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What is the main focus of Pre-work?
What is the main focus of Pre-work?
Watch two videos and consider cultural artifacts, values, and beliefs.
What are the steps involved in the Enquiry-Action Framework?
What are the steps involved in the Enquiry-Action Framework?
According to the presentation, culture shapes behaviors but only when it is strong and unchallenged.
According to the presentation, culture shapes behaviors but only when it is strong and unchallenged.
True
What makes up the Culture Web?
What makes up the Culture Web?
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Match the following terms to their corresponding definitions according to the Cultural Web:
Match the following terms to their corresponding definitions according to the Cultural Web:
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What is one key characteristic of an Integrated Culture?
What is one key characteristic of an Integrated Culture?
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A Fragmented Culture is characterized by individuals being part of many groups with shared understanding.
A Fragmented Culture is characterized by individuals being part of many groups with shared understanding.
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What are the two types of learning according to the presentation?
What are the two types of learning according to the presentation?
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What are Defensive Routines (DRs)?
What are Defensive Routines (DRs)?
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According to the presentation, organizational change can only create instability and threaten existing power relations.
According to the presentation, organizational change can only create instability and threaten existing power relations.
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What is one key difference between Authority and Power?
What is one key difference between Authority and Power?
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According to the presentation, what are the conditions for political behaviour?
According to the presentation, what are the conditions for political behaviour?
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Political behavior is minimized when there is uncertainty and conflict over goals.
Political behavior is minimized when there is uncertainty and conflict over goals.
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What is one example of how organizational change can positively impact power relations?
What is one example of how organizational change can positively impact power relations?
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According to Figure 7.2, the structure-culture continuum suggests that a mechanistic structure is associated with a Task culture while an organic structure is associated with a Role culture.
According to Figure 7.2, the structure-culture continuum suggests that a mechanistic structure is associated with a Task culture while an organic structure is associated with a Role culture.
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Figure 7.4 illustrates how a Role culture is suitable for organizations operating in an uncertain environment.
Figure 7.4 illustrates how a Role culture is suitable for organizations operating in an uncertain environment.
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What is one key message from Pfeffer's view on organizations?
What is one key message from Pfeffer's view on organizations?
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What are some of the tactics used in political behavior?
What are some of the tactics used in political behavior?
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Political behaviour is more likely to be present in an organization with stability and agreement about goals.
Political behaviour is more likely to be present in an organization with stability and agreement about goals.
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What is one crucial aspect to consider when implementing organizational change?
What is one crucial aspect to consider when implementing organizational change?
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The GLOBE study focuses on the impact of social media on culture.
The GLOBE study focuses on the impact of social media on culture.
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The term 'Power' always implies the use of formal authority, while 'Authority' is always based on a person's position.
The term 'Power' always implies the use of formal authority, while 'Authority' is always based on a person's position.
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Study Notes
Culture and Change
- Culture is defined as "how things are done around here"
- Culture comprises a set of tacit assumptions about how the world is and ought to be, shared by a group of people. These assumptions influence perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Culture evolves slowly and cannot be changed quickly.
- Key elements of culture are history, culture, language, practice, emotional attachments and rejections
Objectives
- Pre-work includes Google and Apple videos, and applying Schein's framework for cultural analysis.
- The Cultural Web will be used for cultural analysis.
- Learning and unlearning are discussed.
- Power dynamics are also covered.
Pre-work
- Watch provided videos and think about cultural artifacts portrayed.
- Identify additional cultural artifacts from personal experiences.
- Consider espoused/documented cultural values supporting the artifacts.
- Evaluate beliefs and assumptions relevant to the companies.
The Enquiry-Action Framework
- Diagnose the context of change, people's habits, and ways of thinking.
- Explain how the change will affect people.
- Enact change and communicate actions to stakeholders.
What is Culture?
- Culture influences behavior (friendly/aggressive, proactive/passive, concerned/unbothered, team/solo player, rule follower/breaker).
- Behavior may depend on values, beliefs, and assumptions, rather than extrinsic or intrinsic motivators.
- Culture influences actions when strong and unchallenged.
- Some cultures are considered better than others.
- Culture can be learned and changed.
Deal and Kennedy's Four Types of Culture
- Tough Guy, Macho culture: Individualism, risk-taking (e.g., police force).
- Work-Hard/Play-Hard culture: Low risks, quick feedback (e.g., McDonald's).
- Bet-Your-Company culture: High risks, long feedback time (e.g., aircraft companies).
- Process culture: Low risks, slow feedback (e.g., insurance companies).
Quinn and McGrath's Four Types of Culture
- Market: Rational decision-making, goal-oriented employees (e.g., GEC).
- Adhocracy: Risk-oriented, charismatic leaders, value-driven (e.g., Apple, Microsoft).
- Clan: Participation, consensus, concern for others (e.g., Médecins Sans Frontières).
- Hierarchy: Hierarchical, rule-based authority, stability, risk avoidance (e.g., government bureaucracies).
Handy's Four Types of Culture
- Power: Power radiates outwards, like a spider's web (small entrepreneurial companies, family-dominated).
- Role: Emphasis on compliance with rules and procedures (bureaucracies).
- Task: Emphasis on completing jobs or projects, flexibility and speed (e.g., advertising agencies).
