Simon Adams

Time Use in Spanish Organisations: Polychronicity, Power Distance and Gender Simon Adams

The main focus of this doctoral thesis is on Time use in Spanish organisations. The aim is to determine where these organisations stand on the monochronic/polychronic dimensions, established by Edward Hall (1959, 1976). The Anglo-Saxons and Northern Europeans were classified by Hall as monochronic; whereas Spain has traditionally been classified as polychronic, along with the other countries which make up the Southern European cluster. As Spain has experienced considerable change over the past thirty years, the objective of the thesis is to clarify whether Spain continues to be polychronic in its time use. The results indicate that Spanish organisations, although maintaining the basic value of "attention to people" at work and engaging in a multi-focused environment, have become considerably more monochronic. Research was also carried out on "Power distance", (the extent to which decision-making is shared) and the work style of Spanish women in organisations.