Dignity, Autonomy, and Fit: Person–Environment Fit as a Humanistic Construct

Person-Environment Fit, Humanistic Management, Self-Managed Organizations, Constructivist Grounded Theory, Buurtzorg India, Nursing Dignity, Autonomy, Meaningful Work, Intrinsic Motivation, Qualitative Success Enablers.

Purpose: This study reframes Person–Environment (P-E) Fit as a humanistic construct rooted in human dignity, autonomy, and meaningful work, moving beyond performance-centric interpretations. Grounded in the author's doctoral research and empirical data from Buurtzorg India, the paper examines how self-managed organizations (SMOs) enable conditions of humanistic fit through intrinsic motivation, capability development, and relational accountability.

Design/Methodology: The study draws on Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) conducted longitudinally (August 2021–August 2023), involving semi-structured interviews with seven nurses, twelve management members, and fifteen patients from a self-managed homecare organization in India. Theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis, and member checking were employed. Secondary analysis of the Buurtzorg Nederland case augments primary findings.

Findings: Three Qualitative Success Enablers (QSEs) emerged: (1) Insightfulness — nurses develop contextual awareness aligning personal values with organizational purpose; (2) Job Enrichment — role design supports dignity and meaningful engagement; (3) Autonomy-Enabled Intrapreneurship — self-directed decision-making deepens P-E Fit. The horizontal SMO structure demonstrated resilience during India's COVID-19 delta wave, sustaining nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes.

Practical Implications: Organizations adopting SMO models should design for dignity, not solely for efficiency. Training as a capability-expansion lever, intrinsic motivation cultivation, and trust-based governance are essential levers for humanistic P-E Fit. The Buurtzorg India evidence offers transferable lessons for healthcare transformation in resource-constrained settings.

Originality/Value: This research makes a distinctive contribution by grounding P-E Fit theory in primary empirical data from Indian homecare SMOs, bridging humanistic management philosophy with constructivist grounded theory methodology. It is among the first studies to operationalize humanistic P-E Fit through field-based evidence from a cross-cultural self-management context.