Workplace Culture

Question 1

Organizational Culture

Answer 1

A company’s purpose, objectives, expectations, and values for its employees.
Ex: personal interests, ideas, and ideologies of employees matches those of the company.

Question 2

How to build strong Organizational Culture

Answer 2

1. Leaders listen to team members opinions
2. Good communication.
3. Consistency in workplace (creates feeling of security)
4. Encourage the exchange of ideas, opinions, and feedback

Question 3

Function of Organizational Culture

Answer 3

1. Provides Sense of Identity
2. Defines Boundaries
3. Generates Commitment
4. Provides unwritten Rules and Standards

Question 4

Organizational Subculture

Answer 4

1. Forms when individuals within a company or form have shared experiences or values which are different from the firm’s dominant culture.
2. Based on things like: geographical separation, department designs, identity, tenure, task specialty
3. Subcultures not necessarily bad; THEY ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY CREATE A SENSE OF BELONGING AND PURPOSE.

Question 5

Institutionalization

Answer 5

Occurs when the culture of an organization becomes so well established that it is understood by people inside and outside of the organization.

Question 6

Dysfunction in Organizational Culture

Answer 6

1. Entrenched company culture is not equipped to deal with societal/business changes.
2. Lack of cultural diversity
3. Conflicting company cultures upon a merger. (“Culture Gap”)

Question 7

3 Traits of High Ethical Culture in Companies

Answer 7

1. High in Risk Tolerance
2. Low in Aggressiveness
3. Concerned with the Methods used to achieve organizational goals.

Question 8

Creating an Ethical Company Culture

Answer 8

1. Establish an Ethical Role Model
2. Communicate Ethical Expectations
3. Provide Ethical Training
4. Reward Ethical Acts/Punish unethical ones.
5. Create a blame-free environment

Question 9

Dimensions for National Culture

Answer 9

(Geert Hofstede) transporting a business culture abroad can be very difficult if these dimensions don’t align well:
1. Power Distance
2. Individualism vs Collectivism
3. Masculinity vs Femininity
4. Uncertainty Avoidance
5. Long-term vs short-term orientation

Question 10

3 Stages of Socialization

Answer 10

1. Pre-Arrival Stage
2. Encounter Stage
3. Metamorphosis Stage

Question 11

Pre-arrival stage

Answer 11

1. Stage of socialization before joining the organization, consisting of anything the individual had learned about the company before joining.
2. Part of this stage is the Selection Process. (Communicates values further)

Question 12

Encounter Stage

Answer 12

Stage of socialization when individual first joins company. Methods used to socialize the new employee:

1. Stories (anchors present culture into the past)
2. Rituals (repetitive activities that reinforce values: planned organizational events)
3. Material Symbols
4. Language (slang and organizational-specific jargon)

Question 13

Cultural dimensions Theory

Answer 13

Geert Hofstede, who identified components that help make up a basis for national culture.
1. Power Distance (the degree to which members of a group accept unequal hierarchies in power and authority)
2. Individualism vs Collectivism
3. Masculinity (material achievement) vs Femininity (cooperation and quality of life)
4. Uncertainty Avoidance
5. Long-term vs Short-term orientation

Question 14

Methods in which new employees learn the culture of an organization

Answer 14

1. Rituals
2. Language
3. Stories.