Diving In Again
Well, as you might have guessed, I did in fact decide to pursue my PhD… and the fun has already begun.
I am already in my third week of courses, and everything is proceeding well. As I hoped, so far this really has been a great opportunity for me to dig deeper into areas of Christian leadership and business that interest me.
For example, I am currently writing a research paper on the link between unique, shared organizational values (such as say, Christian values) and the degree of organizational commitment felt by employees, as evidenced by such measures as turnover.
About a year ago I ran across some information about a company named Patagonia which displays unique values. Patagonia is a maker of outdoor wear, and has what I would define as an extreme passion for environmentalism. They are an activist company. Employees can take temporary paid positions as interns for environmental causes. The company offers courses on civil disobedience, and even has a policy of reimbursing employees’ legal expenses if they get into trouble. All of this from a company that makes its money by selling coats.
Patagonia has consistently ranked as one of Fortune Magazine’s best companies to work for. It boasts a turnover rate of 3% in an industry that is typically closer to 20%.
Do you think this is evidence of the power of shared organizational values in business? I do. Do you think these results would be transferable if instead the values were about Christian ministry? You can guess I do…
I can’t wait to write my dissertation!
