10.2 - Organisational culture

Question 1

What were the four main classifications identified by Charles Handy?

Answer 1

Power culture
Role culture
Person culture
Task culture

Question 2

Define power culture

Answer 2

Decision making limited to a few people
Centralised structure
Employees likely to become resistant to change because no opportunity to express opinions

Question 3

Define role culture

Answer 3

Authority defined by job title/role

Decisions come from senior managers so employees don’t get to get involved.

Question 4

Define person culture

Answer 4

The objectives of the firm are defined by personal ambitions
Common in professional partnerships

Question 5

Define task culture

Answer 5

Place emphasis on getting tasks done
Small teams set on projects then disbanded
Employees used to change +
Conflict between teams for budget etc -

Question 6

What are hofstede’s six dimensions

Answer 6

Power distance = The extent to which people accept power and wealth is distributed unequally
Uncertainty avoidance = The extent to which people try to minimise uncertainty
Individualism vs collectivism = The extent to which people are willing to look after themselves rather than support each other.
Masculinity vs Femininity = Masculine is highly competitive and powerful, with constraining gender roles. Feminine culture focuses on care and quality of life.
Long-term orientation = the extent to which the society looks to the future and accepts new ideas
Indulgence vs resistance - restrained regulate the desires of people. Indulgence lets people fulfil their desires within reason.

Question 7

What is organisational culture?

Answer 7

The way peopled things a company
the way they expect things to be done
Shapes the expectations and attitudes of staff

Question 8

Name some influences on organisational culture

Answer 8

Growth = new employees = different expectations and aims OR growth can lead to a more corporate structure
Multinational companies influenced by culture of companies and geographical regions

Question 9

Name reasons to change organisational culture

Answer 9

Preference of leaders
New management
To be more competitive EG power culture slow to adopt new strategies where as entrepreneurial culture is fast

Question 10

Difficulties changing organisational culture

Answer 10

Employees always at leats slightly resist change
Complicated because have to change views of staff and attitudes
Very expensive - Office layout changes, new staff training.
Recruitment changes within HR.