Research Proposal
RESEARCH PROPOSAL: MBA Submitted to ---------------on: --------------------- Student Name: ------------------------- 1. Project (research topic) title Provide a short descriptive title of no more than 20 words.
1. Project topic:
The title of this proposal is "Role of culture in creating organisational identity- a case study on
chemical companies of Saudi Arabia"
2. Project (research topic) summary In no more than 100 words, intelligible to a reader who is not a specialist in this field, summarize the
aims, significance and expected outcomes of your proposed research.
. Project summary:
The aim of this topic is to assess the role of the organisational culture of any business
organisation to shape the organisational identity.
The research topic has much importance on creating an appropriate organisational identity by
maintaining the organisational culture appropriately. Due to this, the research topic has much
significance to be researched about.
The research outcomes of this particular topic may provide an effective guidance about the
possible strategic changes in the organisational culture. Such strategic implementations can bring
some remarkable change in the organisational identity.
3. Project (research topic) details 3.1 Introductory background
Provide a brief but comprehensive statement, following the headings provided below. Please number
the pages.
3. Project details:
3.1 Introductory background:
In this particular research proposal, the role of organisational culture to shape the organisational
identity is mainly focused. In order to do this, the five most well-known Saudi Arabia-based
chemical companies are taken. Delmon group of companies, four companies, Reza chemicals,
Sadara chemicals and Nama chemical groups are the five most well-known chemical companies
that are considered in this regard. In this present era, the necessity of retaining appropriate
organisational identity has become much necessary. According to Alvesson and Sveningsson
(2015), organisational identity generally provides a set of statement that can be easily followed by
the workers of any working periphery to retain the same sense of commitment to their workplace.
An appropriate organisational attitude incorporates some certain distinctive and enduring
characteristics into workers so that they can follow it to achieve a unique goal. Therefore, setting
up an appropriate organisational culture for the employees of a workplace may help the workers
and the managerial positions of the organisation as well to create their organisational identity
properly. In the opinion of Turró et al. (2014) organisational culture mainly aligns the workers
with a unique behavioral connotation in the same working periphery. Hence, it becomes easier for
the workers to align them with the same set of endurance for achieving a similar organisational
goal. In the Delmon group of companies in Saudi Arabia, the organisational culture for the
workers mainly says to remain focused on the betterment of personal services and technical
expertise. This kind of organisational culture helps Delmon group of companies to implement the
organisational attitude that targets to provide successful future for their client, employees, and
owners as because they are the resource of the company that adds betterment in quality and value
of their services (Delmon Group of Companies, 2017). Similarly, Reza chemicals also followed
some specific set of organisational culture so that they can widen their chemical product
manufacturing area along GCC countries, Africa, Central Asia, and Europe.
He et al. (2014) suggests that the organisational identity of this specific business organisation
inspires every individual in the workforce to put up any endurance in their workplace. In Fouz
chemicals the organisational culture is set up so that the organisational workers can become more
central and distinctive in their workplace. In the long run, it can help Fouz chemicals to serve
more customer -focused service to its clients and customers (Fouz.com.sa. 2017).
In the contrast with this, Sadara chemical group has designed some specific ethics and business
conduct code for the employees so that retaining the organisational identity and organisational
culture becomes easier for the managerial positions of Sadara Chemicals. Apart from this, Sadara
chemicals have also designed a different section for ethics and conduct for the raw material
suppliers of the organisation (Sadara.com. 2017).
In a case of Nama chemicals, the organisational identity influences the Nama workforce to make
sure the customer need to be based services to the customers. Nama chemicals are very much
keen to provide the customers more satisfaction through improvement of the quality of the
products and services provided by them. From the aforementioned information, it is much clear
now that the role of organisational culture is unquestionable for improving the organisational
identity. Therefore, to know the proper role of organisational culture on organisational identity
the proper research questions will have to be made so that the actual issues that have to be sorted
out can be segmented properly (Nama.com.sa 2017).
