Human sustainability, relational coordination and worker outcomes

Meleti, Elli (2020) Human sustainability, relational coordination and worker outcomes. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This study focuses on human sustainability in the university context and argues that human sustainability in this context and elsewhere needs to take a more central position in research, education, business and public policy. Its contribution to knowledge is twofold: First, this thesis aims to make a contribution to the theory of relational coordination, which argues that the personal transformation of people in organisations is fundamental for organisational and social transformation, by explaining how the personal transformation of people takes place in the university context and how the University can help its employees to positively transform themselves. Second, this thesis aims to legitimise the concept of human sustainability by theorising and defining it, given that theory and research on this topic remain limited.

In this thesis I define human sustainability, based on Kantian principles as follows: “Human sustainability is when organisations respect human beings as free, rational and responsible, include them in policy formulation and decision-making and encourage them to build mutual respect with all persons within and beyond their organisations.” I also put forward a conceptual framework called “The Cycle of Human Sustainability,” which aims to answer the two research questions of the study (“How does design for human sustainability affect
relational coordination?” and “How do human sustainability and relational coordination affect worker outcomes?”), to show the associations among the three constructs, and to explain how the University can facilitate the personal transformation of employees. Although the framework focuses on frontline staff in this study, it could be utilised to examine any major stakeholder of the University (i.e., academics), or other organisations and their stakeholders in
other sectors (e.g., healthcare, banking, retail).

Key findings suggest the following: there is a low level of human sustainability in the University, which has a limited positive influence on relational coordination, especially between functions; the low levels of human sustainability and relational coordination have a limited positive influence on the positive personal transformation of frontline employees in the University which, in turn, have a limited positive influence on their worker outcomes (work engagement, proactive work behaviour, job satisfaction).

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Human sustainability, relational coordination, stakeholder management, work engagement, proactive work behaviour, job satisfaction.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Supervisor's Name: Gordon, Dr. Jillian and Sabina, Professor Siebert
• Date of Award: 2020
• Depositing User: Mrs Elli Meleti
• Unique ID: glathesis:2020-81617
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 31 Aug 2020 07:56
• Last Modified: 18 Sep 2023 08:25
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.81617
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/81617