Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following describes a characteristic of organizational culture?
Which of the following describes a characteristic of organizational culture?
Organizational culture is primarily communicated through formal written documents.
Organizational culture is primarily communicated through formal written documents.
False
What term refers to the shared meaning held by members that distinguishes one organization from another?
What term refers to the shared meaning held by members that distinguishes one organization from another?
organizational culture
Culture is the _____ of the organization, while structure is its skeleton.
Culture is the _____ of the organization, while structure is its skeleton.
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following factors can create and sustain an organization's culture?
Which of the following factors can create and sustain an organization's culture?
Signup and view all the answers
Match each term with its description regarding organizational culture:
Match each term with its description regarding organizational culture:
Signup and view all the answers
A positive organizational culture can be detrimental to employee satisfaction.
A positive organizational culture can be detrimental to employee satisfaction.
Signup and view all the answers
Who described culture as the soul of the organization?
Who described culture as the soul of the organization?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT a method for changing organizational culture?
Which of the following is NOT a method for changing organizational culture?
Signup and view all the answers
A strong organizational culture can never have negative effects.
A strong organizational culture can never have negative effects.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary role of organizational culture?
What is the primary role of organizational culture?
Signup and view all the answers
Organizational culture is derived from the philosophy of its __________.
Organizational culture is derived from the philosophy of its __________.
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following aspects of changing organizational culture with their corresponding actions:
Match the following aspects of changing organizational culture with their corresponding actions:
Signup and view all the answers
Which characteristic of organizational culture focuses on the impact of outcomes on people within the organization?
Which characteristic of organizational culture focuses on the impact of outcomes on people within the organization?
Signup and view all the answers
A strong culture means that the core values are weakly held among employees.
A strong culture means that the core values are weakly held among employees.
Signup and view all the answers
What term describes the mini-cultures within an organization that are typically defined by department designations?
What term describes the mini-cultures within an organization that are typically defined by department designations?
Signup and view all the answers
An organization with a strong culture tends to have higher levels of _______ among employees.
An organization with a strong culture tends to have higher levels of _______ among employees.
Signup and view all the answers
Match the following organizational culture characteristics with their descriptions:
Match the following organizational culture characteristics with their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT a function of organizational culture?
Which of the following is NOT a function of organizational culture?
Signup and view all the answers
Organizational climate is solely determined by external factors outside of the organization.
Organizational climate is solely determined by external factors outside of the organization.
Signup and view all the answers
What is the term for a system of shared meaning that expresses core values in an organization?
What is the term for a system of shared meaning that expresses core values in an organization?
Signup and view all the answers
A less formalized organization often correlates with a stronger _______.
A less formalized organization often correlates with a stronger _______.
Signup and view all the answers
Which aspect of organizational culture acts as a control mechanism that shapes employee attitudes and behaviors?
Which aspect of organizational culture acts as a control mechanism that shapes employee attitudes and behaviors?
Signup and view all the answers
A positive organizational climate always guarantees high performance.
A positive organizational climate always guarantees high performance.
Signup and view all the answers
What is meant by the term 'ethical work climate' (EWC)?
What is meant by the term 'ethical work climate' (EWC)?
Signup and view all the answers
An organization’s culture is primarily influenced by its __________.
An organization’s culture is primarily influenced by its __________.
Signup and view all the answers
Match the dimensions of ethical climate to their descriptions:
Match the dimensions of ethical climate to their descriptions:
Signup and view all the answers
What does organizational climate NOT include?
What does organizational climate NOT include?
Signup and view all the answers
Organizational culture can change rapidly with shifts in leadership.
Organizational culture can change rapidly with shifts in leadership.
Signup and view all the answers
Name one factor that can signal a negative organizational culture.
Name one factor that can signal a negative organizational culture.
Signup and view all the answers
A company's customs, traditions, and general way of doing things are largely due to its __________.
A company's customs, traditions, and general way of doing things are largely due to its __________.
Signup and view all the answers
Which condition is most likely to facilitate a cultural change in an organization?
Which condition is most likely to facilitate a cultural change in an organization?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
BUS 272 – E100, Week 9: Organizational Culture
- Organizational culture is the shared perceptions of employees about their organization and work environment. It shapes attitudes and behaviors within the organization.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe common and dysfunctional characteristics of organizational culture's effects on people and the organization.
- Identify factors that create and sustain cultural values within organizations.
- Understand how culture is conveyed to employees.
- Explain how to build and maintain an ethical organizational culture.
- Describe a positive organizational culture.
Corporate Culture
- Corporate culture encompasses values, norms, and behaviors, which can be either formally stated or observed in action within organizations.
- Managers have a role in shaping the culture to impart a sense of shared values to employees.
- Organizational culture is made up of layers:
- Artifacts: visible aspects like language, symbols, stories, and rituals.
- Values: beliefs about what is important.
- Assumptions: deeply ingrained beliefs about how things should be done, which are the hardest to change.
Organizational Culture Characteristics
- Shared: Common values and behaviors among members.
- Pervasive: Present throughout the organization's structure.
- Enduring: Relatively stable over time.
- Implicit: Often unspoken but deeply ingrained.
- Tacit social order: Shapes employee behavior profoundly, defines what is accepted, discouraged or rejected.
