Socializing Hungarians in Transylvania, Romania: A case of international organizational socialization

Abstract

This study was the first to compare organizational socialization of Hungarians (N = 122) and Romanians (N = 193) in Transylvania. Organizational socialization content was measured with the OSI (Organizational Socialization Inventory; Taormina, 1994) and included four domains: training, understanding, co-worker support, and future prospects. The effectiveness of organizational socialization was expressed in terms of global job satisfaction (Rice, Gentile, & McFarlin, 1991). When controlling for sample characteristics other than ethnic identity, there were no differences between Hungarians and Romanians on “understanding” and “future prospects”. On the domains “training” and “co-worker support” Hungarian respondents scored lower than Romanian respondents did. In both ethnic groups, “training” and “future prospects” facilitated global job satisfaction. In addition, “understanding” was positively related to global job satisfaction in the Hungarian sample. “Co-worker support” did not predict global job satisfaction. The role of tenure in content areas of organizational socialization and global job satisfaction was explored: There were no relations. Implications for the professional field discuss the provision of training, the facilitation of co-workers to act as socializing agents, and the information on future career opportunities.

Notes

¹Uncertainty avoidance: need to avoid uncertain or unknown situations. Individualism: loose ties among individuals, self-interest, personal freedom. Collectivism: close ties among individuals, group interest, limited personal freedom. Masculinity: distinct social gender roles; value earnings and recognition, competition, opportunity for advancement, and performance. Femininity: overlapping social gender roles; value relationships, cooperation, preservation of environment, and quality of life. Power distance: social inequality and submissive relationship with authority.