Week 3: Organisational Culture and Structure Flashcards
what is organisation?
is a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces between two or more persons
what is culture?
o The social behaviour and norms found in human societies
o A shared set of beliefs, values, knowledge and patterns of behaviour common to a group of people
GLOBE project’s nine cultural dimensions?
Power distance Uncertainty avoidance Institutional collectivism In-group collectivism Gender egalitarianism Assertiveness Future orientation Performance orientation Human orientation
organisational culture?
o System of shared beliefs and values that develops within org and guides the behaviour of its members
3 levels of organisational culture?
1: Observable artefacts
2: Espoused Values
3: basic assumptions
- observable artefacts?
physical manifestation such as outfit, awards, stories about company/vision and mission statements e.g. virgin blue changed name to virgin Australia – praised with announcement to upgrade fleet, business lounges – shift focus from budget to quality airline
- espoused values
explicitly stated values and norms preferred; enacted values represent values and norms exhibited in org. e.g. if sign saying trust on wall, but enacted values where search bag before enter or leave building
- basic assumptions
core values of org’s culture, those taken for granted and highly resistant to change e.g Optiver focus on hard work but also individual wellbeing and health with access to gym passes and healthy breakfast and lunch
The Four Functions of Organisational Culture –
organisational identity, collective commitment, social system stability, sense-making device
3 types of organisations?
for profit, non-profit, mutual benefit – may be expressed vertically or horizontally on an organisation chart
Traditional types?
simple structure
functional structure
divisional
matrix
simple structure?
authority is centralised in single person with few rules and low work specialisation
functional structure?
ppl with similar occupational specialties put together in formal group
divisional:
diverse occupational specialities put in formal groups
matrix
combines functional and divisional chains of command in grid so two command structure – vertical and horizontal
