Corporate Culture

Question 1

What is corporate culture?

Answer 1

Corporate culture is a set of unwritten or informal rules that dictate how people in an organisation should behave in any given circumstances. These are rules based on values, ideas, expectations and beliefs shared by members of the organisation.

Question 2

What is the difference between formal and informal culture in an organisation?

Answer 2

Formal cultured organisations emphasise accountability, communication, cooperation, and loyalty and respect for supervisors. Informal cultured organisations exhibit highly flexible, highly innovative and risk taking behaviour.

Question 3

What is the benefit of a positive corporate culture?

Answer 3

• management that communicates with staff, rewards employees for exemplifying appropriate values, and recruiting staff who fit within the organisation, will produce more satisfied employees.
• employees who have clear expectations about their work will develop a sense of belonging.
• staff will be much more productive and effective in their work process if they are able to bond better with other staff and have sufficient training in an organisations values.

Question 4

What are the elements of a corporate culture ?

Answer 4

1 - values and practices
The way things are completed or accomplished in an organisation. e.g. Honesty, hard work, teamwork, quality customer service, employee participation

2 - symbols
Events or objects that represent something important to the organisation e.g. Sporting events to foster positive competition among employees, clothing or uniform

3 - rites, rituals and celebrations
These are routine behavioural patterns in an LSOs everyday life. E.g. Regular social gatherings, parties for achievements

4 - heroes
These are the organisation’s successful employees who reflect its values and act as an example for others.