Teachers' perception on organizational dignity and organizational identification: A mixed methods study

The aim of this study is to determine teachers' perceptions on organizational dignity, organizational identification, and the relationship between them. This study is a mixed-methods research conducted using the convergent parallel mixed-methods design, where quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied simultaneously or in close succession. The population of the study comprised teachers working in public primary, secondary, and high schools in Gaziantep during the 2022-2023 academic year, while the sample consisted of 495 teachers determined through convenience sampling method. Data for the quantitative phase were collected using the Organizational Dignity Scale developed by the researcher and the Organizational Identification Scale. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were utilized for quantitative data analysis. The results indicated that teachers' perceptions of organizational dignity and identification levels are high, male teachers have higher perceptions of organizational dignity compared to female teachers, teachers with long-term seniority have higher perceptions compared to their colleagues with less seniority, and primary school teachers perceive organizational dignity higher than those working at the high school and secondary school. It was concluded that there is a moderate, positive, and significant relationship between the levels of organizational identification and the levels of organizational dignity perceived by teachers. Lastly it was fount out that teachers' perceptions of organizational dignity explain approximately 28% of the variance in their levels of organizational identification. The qualitative phase was conducted using the phenomenological design. The study group of the research consisted of 31 teachers, determined through maximum variation sampling, one of the purposive sampling methods. The data were obtained through a semi-structured interview form and analyzed using the content analysis method. The results of content analysis revealed that autonomy, recognition, fair management, equal rights, and positive colleague relationships influence teachers' perceptions of professional dignity positively, while conflicts and challenges have negative effects. Finally, it was concluded that education policies, teachers' financial earnings, and administrative support shape teachers' perceptions of dignity, and school administrators' management skills influence teachers' perceptions of organizational dignity.