Chapter 16 Organizational Culture

Describe a positive organizational culture

Builds on employee strengths, rewards rather than punishes, emphasizes individual health and growth Limits of positive org culture: Possible stigmatization of those who fail to fit template

Compare the functional and dysfunctional effects of organizational culture on people and the organization

Culture as social glue Ethical work climate (EWC): the shared concept of right and wrong behavior in the workplace that reflects the true values of the org. Culture as a liability 1. Institutionalization: self-value rather than for goods or services produced 2. Barriers to change 3. Barriers to diversity 4. Barriers to acquisitions and mergers

Identify the factors that create and sustain an org's culture

Culture creation 1. Founder hires and keeps employees like him 2. Indoctrination of employees 3. Encouragement of employees using founder's own behavior Keeping a culture alive 1. Selection: hiring the right employees 2. Top Management: executives establish norms 3. Socialization: adapting employees to culture 4. Prearrival stage (employees arrive with set of values and beliefs); encounter stage (reality may be different from expectations); metamorphosis stage (conversion)

Common characteristics of organizational culture

Essence of org. culture 1. innovation and risk taking 2. Attention to detail 3. Outcome orientation 4. People orientation 5. Team orientation 6. Aggressiveness 7. Stability Conceptualizations of culture 1. Clan: collaborative 2. Adhocracy: adaptable 3. Hierarchy: controlled 4. Market: customer-focused Dominant cultures vs. subcultures 1. culture that expresses the core values held by majority of org's members 2. common problems; department designations Strong vs. weak culture 1. core values are intensely held and widely shared

How an ethical culture can be created

How managers can do so: 1. Be visible role models 2. Communicate ethical expectations 3. Provide ethical training 4. Visibly reward ethical acts and punish unethical ones 5. Provide protective mechanisms

How national culture affects the way organizational culture is transported to another country

Org cultures often reflect national cultures Dominant business forces can be culturally sensitive

How culture is transmitted to employees

Stories Rituals (material) Symbols Language

Identify characteristics of a spiritual culture

Workplace spirituality: the recognition that people have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community Characteristics: 1. Benevolence 2. Strong sense of purpose 3. Trust and respect 4. Open-mindedness Achieving a spiritual org: activities that support work-life balance Criticisms: Is spirituality profitable? Do orgs have the right to impose spiritual beliefs upon employees?