maseei-1(module 4)

8/12/2019 MASEEI-1(Module 4)

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What is Organizational Culture?

A system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs, and

norms that unite the members of an organization.

Reflects employees views about the way things are

done around here.

The culture specific to each firm affects howemployees feel and act and the type of employee

hired and retained by the company.


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Do Organizations Have Uniform

Cultures?

Core

Values

Subcultures

Dominant

Culture


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Culture & Subcultures

Dominant culture -- most widely shared valuesand assumptions

Subcultures Located throughout the organization

Can enhance or oppose (countercultures) firms dominant culture

Are countercultures useful? Provide surveillance and critique, ethics

Source of emerging values


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Elements

of

OrganizationalCulture

The

Artefacts of

Org. Culture

Culture


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Organizational Culture Profile

Org CultureDimensions Dimension Characteristics

InnovationExperimenting, opportunity seeking, risk taking, fewrules, low cautiousness

StabilityPredictability, security, rule-oriented

Respect for people Fairness, tolerance

Outcomeorientation

Action oriented, high expectations, results oriented

Attention to detail Precise, analytic

Team orientation Collaboration, people-oriented

Aggressiveness Competitive, low emphasis on social responsibility


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Artifacts of Organizational Culture

Observable symbols and signs of culture

Physical structures, ceremonies, language, stories

Maintain and transmit organizations culture

Not easy to decipher artifacts -- need many of them


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ArtifactsStories & Legends

Social prescriptions of desired (undesired) behavior

Provides a realistic human side to expectations

Most effective stories and legends:

Describe real people

Assumed to be true

Known throughout the organization

Are prescriptive


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ArtifactsRituals & Ceremonies

Rituals

Programmed routines

(eg., how visitors are greeted, marking attendance,

call for meeting etc)

Ceremonies Planned activities for an audience

(eg., award ceremonies, celebrating occassions etc)


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ArtifactsOrganizational Language

Words used to address people, describe

customers, etc.

Leaders use phrases and special vocabulary as

cultural symbols

Language also found in subcultures


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ArtifactsPhysical Structures

Building structure -- may shape and reflect

culture

Office design conveys cultural meaning

Furniture, office size, wall hangings


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Strength of Organizational Culture

How widely and deeply employees hold thecompanys dominant values and assumptions

Strong cultures exist when:

Most employees understand/embrace the dominantvalues

Values and assumptions are institutionalized throughwell-established artifacts

Culture is long lasting -- often traced back to founder


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BUSINESS

CULTURE

ORGANIZATIONCULTURE

OCCUPATIONALCULTURE


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HofstedesCultural Dimensions

Finds national culture dimensions meaningful tobusiness

Basis:

Work related values not universal

National values may persist over MNC efforts to createcorporate culture

Home country values often used to determine HQ policies

MNC may create morale problems with uniform moral norms

Purpose: understanding of business situationsacross-cultures


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HofstedesCultural Dimensions

Geert Hofstedesampled 100,000 IBMemployees 1963-1973

Compared employee attitudes and values across

40 countries Isolated 4 dimensions summarizing culture:

1. Power distance

2. Individualism vs. Collectivism3. Uncertainty avoidance

4. Masculinity vs. Feminity


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Power Distance

Degree of social inequality considered normalby people

Distance between individuals at differentlevels of a hierarchy

Scale: from equal (small power distance) toextremely unequal (large power distance)


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Individualism Vs. Collectivism

Degree to which people in a country prefer to

act as individuals rather than in groups

Describes the relations between the individual

and his/her fellows


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Uncertainty Avoidance

Degree of need to avoid uncertainty about thefuture

Degree of preference for structured versus

unstructured situations Structured situations: have tight rules may or may not be

written down

High uncertainty avoidance: people withmore nervous energy (Vs. easy-going), rigidsociety, "what is different is dangerous."


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Masculinity Vs. Feminity

Division of roles and values in a society

Masculine values prevail: Assertiveness, success, competition

Feminine values prevail: Quality of life, maintenance of warm personal

relationships, service, care for the weak, solidarity


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