The Impact of Mushroom Management on Nurses' Job Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification

Mushroom management, a leadership style characterized by withholding information, excluding employees from strategic processes, and maintaining top-down control, has been linked to adverse organizational outcomes. However, its impact on nurses and the psychological mechanisms through which this influence operates remain underexamined.

This study examines the direct and indirect effects of mushroom management on nurses' job satisfaction, with organizational identification (OI) as the mediating variable, guided by affective events theory and social identity theory.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 317 nurses employed in private hospitals in Diyarbakır, Türkiye. Data were collected using validated Turkish versions of the Mushroom Management Scale (Birincioğlu and Tekin, 2018), Job Satisfaction Scale (Judge et al., 2008; Keser and Bilir, 2019), and Organizational Identification Scale (Mael, 1988; Tüzün and Özdoğan, 2006). All scales use a five-point Likert format (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed good model fit (χ²/df = 2.21, CFI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.062). Mediation was tested using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4) in SPSS 23.0 with 5000 bootstrap samples.

Mushroom management had significant negative effects on OI (standardized β = -0.46, p < 0.001) and job satisfaction (standardized β = -0.21, p = 0.001). OI positively predicted job satisfaction (standardized β = 0.48, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis confirmed a significant indirect effect (standardized β = -0.22, 95% CI [-0.31, -0.14]), with OI accounting for 51% of the total effect indicating partial mediation.

Mushroom management is associated with lower OI and job satisfaction among nurses, with OI serving as a key identity-based psychological mechanism. Healthcare leaders should prioritize transparent communication, participatory decision-making, and identity-affirming leadership practices to enhance nurse well-being and retention.

Findings highlight the need for structured information-sharing protocols, mushroom-management-specific leadership training, and shared governance structures in private hospital settings. Periodic organizational climate monitoring using validated instruments is recommended.