National & Company Culture

Question 1

National culture is what level?

Answer 1

Macro

Question 2

Why might Dr. Barfuss’s approach to management be culture blind/parochialism?

Answer 2

• Introducing some elements of performance related pay does not mean and improvement in performance, and within this can it is unnecessary, as it is not always successful, staff at Chatroux are older, committed and no not need pressure or incentives - could actually be seen as insulted

Question 3

Why is it important to understand culture?

Answer 3

• Expected standards
• Behaviour
• Managing future events

Question 4

What is national culture?

Answer 4

Collective programming of the mind (Hofestede, 2001)

Question 5

What is the purpose of culture?

Answer 5

Gold Smith and Clutterbuck 1997:

The development and spread of core cause, that establishes the cultural identify.

Question 6

What are the determinate of culture? (Deal and Kennedy)

Answer 6

• Location
• Management and leadership
• Strategy
• Size

Question 7

What type of culture did Chatroux have with Legris?

Answer 7

‘Tough - guy macho’, was conflict amongst some managers but this was a good thing in the end

Question 8

What type of culture does Chatroux have with Barfuss?

Answer 8

‘Process’ culture - Communication within groups & teams, spreads the risk, covers his back: may not be his intention but it might be viewed this way

Question 9

What type of structural/overall culture does Chatroux have? (Handy)

Answer 9

Role culture, (Handy) - Greek Temple, (Handy 1976)
- mechanistic
- Bureaucracy
- Rests on key pillars
Barfuss is not fulfilling his roles and making decisions

Question 10

According to Goffee and Jones what type of company is Chatroux now?

Answer 10

Mercenary: LowxLow
- High focus on the task and individual effort and reward
- May be too hindered by self-interest
Sociability : warm social relationships, valued for their own sake
Solidarity : extent of task-centred co-operation between people

Question 11

According to Goffee and Jones what type of company was Chatroux with Legris?

Answer 11

Communal: HighxHigh
- Sociable, but focused on tasks and goal
- Concerned with company values
- May be too complacent
Sociability : warm social relationships, valued for their own sake
Solidarity : extent of task-centred co-operation between people

Question 12

What has led to the change from communal to mercenary?

Answer 12

The lack of social interaction within the workforce

Question 13

Is Chatroux a strong or week company?

Answer 13

Legge
Strong, 
- Core values widely held
- Behavioural control
- But may affect flexibility 
It has remained this type of company through both management types (Legris & Barfuss)

Question 14

What does a sustainable culture take into account/is? (Chatman and Cha)

Answer 14

Chatman and Cha

• Strategy, needs to be strategically relevant
• Strong
• Adaptable

Question 15

What type of category are Chatroux workers?

Answer 15

Linear-Active: Task orientated, organised, straightforward direct discussion is preferred, and have faith in rules & regulations

Question 16

Who came up with the definition of culture?

Answer 16

Hofestede, 2001

Question 17

How many dimensions are there for Hofstede’s national culture dimensions?

Answer 17

6

Question 18

What are the most relevant dimensions of Hofestede’s to the case or Dr. Barfuss?

Answer 18

• Uncertainty avoidance: French companies tend to be very high, which means they feel threatened by usual or ambiguous situations
• Individualism: France is a high individualistic culture, this means they stress more over the need of the individual compared to the group; which is demonstrated by social behaviour

Question 19

What have Schneider & Barsoux said about multi-cultural teams?

Answer 19

Multicultural teams tend to perform either much better or much worse than mono-cultural teams

Question 20

What could Scheider & Barsoux’s research into teams be indicting for Chatroux?

Answer 20

That in this case, the mix of the cultures is not a good one, although there have been no real impact to the business apart from the 3 departures, which could be explained by DeWits and Meyers barriers to change

Question 21

What is organisational culture

Answer 21

Beattie 1972,

The way we do things around here

Question 22

What does organisational culture establish?

Answer 22

• Mission & goals, how they should be fulfilled
• How problems should be resolved
• Who has power

Question 23

What did Beattie 1972 come up with?

Answer 23

Organisational culture defintion: The way we do things around here

Question 24

Goldsmith & Clutterbuck 1997 established what?

Answer 24

The purpose of culture

Question 25

Does Chatroux have a sub-culture?

Answer 25

Barfuss’s deparment is kind of its own sub-culture as it operates different to the rest of the company

Question 26

Legge came up with what?

Answer 26

Strong vs. Weak cultures