W3 - Cummings & Worley18.4 Cultural change

Question 1

Limitation to diagnosing organization culture for collecting partinent information

Answer 1

1. Shared Assumptions: Culture is based on unspoken assumptions, making it difficult to observe and understand.
2. Values:
   * Espoused Values: Beliefs organizations state are important.
   * Values-in-use: Beliefs that actually guide behavior.
3. Subcultures: Large or global organizations often have subcultures, including countercultures

Question 2

Artifcats

Answer 2

Visible symbols of the deeper levels of culture, such as nature, values and basic assumptions

Question 3

Norms and values: unwritten rules of behavior

Answer 3

• Value dilemma happens when two values contradict each other, sitting at opposite ends of a spectrum.
• Internal focus and integration vs. external focus and differentiation: One value focuses on working well within the organization, while the other focuses on adapting to the outside world.
• Flexibility and discretion vs. stability and control: One value emphasizes freedom and change, while the other emphasizes structure and consistency.

Question 4

Deep assumptions of culture

Answer 4

• These assumptions are often so ingrained that people don’t question them.
• To uncover them, an iterative interview process is used, involving both outsiders and insiders. Outsiders help explore and reveal cultural elements by working with the organization’s members.
• A culture workshop can bring people together to better understand and discuss these cultural assumptions.

Question 5

Difficulties implementing culture change

Answer 5

• Deeper cultural elements are unspoken beliefs about how the organization works, and members rarely question them or imagine alternatives.
• Members may resist changing these beliefs.
• The culture acts as a defense against outside challenges and threats.
• Members have a strong interest in keeping the culture as it is.
• Cultures that give organizations a competitive edge are hard for others to copy.

Question 6

Advice to bring cultural change

Answer 6

Formulate a clear strategic vision
Display top-management commitment
Model culture change at the highest level
Modify the organization to support organizational change