Organization Culture
Contrasting Organizational Cultures Organization A
This organization is a manufacturing firm. Managers are expected to fully document all decisions; and good managers are those who can provide detailed data to support their recommendations. Creative decisions that incur significant change or risk are not encouraged. Because managers of failed projects are openly criticized and penalized, managers try not to implement ideas that deviate much from the status quo. One lower-level manager quoted an often used phrase in the company: If it aint broke, dont fix it.
There are extensive rules and regulations in this firm that employees are required to follow. Managers supervise employees closely to ensure there are no deviations. Management is concerned with high productivity, regardless of the impact on employee morale or turnover.
Work activities are designed around individuals. There are distinct departments and lines of authority, and employees are expected to minimize formal contact with other employees outside their functional area or line of command. Performance evaluations and rewards emphasize individual effort, although seniority tends to be the primary factor in the determination of pay raises and promotions.
Organization B
This organization is also a manufacturing firm. Here, however, management encourages and rewards risk taking and change. Decisions based on intuition are valued as much as those that are well rationalized. Management prides itself on its history of experimenting with new technologies and its success in regularly introducing innovation products. Managers or employees who have a good idea are encouraged to run with it. And failures are treated as learning experiences. The company prides itself on being market-driven and rapidly responsive to the changing needs of its customers. There are few rules and regulations for employees to follow, and supervision is loose because management believes that its employees are hardworking and trustworthy. Management is concerned with high productivity, but believes that this comes through treating its people right. The company is proud of its reputation as being a good place to work. Job activities are designed around work teams, and team members are encouraged to interact with people across functions and authority levels. Employees talk positively about the competition between teams. Individuals and teams have goals, and bonuses are based on achievement of these outcomes. Employees are given considerable autonomy in choosing the means by which the goals are attained.
The Organizations Culture
A system of shared meanings and common beliefs held by organizational members that determines, in a large degree, how they act towards each other. The way we do things around here.
Values, symbols, rituals, myths, and practices
Implications:
Culture is a perception. Culture is shared. Culture is descriptive.
Levels of Organization Culture
Observable Symbols Ceremonies, Stories, Slogans, Behaviors, Dress, Physical Settings
Underlying Values, Assumptions, Beliefs, Attitudes, Feelings
Organizational Culture Dimensions
Org Culture Dimensions
Innovation
Stability People orientation Outcome orientation Attention to detail Team orientation Aggressiveness
Dimension Characteristics
Experimenting, opportunity seeking, risk taking, few rules, low cautiousness Predictability, security, rule-oriented Fairness, tolerance, concern for people Action oriented, high expectations, results oriented Precise, analytic Collaboration, people-oriented Competitive, low emphasis on social responsibility
Source: OReilly et al (1991)
Factors Influencing the Strength of Culture
Size of the organization Age of the organization
Rate of employee turnover Strength of the original culture Clarity of cultural values and beliefs
Strong versus Weak Organizational Cultures
Benefits of a Strong Culture
Creates a stronger employee commitment to the organization.
Aids in the recruitment and socialization of new employees.
Fosters higher organizational performance by instilling and promoting employee initiative.
Culture as a Liability
Barrier to Change
Culture is slow to change even in a dynamic environment
Barrier to Diversity
Culture seeks to minimize diversity
Barrier to Acquisitions and Mergers
Most mergers fail due to cultural incompatibility
Process of Creating Organizational Culture
Sources of Organizational Culture
The organizations founder
Vision and mission The way things have been done
Past practices of the organization
The behavior of top management
Continuation of the Organizational Culture
Recruitment of like-minded employees who fit Socialization of new employees to help them adapt to the culture
How Employees Learn Culture
Stories
Narratives of significant events or actions of people that convey the spirit of the organization
Rituals
Repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the values of the organization
Material Symbols
Physical assets distinguishing the organization
Language
Jargon of terms, phrases, and word meanings specific to an organization
How an Organizations Culture Is Established and Maintained
Creating an Ethical Organizational Culture
A strong culture with high risk tolerance, low-tomoderate aggressiveness, and focuses on means as well as outcomes is most likely to shape high ethical standards
Managers must be visible role models Communicate ethical expectations Provide ethical training Visibly reward ethical acts and punish unethical ones Provide protective mechanisms and creation of authority relationships and rules.
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