In order to design the research questions, it will be necessary to know the aim and objectives of
the research topic. While research aim will shed light on the actual purpose of the research work
on that particular topic, the research objectives will provide the appropriate steps through which
most reasonable research questions can be made. After that, the conceptual framework and the
contribution of this certain topic in the discipline will be helpful to know the process. In order to
gather data from target audiences, a proper methodology will have to be followed so that a most
appropriate research plan in this regard can be designed.
3.2 Research questions
This section should explain the research question and may include the hypothesis or problem to
be addressed.
3.2 Research question:
Depending on the research objectives of the particular research topic the following research
questions can be asked in this context
● What is the role of the organizational culture in any specific business?
● What are the impacts if the organisational culture in creating the organisational identity of
any business organisation?
● What is is the necessity to implement some strategic changes into the organisational
culture to create an appropriate organisational identity?
● What can be the possible strategic changes into the organisational culture to create an
effective organisational identity in the working facility of any business organisation?
3.3 Aims/Objectives of the project
This section should explain how the problem is to be addressed.
3.3 Aims/objectives of the research:
The aim of the research is to explore the role of the organisational culture in creating the
organisational identity. This is the main purpose of this research.
Objectives:
● To identify the role of organisational culture in any specific business organisation
● To evaluate the impacts of the organisational culture in creating the organisational
identity
● To assess the impact of organisational culture in creating organisational identity in
any specific business organisation
● To scrutinize the necessity of changing organisational culture to change the
organisational identity of a specific business organisation
● To determine the strategic improvements in organisational culture to create an
effective organisational identity in the business working periphery
Rationale:
The main issue of this research topic is to know the roles of organisational culture in creating
an appropriate organisational identity into the business organisation. In this particular
proposal, the chemical companies of Saudi Arabia has been considered for knowing the role
of the organisational culture in those specific organisations to create an effective
organisational identity. In the contemporary time, it has been seen that without setting an
appropriate organisational culture a company can never succeed to achieve their purported
goals. Hence, Kodeih and Greenwood (2014) suggests that the role of organisational culture
to create the organisational identity has become an issue of concern.
Nowadays without proper organisational identity, it will be quite harder for the business to
get proper commitment and involvement from the workers. It can ultimately hamper the
productivity and profitability earning of the organisation in long run. Therefore, it can be
considered as most crucial issues now in the organizational working periphery. From the
research outcome few modern strategy can be evolved that can be helpful to bring some
changes in the organisational culture of a specific business organisation (Gioia et al. 2013).
These changes can be helpful for the organisation to create a proper organisational identity in
the working facility.
3.4 Significance/Contribution to the discipline
This section will normally justify the project from a review of the literature on the topic.
3.4 Contribution to the discipline:
It has been seen in the case of various business organisations the changes in organisational
culture can be proved enough effective to create an appropriate organisational identity in the
working facility. In the case of Naam chemicals of Saudi Arabia, the organisation has
tactfully designed their organisational culture so that it can be proved helpful for the
managerial positions of Naam chemicals to incorporate special organizational identity in
their workplace (Schultz and Hernes, 2013). Naam workforce comprises the diversified
count of workers from near about 15 nationalities. Therefore, without a proper impose of
organisational culture it will be quite impossible for the business organisation to unite each
and every worker under the unique organisational identity. By implementing strategic
changes into the organisational culture Naam chemicals has achieved high profitability by
introducing organisational identity.
In the case of Sadara chemical company, the changes in the organisational culture have not
only improved the responsibility of the employee towards the organisational work but also
have made the managers more responsible towards the organizational responsibilities and
duties. In the long run, it will be helpful for Sadara group to earn more profitability by the
marketing of their chemical products. Apart from this, the ethical consideration for the
employee and the suppliers also restricts them into a certain limit of responsibilities for
every working personality in the said business organisation. Sadara chemicals are very much
acumen of their ethical responsibilities and organizational cultural responsibilities to gain the
position of the international business market partners (Sadara.com. 2017).
