Organisational Culture

Question 1

Def

Answer 1

Organisational culture focuses on the beliefs, values and meaning (of a group of people) the culture concept emphasises the fundamental frameworks which people take for granted in their social and occupational activities
(Schultz,1995)

Question 2

How is organisations culture understood

Answer 2

1) artefacts -rituals,logos, language, structure, physical layouts, stories etc
2) espoused beliefs - beliefs,values,vision,bus goal
3) assumptions- underlying philosophy,unconscious shared assumptions

Shein(1985) model

Question 3

Evaluation of the schein model

Answer 3

Allows for complexity and subjectivity

But argues that cultures include “unconscious,hidden assumptions” at the bottom layer

Do these exist if they are unknowable

What about sub cultures

Question 4

Sub cultures

Answer 4

Organisational culture is the big picture

In that you have industry,profesional, occupational, societal, and national cultures

Within that you have organisational sub cultures

Hatch 1997

Question 5

Why is org culture important

Answer 5

Ranked 3rd in top ten most important trends in the global human capital trends ranking in 2016

-generates belonging : creates organisational identity, shapes employee behaviour and attitude, org differentiation as social entity, notions of strong and weak cultures are important here : strong cultures are those where there is clarity and commitment to the norms,values,beliefs, customs etc. Of the organisation

Impacts performance- impacts organisational performance (Cummings Worley 2005), argument built through the idea of strong cultures (google)

-Problematic if mismanaged : mismatch between internal culture and external environment, institutional lack of ethics, strong cultures can be a substantial barrier to change, problematic for mergers and acquisitions- integration

Question 6

Can it be managed : depends on your starting proposition

Answer 6

Culture as a variable :

• Organisations “have “culture
• By product or organisational activities
• “change A and B will happen”
• culture can be “managed” and “changed”

Culture as a root metaphor :

• organisations “are” culture
• Process of sense making and sense giving
• culture is always changing; everyone influences this

Question 7

Optimists,pessimists or realists

Answer 7

Pessimists - culture not manageable , unconscious process, control mechanism

Realists - some parts of culture can be changed, but by all, as it is co constructed

Optimists- cultural unity benefits all, leadership can control & influence culture

Question 8

The socialisation process

Answer 8

Do new staff fit in and belong

1)Pre arrival(come with existing. Values and attitudes)

2) encounter (expectations may differ from reality)
3) metamorphosis (we adapt ourselves to the new environment)

4) productivity ? Commitment ? Purpose ?

Question 9

Espoused values at Vw

Answer 9

Respect 
Responsibility 
Value creation 
Closeness to the customer 
Superior performance sustainability 

Learnt that all these not true after emission scandal