way for people to think, act and relate to one another. Within organisations, we also witness the creation and existence of organisational and group cultures. In so-called “negative cultures”, organisational culture is dictated by powerful individuals who seek personal gain and to maintain the status quo that benefits them, prioritising their own interests over the organisation’s performance and the well-being of other colleagues and employees. Portugal is characterised as a conservative country averse to change (and therefore also averse to innovation and innovators), which fosters organisational practices that are outdated nowadays, bringing it closer to being a producer of negative organisations. It is therefore crucial to combat the inertia felt in Portuguese organisations through innovation and meritocracy. Inertia and a lack of innovation are caused by an organisational culture driven by interpersonal relationships, where the personal success of the organisational elite is prioritised over organisational and strategic well-being. We propose three research objectives: RO1 – to characterise Portuguese culture using the GLOBE Framework and other models; RO2 – to define the concept of a “negative organisation” and identify how it manifests in Portuguese organisations; RO3 – to suggest strategies for mitigating bad practices in order to promote well-being in positive organisations.