Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary characteristic of organizational culture that reflects the organization's ability to respond to changes in the environment?
What is the primary characteristic of organizational culture that reflects the organization's ability to respond to changes in the environment?
How does organizational culture differ from job satisfaction?
How does organizational culture differ from job satisfaction?
What does the dominant culture in an organization represent?
What does the dominant culture in an organization represent?
Which characteristic of organizational culture focuses on teamwork and collaboration among employees?
Which characteristic of organizational culture focuses on teamwork and collaboration among employees?
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In what way can national culture influence organizational culture?
In what way can national culture influence organizational culture?
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What is a common characteristic of a strong organizational culture?
What is a common characteristic of a strong organizational culture?
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What role does organizational culture play in defining boundaries?
What role does organizational culture play in defining boundaries?
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How does organizational culture influence ethical decision-making?
How does organizational culture influence ethical decision-making?
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What best describes the interaction of organizational climates?
What best describes the interaction of organizational climates?
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What aspect of sustainability in organizational culture is emphasized?
What aspect of sustainability in organizational culture is emphasized?
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What are the primary methods through which culture is transmitted to employees?
What are the primary methods through which culture is transmitted to employees?
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Which of the following strategies would NOT help in creating a more ethical culture?
Which of the following strategies would NOT help in creating a more ethical culture?
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What is a characteristic of a positive organizational culture?
What is a characteristic of a positive organizational culture?
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How does workplace spirituality differ from organized religion?
How does workplace spirituality differ from organized religion?
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What is a reason for the increasing interest in spirituality in the workplace?
What is a reason for the increasing interest in spirituality in the workplace?
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Which of the following is NOT a method of influencing organizational culture?
Which of the following is NOT a method of influencing organizational culture?
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What is one way organizations are attempting to create a positive culture?
What is one way organizations are attempting to create a positive culture?
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What characteristic is commonly found in startups that fosters innovation?
What characteristic is commonly found in startups that fosters innovation?
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How can organizational culture contribute to business success?
How can organizational culture contribute to business success?
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What is a common barrier to organizational change?
What is a common barrier to organizational change?
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What role do founders play in shaping an organization’s culture?
What role do founders play in shaping an organization’s culture?
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Which of the following is a method for sustaining culture in an organization?
Which of the following is a method for sustaining culture in an organization?
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What aspect of culture can be a liability for an organization?
What aspect of culture can be a liability for an organization?
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What is the relationship between organizational culture and successful business stories?
What is the relationship between organizational culture and successful business stories?
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What does the process of indoctrination in a company usually lead to?
What does the process of indoctrination in a company usually lead to?
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Study Notes
Organizational Culture
- Organizational culture is a system of shared meanings held by members distinguishing the organization from others.
Common Characteristics of Organizational Culture
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Primary Characteristics:
- Adaptability
- Detail orientation
- Results/outcome orientation
- People/customer orientation
- Collaboration/team orientation
- Integrity
Culture as a Descriptive Term
- Concerned with employees' perceptions of characteristics, not whether they like them.
- Questions to consider: does it encourage teamwork, reward innovation, or stifle initiative?
- Differs from job satisfaction, which is evaluative; organizational culture is descriptive.
Do Organizations Have Uniform Cultures?
- Most have a dominant culture and numerous subcultures.
- Dominant culture expresses core values shared by the majority, giving the organization a distinct personality.
- Subcultures tend to develop in large organizations reflecting common problems, situations, or experiences.
Strong versus Weak Cultures
- Strong culture: core values intensely held and widely shared.
- Stronger influence on member behavior the more members accept core values and are committed.
What Do Cultures Do?
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Functions of Culture:
- Boundary-defining role.
- Convey a sense of identity for members.
- Facilitate generation of commitment.
- Enhance stability of the social system.
- Serve as a sense-making and control mechanism.
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Culture Creates Climate:
- Shared perceptions of the organization and work environment, including team spirit at the organizational level.
- Climates interact to produce behavior and influence habits.
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Ethical Dimension of Culture:
- Cultures are not neutral in their ethical orientation.
- Ethical culture (shared concept of right/wrong) develops over time as part of the organizational climate.
- Reflects true values and shapes ethical decision-making.
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Sustainability:
- Practices maintained over long periods due to supportive tools and structures.
- Social sustainability not purely altruistic.
- Long-term culture puts values into practice.
- Requires time and nurturing to grow.
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Culture and Innovation:
- Most innovative companies have open, unconventional, collaborative, vision-driven, and accelerating cultures.
- Startup firms often have innovative cultures, usually small, agile, and focused on problem-solving.
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Culture as an Asset:
- Significantly contributes to an organization's bottom line in many ways.
- Many success stories are due to excellent organizational cultures.
Culture as a Liability
- Institutionalization: deeply ingrained organizational culture making change difficult.
- Barriers to Change: culture opposes change.
- Barriers to Diversity: resists diversity.
- Toxicity and Dysfunctions: negative cultures causing problems.
- Barriers to Acquisitions and Mergers: cultures clash during integration.
Creating and Sustaining Culture
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How a Culture Begins: Ultimate source is founders.
- They have a vision for what the organization should be.
- New organizations are small, facilitating the founders' vision.
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Culture Creation (3 Ways):
- Founders hire employees who think and feel as they do.
- Employees are indoctrinated and socialized into founders' way of thinking.
- Founder's behavior encourages employees to identify with them.
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Keeping a Culture Alive (Selection and Top Management):
- Selection: Identifying and hiring individuals with necessary skills.
- Top Management: Establishing norms of behavior.
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Socialization Model (Exhibit 16-2):
- Prearrival Stages
- Encounter Stage
- Metamorphosis Stage
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How Organizational Cultures Form (Exhibit 16-4):
- Philosophy of founders
- Selection criteria
- Top management
- Socialization
How Culture is Transmitted to Employees
- Culture is transmitted through
- Stories
- Rituals
- Symbols
- Material symbols
- Language
Influencing Organizational Culture
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Ethical Culture:
- Visible role model.
- Communicate ethical expectations.
- Provide ethics training.
- Visibly reward ethical acts and punish unethical ones.
- Provide protective mechanisms.
-
Positive Culture:
- Emphasizes building on employee strengths.
- Rewards more than it punishes.
- Emphasizes vitality growth.
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Workplace Spirituality:
- Not about organized religious practices or theology.
- Recognizes inner life nourishing and nourished by meaningful work taking place in a community context.
Implications for Managers
- Realize culture is relatively fixed. Involve top management for change strategies.
- Hire individuals whose values align with the organization.
- Understand employees' performance and socialization.
- Train well and inform of changes.
- Shape culture by taking a visible role model and by working to create an ethical and positive work environment.
- Culture may not be transferable to other countries, so understand cultural relevance when introducing new initiatives.
Identify Characteristics of a Spiritual Culture
- Many organizations have grown interested in spirituality but had difficulty implementing its principles.
- Leaders can demonstrate values, attitudes, and behaviors that trigger intrinsic motivation and a sense of calling through work.
- Encouraging employees to consider their work’s purpose through community building.
- Critics focus on: scientific foundation, legitimacy of imposing spiritual values, and compatibility with profits.
Global Context
- Organizational cultures often reflect national culture.
- U.S. managers need to be culturally sensitive.
- Ethical behavior management can be a cultural clash point.
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Description
This quiz explores the fundamental concepts of organizational culture, including its characteristics and the dynamics between dominant cultures and subcultures within organizations. Test your knowledge on how these cultural aspects influence team collaboration and overall organizational performance.
