Organizational Culture

Chapter 14: pp. 437-453 Organizational Behavior 261

Gabrielle Durepos

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Outline

• Toward an understanding of culture

• 2 Approaches to organizational culture

– Clinical

– Ethnographic

• 5 Characteristics that affect organizational culture

– Personalities

– Structures

– Practices and Processes

– Symbolism

• 5 characteristics that affect organizational culture exercise

• Conclusions

Toward an understanding of Culture

• Refers to the dominant ways of doing things in an organization that are reflected in the activities of individuals

• Factors that constitute the culture of an organization: – Leadership styles, values, beliefs, symbols, artifacts,

language, dress, rites, ceremonies, stories, structure, slogans

Two Approaches to Organizational Culture: Clinical Approach

• A method for looking at Organizational Culture

• The researcher takes the role of “consultant”– Hired to “FIX” problems

• Finds organizational problems• Finds solutions / cultural factors that will help the organization deal with its

problems• Suggests recommendations to change culture to improve the bottom line

• Prescriptive – knowledge to improve the bottom line– Knowledge about organizational culture for the purpose of helping

managers improve the bottom line

Two Approaches to Organizational Culture: Ethnographic Approach

• A method for looking at Organizational Culture

• The researcher takes the role of “observer”– Negotiates their way into the organization

– Observes practices and processes

– Seeks to understand how organizational culture works• How do different aspects of an organization's culture affect behavior?

• Descriptive - Knowledge for the sake of knowledge – Broaden our knowledge of business practices & organizational culture

in general

5 Characteristics that Affect Organizational Culture:

1 - Personalities

• Culture is affected by people within the organization and their interactions over time– Not everyone is equal in the organization

• Founders and CEO– Culture change programs are often written with the vision of Its

formal leader

• Innovators, conformists, resisters, enforcers…– All others in the organization play a role in shaping the culture

• Some resist change, some enforce change…

5 Characteristics that Affect Organizational Culture:

2 – Structures 1/2

• Different types of organizational structures will lead to different types of cultures:

• Role Culture– Activities of employees are coordinated and controlled according to their positions in the

organization– Example: Bureaucratic organizations – control, communication and coordination are structured

through someone’s designated role– Leads to a culture where there is more control

• Task Culture– Activities of employees are organized around a project, each contribute particular skills– Not too much control - don’t want to hinder creativity

• Power Culture– Activities of employees are organized around an owner /practitioner or professional

• Owner or professional designates tasks as they are needed• Example: dentist office or lawyer

– Owner or professional has much influence over the culture

• Person Culture– Activities are organized around the needs of its members– Example: Trade Unions; motorcycle gang

5 Characteristics that Affect Organizational Culture:

2 – Structures 2/2

• A radical approach to structure & culture:

– Organizations that are structured around:• Production for sale rather than need• Market oriented• Hierarchal• … Are in essence alienating, exploitative, anti-democratic and gendered…

– Alternative structures:• Co-operatives (Just Us Fair Trade Investment Co-Operative)• Customer Co-op (MEC customers engage in democratic process) • Worker co-operatives (Just Us Coffee Rosters Co-op)

– Each of these structures impact those working with them – and affect the type of culture of that organization

5 Characteristics that Affect Organizational Culture:

3 – Practices & 4 - Processes

• Organizations develop processes and practices that are particular to them– EX: All universities serve a same function but do this

in different ways• Some are solely “case based” • Some are “course work based”

• Their processes and practices are influenced by:– The rules and regulations of the organization– The particular structure in place

5 Characteristics that Affect Organizational Culture:

5 - Symbolism

• Visible signs and artifacts that have a particular meaning that is associated with the organization

• Examples:– Symbols

• visible signs that become associated with an organization (ex: a logo)

– Dress • do they dress formally, informally in uniform?

– Slogans• jingles used for marketing purposes or internal sentences that are repeated and

common

– Ceremonies• arise out of practices of establishment; celebrate a certain time / designation

– Language• certain words used that mean something particular to an organization

– Stories• oft told tales that center around someone or something

in the organization; can motivate or hinder

5 characteristics that affect organizational culture

Exercise

• Watch the clip: An Inside Look at Googlehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnSBhWEyK4&feature=channel

• Describe the 5 characteristics that affect organizational culture:– Personalities

– Structures

– Practices

– Processes

– Symbolism

• Use these five characteristics to describe the culture at Google

• What conclusions can we draw from this analysis?

Conclusions

• Ethical Concerns:– Can we impose a set of values on individuals to

achieve profit oriented ends– What about the individual and their personal values,

beliefs and attitudes?

• Does culture ignore issues of diversity?– Or is it a powerful heuristic to inspect these issues

closely?