Organizational Rationality in Public, Private and Multinational Firms in Turkey

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Olmez, A. Erkin | Sumer, H. Canan | Soysal, Muhan

Affiliations: School of Information Technology and Engineering, George Mason University, Fairfax, 22030-4444, Virginia, USA | Department of Psychology, Middle East Technical University, 06531, Ankara, Turkey | Department of Business Administration, Middle East Technical University, 06531, Ankara, Turkey

Note: [] Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 703 993 1725; Fax: +1 703 993 1706; E-mail: aolmez@gmu.edu

Abstract: This study investigated the organizational rationality of public, private, and multinational organizations in Turkey using a questionnaire developed based on the theories of German sociologist Max Weber. The questionnaire assessed the extent to which four dimensions of formal rationality: efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control, existed in the three types of organizations as perceived by the employees. Questionnaire data were collected from 237 respondents working in various sectors. In all four dimensions, multinational organizations were found to stay above Turkish organizations. Amongst Turkish organizations, private organizations scored higher than public organizations.

Keywords: organization, rationality, culture

Journal: Information Knowledge Systems Management, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 107-118, 2004