The relationship between organizational democracy and organizational image

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between organizational democracy and organizational image based on the perceptions of teachers working in public primary schools. The study employs a quantitative research method within the scope of a correlational survey model. The population of the study consists of 74 primary schools and 3,125 teachers working in these schools in the central districts of Diyarbakır province during the 2022-2023 academic year. The sample includes 638 teachers from 20 primary schools selected randomly from the population. The data for the study were collected using the 'Organizational Democracy Scale,' developed by Geçkil and Tikici (2015), consisting of five dimensions and 28 items, and the 'Organizational Image Scale,' developed by Gürbüz (2008), consisting of seven dimensions and 46 items. Some key findings of the study are as follows: (1) Teachers' perceptions of organizational democracy in their schools are at the "Agree" level. (2) According to teachers' perceptions, the item with the highest average score on the scale is "In meetings, everyone is given the opportunity to express their thoughts." at the "Agree" level, while the item with the lowest average score is "In my institution, individuals' political views and worldviews influence personnel recruitment." at the "Disagree" level. (3) No significant difference was found in teachers' perceptions of organizational democracy based on the variables of "gender" and "marital status." However, significant differences were detected in the sub-dimensions of justice and accountability based on the "education level" variable and in the accountability sub-dimension based on the "professional seniority" variable. (4) The average perception of teachers regarding the organizational image of their schools is at the "Strongly Agree" level on the scale. (5) According to teachers' perceptions, the item with the highest average score on the organizational image scale is "Employees in this school receive their salaries and wages regularly (Strongly Agree)," while the item with the lowest average score is "Artists have been trained among this school's students (Moderately Agree)." (6) Teachers' perceptions of organizational image do not significantly differ based on the variables of "education level," "marital status," and "professional seniority." However, a significant difference was found in the "emotional appeal" sub-dimension based on the "gender" variable. (7) A positive and high-level correlation (r = 0.786) was found between teachers' perceptions of organizational democracy and their perceptions of organizational image. Accordingly, as teachers' perceptions of organizational democracy increase, their perceptions of organizational image also increase.