Examining the Relationship between Organizational Identification and Learning Organization Dimensions: A Study of a U.S. Franchise

Abstract

Organizational identification and learning organization dimensions both have been shown to create positiveorganizational impacts. Although both concepts are closely related in their origins from social context, limitedstudies exist to uncover if these concepts are interrelated and none appear in the context of a franchise organization.This study explored the relationship between the perception of organizational identification and perceptions oflearning organization dimensions in a medium-sized, U.S.-based franchise organization with 81 franchisees.The study used a quantitative research design and a 35-item survey instrument. The survey instrument consisted ofthree sections: (a) demographic questions, (b) organizational identification questions from Edwards and Peccei’s(2007) instrument, and (c) dimension of the learning organization questions from Watkins and Marsick’s (2003)dimension of the learning organization questionnaire.A total of 51 respondents completed the survey instrument. Descriptive statistics and correlations using Pearsonproduct-moment correlation coefficients were analyzed.The findings suggested that the descriptive statistics from a franchise network were no different from those fromprevious studies in numerous different business formats, which indicated that the relationships within the franchisebeing studied were similar to those within an integrated organization. Furthermore, the study concluded that withinthis franchise there was a correlation between organizational identification and learning organization dimension,which leads to new areas for further theoretical exploration and practical application. Implications include newmethods to manage a franchise network and further considerations in utilizing both organizational identification andlearning organization mechanisms simultaneously to create the greatest positive impact of both.