Selected organizational outcome correlates of spirituality in the workplace

This study addressed the feasibility, practicality, and effects of a management style defined as "Management-by-Virtues," a management philosophy and practice based on virtues derived from religious beliefs. The study focused on Management-by-Virtues as practiced in Christian firms and assessed the effect that Management-by-Virtues could have on such organizational outcomes as employees' Organizational Commitment, Job Satisfaction, and propensity to go beyond the call of duty in carrying out organizational tasks, i.e., Organizational Citizenship Behavior. The study, based on survey responses from 328 employees of 26 business firms, compared overall scores on Organizational Commitment, job Satisfaction, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in 10 businesses, described by owner/managers as being managed according to Christian beliefs and practices, with the same outcomes in 16 "control" firms that did not explicitly espouse such an orientation. The Management-by-Virtues firms were characterized by move committed, more satisfied employees, and employees' reports of higher incidence of Organizational Citizenship Behavior than the comparison firms. However, a measure of this construct based on employees' perceptions did not sharply differentiate the two groups of firms.