Culture & Structure
- Culture is the "soul" of an organization; beliefs and values dictate how it functions.
- Structure, the skeleton and flesh, provides the framework for carrying out organizational actions.
- Culture is the unifying force.
- Organizational culture distinguishes one organization from another.
The Cultural Iceberg
- Observable: Artifacts (visible behaviors, actions, symbols, language, and materials).
- Not Observable: Core Values (learned ideas), Attitudes (the reflection of core values), and Assumptions (deep-rooted beliefs).
- The core values, attitudes and assumptions are unseen but influence how the organization operates and employees act within it.
Characteristics of organizational culture
- Innovation and risk-taking: encourages employees to be inventive and take chances.
- Attention to detail: requires precision, accuracy, and analysis.
- Outcome orientation: emphasizes results more so than processes.
- People orientation: respects the impact of decisions on employees.
- Team orientation: tasks are shared among teams rather than individuals.
- Aggressiveness: focuses on competitiveness and ambition over gentleness.
- Stability: values consistency and minimal disruption to preserve the current state.
Organization A and Organization B
- Organization A emphasizes strict adherence to rules & regulations with little tolerance for creative thinking.
- Organization B promotes change, risk-taking, and employee learning experiences. Productivity is balanced with treating people well. Values teamwork and employee growth.
Culture
- Dominant culture: widely held beliefs and values across the organization.
- Subcultures: unique values within smaller groups or departments.
Strong vs Weak Cultures
- Strong culture: shared, deeply held values, impacting how employees act.
- Weak culture: opinions and values differ among employees.
Culture's Functions
- Defines boundaries between organizations.
- Creates a sense of identity among members.
- Facilitates commitment to the organization.
- Enhances stability.
- Provides guidance on behavior.
- Makes sense of the organization to employees
- Important in decentralized organizations.
- Strong leadership focused on shared goals is critical for organizations.
Culture Creates Climate
- Organizational climate: Shared perceptions of work environment, showing team spirit with a more visible impact .
- Influences attitudes and outcomes. Measures of sentiment.
Climate vs Culture
- Climate: reflects the present emotional state of the organization, is more visible and easy to measure.
- Culture: deep-rooted values, can influence long-term performance and success. hard to change.
Culture & Sustainability
- Sustainability means an organization continues to function over a long period, tools & structures aren't damaged.
- Sustainable management isn't solely altruistic; it is beneficial.
Culture & Innovation
- Innovative organizations often have open, collaborative, and visionary cultures.
- Startups with these characteristics are often better suited to survive and thrive in today's market.
Culture as a Liability
- Institutionalization: When a culture becomes so ingrained it hinders change, adaptability, and ability to evolve, even hindering growth and development.
- Barriers: Culture often creates roadblocks to change, diversity, acquisitions, and mergers.
How a Culture Begins
- The culture of an organization is established by its founders.
- Founders shape the culture through direct actions, hiring practices, and training.
Keeping a Culture Alive
- Selection is a critical part of continuing culture.
- Top management and their behavior have significant effects on cultural development.
- Socialization is the process that new members go through in order to adapt and understand the culture.
- Stages of socialization in an organization: prearrival, encounter, and metamorphosis. Outcomes of a good socialization process include improved productivity, commitment, and reduced turnover.
How Employees Learn Culture
- Effective methods employees use to understand culture include narratives, materials, rituals, and language prevalent within an organization.
Changing Organizational Culture
- Changing an organization's culture is difficult but achievable under the right circumstances.
- Establishing a need for change, and clear visibility will signal a likely need to change an organization’s culture.
- Culture change is best brought on by addressing visible behaviors with clear and effective interventions.
Creating an Ethical Culture
- Role models from leadership.
- Communication of ethical expectations.
- Training and education.
- Acknowledgement and reward of appropriate ethical actions and punishment of unacceptable behaviors.
- Mechanisms to protect those who exercise good judgment and speak up.
Creating a Positive Culture
- Emphasize employee strengths.
- Reward rather than punish.
- Emphasize employee vitality and growth.
- Reflect on possible deficiencies and shortcomings of the prevailing organizational culture.
- National culture can influence the organization's culture.
Changing Organizational Culture (cont.)
- Leadership in setting the tone, through behavior.
- Replacing stories, symbols, and rituals with new ones.
- Selection, promotion, and support for employees espousing new values.
- Revising socialization patterns.
- Adjustment to rewards.
- Standardizing processes, and formalizing informal traditions and ways of operating
- Consensus and a culture of trust are key elements in a successful organization.
Summary and Implications
- Purpose of Organizational Culture: Creates stability and provides a clear understanding of how things are done within the organization.
- Reading Organizational Culture: Using artifacts like stories, rituals, symbols, and language to perceive the culture.
- Creating and Maintaining Culture: Culture is derived from the founders, communicated by management and learned by employees through socialization processes.
- Possible Side Effects of Strong Cultures: Pressure from colleagues, issues with adaptability, and potential pitfalls with organizational changes and new ventures.
- Changing Culture: Modifying reward systems and working on carefully changing employee beliefs.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
Explore the intricacies of organizational culture in BUS 272, Week 9. Learn about the characteristics that shape workplace attitudes and behaviors, how culture is communicated, and strategies to foster a positive and ethical environment. Understand the essential role managers play in cultivating shared values among employees.