On the other hand, Reza chemical also has to some extent similar business targets like Sadara
chemicals. Reza chemical is also trying to tighten their business grip over all the countries of
Middle East Asia. apart from this, they are also trying to expand their business in African and
European countries and for this purpose, they have implemented some strategic changes into
the organisational culture. Thus, the organisational identity has been modified so as the
workers can always retain their working style to achieve their international market position
(Rezachemical.com. 2017).
The organisational culture of Fouz chemical has designed a totally different organisational
identity in their working facility. The organisational identity of Fouz chemical inspires the
workers to retain friendly behavior with every other stakeholder of the company. This kind
of organisational identity generally helps the employees to retain their ready to help attitudes
every time. Thus, the organisational identity of Fouz chemical has become capable of
earning both customer and employee satisfaction for the business organisation.
Delmon group of companies has designed their organisational culture so that providing
consistent satisfaction to the customers can become easier. For this purpose, the Delmon
group has designed their organisational identity very tactfully. In order to achieve this, the
organisation has influenced the workers to improve their personal and technical expertise in
their work responsibilities (Delmon Group of Companies, 2017).
3.5 Theoretical framework and methods
This section may include a discussion of the sources to be consulted.
3.5 Theoretical framework and method:
In the opinion of Kodeih and Greenwood (2014) Hofstede's cultural dimension can be used to
improve the organizational culture into a business organisation, In the long run, it will be
helpful to create an effective organisational identity in that specific organisational working
periphery. This theory will be helpful to design the organisational culture while taking care of
the various other things related with the workers. Gender, uncertainty, power distance and the
community strength of the workers are such few factors that have to consider.
Similarly, Handy’s four classes of culture can be helpful for the business organisation to
understand the differences in cultural connotation for different kind of working positions in any
business organisation (Refers to appendix 1). According to Schultz and Hernes (2013), power
and role of a certain worker define the certain limits of organisational culture for them.
Similarly, the kind of work role they play in the business organisation and individuality of that
person also impacts hugely on the organisational cultural connotation for them. According to
Gioia et al. (2013) Scheil’s model of organisational culture physical and social environment,
organisational beliefs and mindset of the workers generally forms three layers of organisational
identity (Refers to appendix 2). Before, implementing this model into the working facility the
idea about various levels will have to be clearer.
In order to collect proper knowledge about this, a researcher can take help from positivism
philosophy as the research philosophy while doing research on this topic. According to
Silverman (2016) deductive approach and descriptive design can be considered as research
approach and research design for this research. In order to gather proper knowledge about the
role of organisational culture in creating organisational identity, the target audience may be the
workers of the aforementioned five Saudi Arabia-based chemical product manufacturing
companies. In order to analyse the gathered data SPSS analysis can be proved helpful. Total 125
respondents from those five companies will be considered as the target audience. In order to
collect data from them, online questionnaire may be proved more effective.
4 Research plan and timeline and contents of thesis/submission
Please provide a plan of stages of your research development and thesis writing with a time‐line of
proposed goals for your program.
4. Research plan and timeline and contents of Submission:
Research plan:
The research process will follow the following stages
● Setting a research aim
● Design research objective depending on the research aim
● Clarify research questions on the basis of research objectives
● Evaluate the contribution of the research topic on the specific discipline
● Selecting appropriate theories and models to improve organisational culture
● Collecting data from all the target audience of selected organisation
● Analysis of the collected data
5 References cited/Bibliography of planned reading
Please provide one or both of the following in an appropriate and consistent referencing style:
• A list of the scholarly references cited in the proposal • A bibliography of planned reading
Reference list:
Alvesson, M. and Sveningsson, S., (2015). Changing organizational culture: Cultural
change work in progress. London: Routledge.
