ch 15 organizational culture Flashcards
organizational culture
a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that show employees what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior
why does organizational culture matter
an organization’s culture may be one of its strongest assets, as well as its biggest liability
levels of organizational culture
assumptions
values
artifacts
assumptions
deepest level
taken for granted, and they reflect beliefs about human nature and reality
values
second level
shared principles, standards, and goals
artifacts
surface level
visible, tangible aspects of organizational culture
organizational culture profile (OCP)
culture is represented by seven distinct values
seven principles of OCP
innovative
aggressive
outcome-oriented
stable
people-oriented
team-oriented
detail-oriented
innovative culture
flexible and adaptable, and experiment with new ideas
flat hierarchy
aggressive cultures
value competitiveness and outperforming competitors
may fall short in the area of corporate social responsibility
outcome-oriented cultures
emphasize achievement, results, and actions as important values
stable cultures
predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic
aim to coordinate and align individual efforts for greatest levels of efficiency
may be effective by providing stable and constant levels of output
people-oriented cultures
value fairness, supportiveness, and respect for individual rights
people are their greatest asset
team-oriented cultures
collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees
detail-oriented cultures
characterized as emphasizing precision and paying attention to details
gives competitive advantage to companies in the hospitality industry by helping them differentiate themselves from others
service culture
not one of the dimensions of OCP but important in retail industry
employees are trained to serve the customer well, and cross-training is the norm
employees are empowered to resolve customer problems in ways they see fit
safety culture
safety-sensitive jobs
provides competitive advantage bc the organization can reduce accidents, maintain high levels of morale and employee retention and increases profitability by cutting workers’ comp insurance costs
strong culture
one that is shared by organizational members
when most employees in the organization show consensus regarding the values of the company
subculture
a culture that emerges within different departments, branches, or geographic locations
may arise from the personal characteristics of employees and managers, as well as the different conditions under which work is performed
counterculture
shared values and beliefs that are in direct opposition to the values of the broader organizational culture
a form of subculture
how are cultures created
- founder values and preferences (why culture is so hard to change)
- industry demands
lead to - early values, goals, assumptions
how are cultures maintained
- attraction-selection- attrition (ASA)
- new employee onboarding
- leadership
- reward systems
lead to - organizational culture
onboarding
aka organizational socialization
the process through which new employees learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to function effectively within an organization
what can employees do during onboarding
proactive
seek feedback
build strong relationships
what can organizations do during onboarding
a formal orientation program
what can organizational insiders do during onbaording
supervisors/leaders - provide info and support, influences how quickly employees learn about company politics and culture
coworkers - influences degree to which new employees adjust to their teams
mentors - teach them ins and outs of their jobs and how the company really operates
reward system
company culture is shaped by the type of reward system used and the kids of behaviors and outcomes it chooses to reward and punish
- emphasize intangible elements of performance as well as easily observable metrics: expect culture that is people or team oriented
- reward goal achievements: expect outcome-oriented and competitive cultures
- rankings or ratings: whether promotions are based on performance or senority
visual elements of organizational culture
mission statement
stories
physical layout
rules and policies
rituals
mission statement
a statement of purpose, describing who the company is and what it does
not always reflect the company’s values and its purpose
rituals
refer to repetitive activities within an organization that have symbolic meaning
create camaraderie and a sense of belonging among employees
rules and policies
rules will signal the type of values a company has
policies reveal what the company values and emphasizes
physical layout
may indicate core values
a company’s building, layout of employee offices, communicates important messages
stories
highlight a critical event an organization faced and the collective response to it, or can emphasize a heroic effort of a single employee illustrating the company’s values
six steps to create change
- crate a sense of urgency
- change leaders and other key players
- role model
- train
- change the reward system
- create new stories and symbols
what does a company need to emphasize in terms culture
integrity
honesty
trust
mandatory ethics training
