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This study adopted an organizational culture perspective to examine the values and beliefs within fitness club operations and determine their influence on employees' job satisfaction and intention to leave an organization. Consideration was also given to subcultures based on geographical location, organizational type, and job function to examine the ways in which organizations and employees may differ. Data were collected at three urban cities in Canada during a major fitness conference and tradeshow. The results from 438 employees confirmed the multidimensionality of the seven-factor instrument, in addition to illustrating the influence on job satisfaction and intention to leave. Further, the results revealed several dimensions were perceieved differently with respect to subculture. Findings connote the transient nature of jobs in the fitness industry which remains an immediate concern for managers in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article explores the development of a conceptual framework of organizational culture within the Canadian fitness industry. The author elaborates on the 11 cultural dimensions that emerged from the study which include member organizational presence, member success and connectedness, among others. The author explains that the common organizational culture dimensions that exist within the Canadian fitness industry are predictive of organizational success.

Understanding how to be competitive within the fitness industry requires a fundamental awareness of the service environment at the club level. To date, research on the fitness industry has placed considerable focus on the notion of service quality, particularly such elements as equipment, programmes, facilities and ancillary services, and its role in client satisfaction and retention. Recent research suggests that an organization's culture - the values, beliefs and assumptions that reflect how things are done within an organization - may be perceived outside the organization as well. The objective of the study was to examine the relationships between what have thus far been identified as key service elements for fitness organizations, organizational culture values, and the attitudes and intentions of client members from one private fitness company operating in Canada. Findings showed that both the service elements and the corporate values were significantly associated with members' satisfaction and intentions to stay. The findings suggest that what has typically been conceptualized as the service environment of fitness clubs should be revised to include organizational culture elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding “how things are done around here” is an integral part of managing any organization. Organizational culture may impact the attitudes and behaviour of members, and the performance of the organization as a whole. Thus, the indoctrination of positive values, that become widely understood, is the likely intention of the organization's leaders. This study examined leader intentions and employee perceptions of organizational culture, as well as the existence of distinct subcultures, and the further influence of subculture on staff behaviour (intent to leave) and organizational performance (profit margin, client retention). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to describe the specific culture of the focal organization. The study revealed a significant culture gap between the leaders’ intentions and employee perceptions, and the existence of subcultures by organizational level (head office versus club). The strength of the respective subcultures was inversely associated with employee intentions to leave the organization, however club subculture had little association with performance in terms of profit margin or client retention rates. The findings suggest that culture has a more direct influence on employees and a less direct influence, if any, on organizational performance. The results extend our understanding of the nature and influence of organizational culture and subcultures, and have implications for their management within the focal organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]