Delmon Group of Companies. (2017). Delmon Group of Companies - Oil & Gas,
Minerals, Chemicals. Available from: http://delmon.com.sa/ [Accessed on 8 Feb.
2017].
Fouz.com.sa. (2017). Fouz Chemical Company - فوز للكيماويات. Available from:
http://www.fouz.com.sa/ [Accessed on 8 Feb. 2017].
Gioia, D.A., Patvardhan, S.D., Hamilton, A.L. and Corley, K.G., (2013).
Organizational identity formation and change. Academy of Management Annals, 7(1),
pp.123-193.
He, H., Zhu, W. and Zheng, X., (2014). Procedural justice and employee engagement:
Roles of organizational identification and moral identity centrality. Journal of business
ethics, 122(4), pp.681-695.
Kodeih, F. and Greenwood, R., (2014). Responding to institutional complexity: The
role of identity. Organization Studies, 35(1), pp.7-39.
Rezachemical.com. (2017). Entry -. Available from: http://www.rezachemical.com/
[Accessed on 8 Feb. 2017].
Sadara.com. (2017). Home. Available from: http://www.sadara.com/ [Accessed on 8
Feb. 2017].
Schultz, M. and Hernes, T., (2013). A temporal perspective on organizational identity.
Organization Science, 24(1), pp.1-21.
Silverman, D. ed., (2016). Qualitative research. Berlin:Sage.
Turró, A., Urbano, D. and Peris-Ortiz, M., (2014). Culture and innovation: The
moderating effect of cultural values on corporate entrepreneurship. Technological
Forecasting and Social Change, 88, pp.360-369.
www.aandesigners.com, A. (2017). Nama Chemicals Group. Nama.com.sa. Available
from: http://www.nama.com.sa/ [Accessed on 8 Feb. 2017].
Bibliography:
De Roeck, K., Marique, G., Stinglhamber, F. and Swaen, V., (2014). Understanding
employees' responses to corporate social responsibility: mediating roles of overall
justice and organisational identification. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 25(1), pp.91-112.
Giorgi, S., Lockwood, C. and Glynn, M.A., (2015). The many faces of culture: Making
sense of 30 years of research on culture in organization studies. The academy of
management annals, 9(1), pp.1-54.
Haslam, S.A., van Knippenberg, D., Platow, M.J. and Ellemers, N. eds., (2014). Social
identity at work: Developing theory for organizational practice. Kensington:
Psychology Press.
Seidl, D., (2016). Organisational identity and self-transformation: An autopoietic
perspective. London: Routledge.
Shore, C., (2013). Building Europe: The cultural politics of European integration.
London: Routledge.
Wang, C.L., and Rafiq, M., (2014). Ambidextrous organizational culture, contextual
ambidexterity and new product innovation: a comparative study of the UK and Chinese
high‐tech firms. British Journal of Management, 25(1), pp.58-76.
Return the completed form via e mail to your supervisor with a copy to your course administrator davood@mywestford.com
Figure 1: Hofstede's Cultural Dimension
(Source: Kodeih and Greenwood, 2014)
Figure 2: Conceptual Framework
(Source: Created by Author)
Research timeline:
Strategies Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Setting a
research
aim (3
days)
Design
research
objective
depending
on the
research
aim (4
days)
Clarify
research
questions
on the basis
of research
objectives
(6 days)
Evaluate
the
contributio
n of the
research
topic on the
specific
discipline
(8 days)
Selecting
appropriate
theories
and models
to improve
organisatio
nal culture
(6 days)
Collecting
data from
all the
target
audience of
selected
organisatio
n (7 days)
Analysis of
the
collected
data (8
days)
Table 1: Research Timeline
(Source: Created by Author)
Figure 3: Gantt chart
(Source: Created by Author)
Appendices
Appendix 1:
Figure 3: Handy’s Four Classes of Culture
(Source: Turró et al. 2014)
Appendix 2:
Figure 4: Scheil’s Model of Organisational Culture
(Source: Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015)