- Person: Focus on the individual (e.g., artists, architects, performers).
Organizational Culture Inventory Classifications
- Constructive cultures: Encourages interaction to meet higher-order needs.
- Passive/Defensive cultures: Defensive interactions to protect security.
- Aggressive/Defensive cultures: Forceful approaches to protect status and security.
Organizational Culture
- Organizational culture is "how things are done around here".
- It's a set of basic, tacit assumptions.
- Culture affects perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behavior
- Elements of culture include: history, culture, language, practice, and emotional attachments/rejections
Cultural Analysis Process
- Is the culture integrated, differentiated, or fragmented?
- Construct a culture web for the organization.
- Does the current culture inhibit or enable intended change?
- Are you oversimplifying or reifying the culture?
Cultural Analysis
- Integrate culture, differentiate culture, and fragment culture
- A cultural web is a diagramatic tool used to evaluate aspects of organizational culture
The Cultural Web
- Include elements like stories, symbols, rituals & routines, control systems, power structures, organizational structures, paradigms (core values & beliefs).
The Culture Web - Routines and Rituals
- The way things are typically done.
- Special events emphasizing the established way of operating.
- Examples: formal training, socializing
The Culture Web - Stories
- Embedding the organization's history & personalities.
- Stories celebrate important events, personalities, successes, disasters, heroes, and mavericks.
The Culture Web - Symbols
- Logos, offices, cars, language (e.g., jargon).
- Organizational symbols and status symbols.
The Culture Web - Power Structures
- Hierarchy.
- Powerful groups.
- People who drive or block change.
The Culture Web - Organisational Structure
- Reflect the power structure.
- Reflect and impact on relationships (e.g., a tall hierarchy).
- Formal or informal structures?
The Culture Web - Control Systems
- Measurements & reward systems emphasizing what is important to the organization.
- Draw attention towards specific behaviors and outcomes.
The GLOBE Study
- Key characteristics of national culture: Performance Orientation, Assertiveness, Future Orientation, Humane Orientation, Institutional Collectivism, In-Group Collectivism, Gender Egalitarianism, Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance.
Wilson's Culture Perspectives
- Integration: Organisation-wide consensus, consistency.
- Differentiation: Consensus only within sub-cultures.
- Fragmentation: Ambiguity and shifting consensus.
Dobson's Guide to Changing Culture
- Change recruitment/selection/redundancy policies.
- Reorganise the workforce to ensure values are held.
- Effectively communicate new values.
- Change systems, procedures, personnel policies (rewards, appraisal).
Cummings and Worley's Six Steps
- Formulate a clear strategic vision.
- Display top-management commitment.
- Model culture change at the highest level.
- Modify organisation to support change.
- Select and socialise newcomers; terminate deviants.
- Develop ethical and legal sensitivity.
Learning Organization
- Human beings learn a skill when the program is under control.
- Learning can occur as trial and error, failures, and disappointments
- Single-loop learning corrects errors in existing routines and policies without changing underlying objectives.
- Double-loop learning modifies objectives to improve the performance of the organization
Defensive Routines (DRs)
- Policies or actions preventing organizations from feeling pain, and simultaneously prevent learning about the causes of threats.
- Often sub-conscious and addictive.
- Hard to spot and change
National Culture – Hofstede’s Clusters
- Scandinavia: Collectivist, consensus, decentralized.
- Western Europe: Efficiency, well-oiled machine, reduced uncertainty.
- North America/Anglosphere: Strong individuals, achievers.
- Mediterranean/Southern Europe: Bureaucratic tendencies, large power distance.
The Four Main Types of Power:
- Coercive power: Threat of negative consequences.
- Remunerative power: Promise of rewards.
- Normative power: Use of symbolic rewards.
- Knowledge power: Control of information.
Favourite Influencing Strategies
- Upward influence: Use of reason.
- Across influence: Use of friendliness.
- Downward influence: Use of reason.
Power Tactics
- Image-building: Enhance a person's standing.
- Selective information: Withhold unfavorable information.
- Scapegoating: Blame someone else.
- Formal alliances: Form coalitions.
- Networking: Make friends with powerful people.
- Compromise: Be willing to concede on minor points.
- Rule manipulation: Interpret rules to favor oneself.
- Other tactics: Coercion, undermining expertise, etc.
Political Behaviour
- Minimized with stability, agreement about goals, and openness.
- Maximized with uncertainty, conflict, and secrecy over goals.
Organisational Change
- Can create instability, challenging existing culture and power relations, and promote political behaviour.
- Can also restore stability and support culture, maintain existing power relations, and reduce conflict.
Criticisms of Culture
- Strong cultures may make organisations resistant to change.
- Strong cultures may only be suited to specific stages of development.
- Benefits short-term but can cause long-term stagnation or decline.
Warning
- Culture cannot be completely manipulated.
- Some organizations are better suited to influence cultural aspects than others.
Power and Politics
- It's difficult to have complete agreement and congruency amongst goals and facts.
- Organizations are political systems, and rationality is determined by unitary and consistent preferences.
- Politics is the effort of people to gain support for or against certain policies, rules, goals, and decisions in which the outcome affects them.
Authority and Power
- Authority is the right to act or command.
- Power is the capacity to influence decisions.
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