Chapter 14, Module 2: Social Dynamics of Organizations

Question 1

National and organization culture, two types

Answer 1

• National cutlure; The culture of a country
• Organizational culture; The culture of a company.

Question 2

Hofstede’s research

Answer 2

Geert Hofstede conducted a large scale research project (N >100.000) tapping into the nature of national cultures while working
at IBM. He conducted surveys regarding people’s behavior in IBM (worldwide) and how they collaborated. He discovered differences
between cultures, but he saw similarities in how people responded when they were from the same country.

Question 3

Four dimensions of National Culture

Answer 3

These dimensions represent independent preferences for one state of affaris over another that distinguis countries (rather than individuals) from each other.
1. Power distance
2. Individualism (vs. collectivisim)
3. Masculinity (vs. Femininity).
4. Uncertainty avoidance.

Question 4

High context culture

Answer 4

A culture heavily relies on subtle cues and non-verbal behavior in communication.

Question 5

Low context cultures

Answer 5

If cultures rely on language to communicate.

Question 6

Dominant culture

Answer 6

Has core values that are shared by the majority of the mebmers of the organization.

Question 7

Sub cultures

Answer 7

Are mini-cultures within an organziatio, in general determined by the department and geographical characteristics.

Question 8

Socailization

Answer 8

The process by which new employees becomes aware of the values and procedures of an organization.

Question 9

Different stages of Socialization are;

Answer 9

• Pre-arrival stage (anticipatory socialization).
• Encounter stage (breaking in).
• Metamorphosis stage (setting in).

Question 10

Organizational climate & culture concers, are build;

Answer 10

An organizational climate concerns the context where the activities are created.
- The main focus is perception, which is created on the lower levels by the managers, Organizational culture concerns the values.
- The main focus is beliefs. The culture is created form the higher levels in the organization.

Question 11

Realistic job preview (RJP)

Answer 11

A technique for providing practival information about a job to prospective employees. Includes info about the task and context of the work.

Question 12

Attraction-selection-attrion model (ASA)

Answer 12

A model that proposes that organizations and individuals undergo a process of jointly assessing probable fit based primarily on personality characteristics. Through a proces of attrection, sellection and attrition, the goal is to make the workforce homogeneous with respect to personality characteristics.
Recruitment->selection->Socializaiton and Attrition

Question 13

Practical importance of Hofstede’s Theory

Answer 13

It promotes cultural sensitivity and helps people work more effectively when interactng with people from other countries.
- Cross-cultural communication
- International negotiation
- International management
- International marketing
- …..

Question 14

Definiton of organizaitonal culture

Answer 14

Organizational culture encompasses the unique set of values, norms and behaviors that contribute to the social and psycholoigcal environment of an organization.
Cultures affects productivity, performance, product quality, safety practices, cooperation, ethical behavior, and more.

Question 15

Do organizations have uniform cultures?

Answer 15

- Dominant culture; Expression of core values that are shared by the majority of the members of the organization.
- Sub cultures; Mini-cultures, within an organizaiton, in general determined b the department and geographical characteristics.
- Core values
- Strong culture, in which the dominant values are widely supported in the organizaiton. It can be replace formalization.

Question 16

Consequences of an organizational culture

Answer 16

1. Enhances social cohesion.
2. Provides its members with an identity.
3. Facilitates commitment (loyalty) to the organization.
4. Increases the stability of the social system by reducing uncertainty (culture guides expectations).
5. Provide direction.

Question 17

Different cultures emphasize different social rules;

Adam Grant

Answer 17

1. A culture of givers
2. A culture of takers
3. A culture of matchers

Research suggest that an organization with givers culture, outperforms the other types of cultures.

Question 18

How is the organizational culture created?

Answer 18

• Fouders select employees who think and feel as they do.
• The founders socialize these employees such that they will think and feel the same as they do.
• Founders functions as a role model. Learning takes place in a social context and can occur through observation (social learning theory- Albert Bandura).
• Selection
• Top management, help to adopt and communicate the vlaues and norms of the organization.
• Socialization, new employees adopt the organizational culture.

You can’t arbitrarily define a culture for a business. It has to develop from the harts and minds of the founders - Karl Loo, CEO of ServisHero