2.5

Question 1

what is an organisational culture?

Answer 1

Organizational Culture is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs, which governs how people behave in organizations. These shared values have a strong influence on the people in the organizationand dictate how they dress, act, and perform their jobs.

Question 2

what is a culture crash

Answer 2

If an individual joins an organization and does not share its values , it’s very likely the person would not last long at the new job.

Question 3

what two authors’ approaches will we use to describe different type of organisational cultures?

Answer 3

To describe the different types of organization cultures, we are going to use the approach of two authors: Charles Handy and Edgar Schein

Question 4

what are Handys four orgniasationla structures?

Answer 4

Power Culture
Role Culture
Task Culture
Person Culture

Question 5

whta are Schein’s organisational cultures?

Answer 5

Organizational Attributes
Professes culture
Organizational Assumptions

Question 6

what is a power culture?

Answer 6

In an organisation with a power culture, power is held by just a few individuals whose influence spreads throughout the organisation.

There are few rules and regulations in a power culture ( What those with power decide is what happens) Employees are generally judged by their results and what they achieve rather than how they do things or how they act. A consequence of this can be quick decision-making, even if those decisions aren’t in the best long-term interests of the organisation (i.e. family business and banks).

A power culture is usually a strong culture, though it can swiftly turn toxic.

Question 7

what is he best way to represent a power culture?

Answer 7

Best way to represent the Power Culture is a spider web. The power comes from the spider (the centre) and the web is worthless without the spider. The spider can reward or punish.
Quick decisions are made an no bureaucracy !

Question 8

what is a role culture?

Answer 8

Organisations with a role culture are based on rules. They are highly controlled, with everyone in the organisation knowing what their roles and responsibilities are. Power in a role culture is determined by a person’s position (role) in the organisational structure.

Role cultures are built on detailed organisational structures which are typically tall (not flat) with a long chain of command. A consequence is that decision-making in role cultures can often be painfully-slow and the organisation is less likely to take risks. Consequently, organisations with role cultures tend to be very bureaucratic.

Examples with role culture can be the military or civil servicers, amongst others.

Question 9

what represemts the role culture

Answer 9

Role culture is often presented as temples or buildings where a clear hierarchy is shown.
Power derives from persons position in the company.
Hierarchal bureaucracy is common in this culture.

Question 10

what is task culture?

Answer 10

Task culture arises when teams in an organisation are formed to address specific problems or progress projects.
The task is the important thing, so power within the team will often shift depending on the mix of the team members and the status of the problem or project.
Whether the task culture proves effective will largely be determined by the team dynamic. With the right mix of skills, personalities and leadership, working in teams can be incredibly productive and creative (i.e., the Olympics, management consultants and even drama departments in schools)

Question 11

how is task culture represented?

Answer 11

Task culture is represented by a net or crossing lines of a matrix structure.
A team is formed to complete a project but once the project is finished the net is dissolved and another one will be formed for the next project.
Power derives from expertise.

Question 12

whis person culture?

Answer 12

In organisations with person cultures, individuals very much see themselves as unique and superior to the organisation, they just want to do their own thing.
The organisation simply exists in order for people to work. It is aculturewhich is only there to help the individuals who work there.
An organisation with a person culture is just a collection of individuals who happen to be working for the same organisation (i.e., architecture firms, surgeons, lawyers, university departments).

Question 13

how is person culture represented?

Answer 13

Persons cultures is represented by a constellation of stars.
Each star is unique and different, and they are also independent.
This type of culture is very difficult to manage and also the type or people who are used to Person culture can’t bear to work in different environments.

Question 14

what are orgnaisationl attributeds?

Answer 14

Organizational attributes are the visible signs of an organisation’s culture and can be sensed as soon as one walks in an organization.
They can be seen, heard and felt. For example, what the dress code is; what kind of offices and layout is used; how employees address each other and how they communicate internally and externally.

Question 15

what is professed culture?

Answer 15

Professed culture
These are the public statements about what the organisational values are about. Many organisations now communicate what their “core values” are in different forms such as image signs, slogans, websites.

Question 16

what is organisational assumptions?

Answer 16

These are the foundations on which culture is based. The organizational attributes are often difficult to describe, are intangible and are often only really understood by people who’ve become accustomed to the way the organisation works. Schein described this as “the real way things get done around here”
They are usually invisible. You won’t find them written down anywhere. People may not want to talk about them. But they exist and are often powerful (i.e. how things are supposed to be and how things really are)
If a new employee takes time to “fit in” in an organization, it might me because he/she can sense the organizational attributes.

Question 17

what is the overarching reason for culture clash?

Answer 17

This mainly occurs when organizations merge, when an individual enters and organization or when there is a change in leadership/management.

Question 18

what are the detailed reasons for culture clash?

Answer 18

Different comfort levels with diversity – some organizations are more used to diversity than others.
Different degrees of formality – formal vs. informal (i.e., dress codes)

Different languages – each organization has its own language which the new employees have to adapt to. However, sometimes some misunderstandings arise due to non-verbal communications (i.e., translating )

Different leadership styles – These mainly applies to organizations that merge. Both organization have different leadership styles, for example Democratic vs. Autocratic. The employees will find difficult to adapt to this situation.

Different orientations to tasks and to people – Some organizations are task oriented while others are peoples oriented.

Different practices – When the difference in practice from organization to organization is affected by different cultures and the country the organization is from.

Different senses of time - In some cultures and organizations time is fixed. However, there are other organization that have a more flexible approach to time (i.e. flexi time)

Question 19

what are some ealry indicators of clash cultre?

Answer 19

Lack of Focus – Employees don’t understand the aims and values from the new manager (or company in case of merge)

Worry about the merge – Uncertainty in employee generate lack of focus in their jobs since they are just thinking about “what will happen?”

Sense of division – employees look at the “faults” of the other employees (if it’s a merge) or the new leader. And they overthink how will that affect them.

Sense of isolation – The new manager might focus in the objectives and not the people. Thus, employees will feel alone and unappreciated.

Unresponsive management – when employees feel that managers don’t care about them.

Question 20

what is the serious consequences of clash cultre?

Answer 20

Lower productivity – Since the employees find hard working in the new organization (or under a new manager) productivity is affected.

Higher labour turn over – ultimately employees may leave or look for another job. Which affect the organization since the purpose of a merge or a new manager is to use the trained employees already in the company.

Conflicts in the workplace – clash in personalities, culture etc. can bring additional stress in the workplace.

Lower profitability – since there is lower productivity, high staff turnover and culture clashes the organization will be affected with lower profits.

Bankrupt or failure – the worst consequence followed by a very low profitability.