Cultural Approach
Confessional Tale
A very personal account of the researcher's experiences in the culture under investigation
Fragmentation Perspective
Ambiguous culture is normal and unavoidable in today's organizations.
Grounded Theory
Undersstanding built from intense observations of a particular social group or situtation
What are the two approaches of Organizational Culture?
Understanding culture as something an organization HAS or something an organization IS
4 Key Components of "Strong Cultures"
1. Value 2. Heros 3. Rites and Rituals 4. Cultural Network
Ethnography
A research technique with the goals of representing a detailed depiction of a culture/
Contextual
A defining feature of cultural performances. Cultural performances are embedded in organizational situations and organizational history
Episodic
A defining feature of cultural performances. Cultural performances are nameable as distinct events.
Improvisational
A defining feature of cultural performances. Cultural performances are not guided by a script.
Interactional
A defining feature of cultural performances. Cultural performances require the participation of multiple organizational actors/
Critical Tale
A narrative told with the goal of uncovering the deep power structures implicit in organizational functioning
Impressionist Tale
A narrative with information about the culture woven into a story that could stand on its own dramatic merits
Realist Tale
A relatively objective account of what was observed in the organization
HAS Perspective/Approach
Approaches culture as a thing that an organization has. Is risky because when we objectify culture, we de-emphasize the complex processes through which organizational culture is created and sustained. Having the right kind of culture can make or break an organization
Excellent Cultures Theme: Simple Form, Lean Staff
Avoid complex structures and divisions of labor
Organization Cultures are: Emergent
Created through social interactions
Excellent Cultures Theme: Autonomy and Entrepreneurship
Encourage employees to take risks in the development of new ideas
Excellent Cultures Theme: Productivity through people
Encourage positive and respectful relationships among management and employees
Excellent Cultures Theme: Simultaneous loose-tight properties
Exhibit both unity of purpose and the diversity necessary for innovation
Cultural Network
The communication system through which cultural values are instituted and reinforced
Artifacts
First level of Schein's model. The physical and social environment that organizational members have created
Excellent Cultures Theme: Close relations to the customer
Gear decisions and actions to the needs of customers
Organization Cultures are: Complicated
Hard to measure culture because it constantly varies
Excellent Cultures Theme: Hands-on, Value-Driven
Have employees and managers who share the same core value of productivity and performance
Organization Cultures are: Not Unitary
Impossible to characterize organizations as having one culture
Differentiation Approach
Inconsistencies among cultural views are expected and often are seen as desirable
Heros
Individuals who come to exemplify an organization's values
Organization Cultures are: Often Ambiguous
Not always a clear picture of the culture
Organizational Culture
Organizations as complex arenas of stories and values rather than entirely rational institutions
IS Perspective/Approach
Rather seen as a thing that can/should be managed, these researches see culture as the emerging and sometimes fragmented values, practices, narratives and artifacts that make a particular organization what it is
Excellent Cultures Theme: A Bias for Action
React quickly and do not spend excess time planning and analyzing
Espoused Values
Second level of Schein's model. They represent preferences of what should happen.
Excellent Cultures Theme: Stick to the Knitting
Stay focused on what they do best and avoid radical diversification
Peter and Waterman's: "Excellent Cultures"
Studied organizations deemed to have this by their employees and extracted themes Criticized for being highly prescriptive in nature (Value engineering)
Culture
Symbols, values, rites, rituals and daily practices
Values
The beliefs and visions that members hold for an organization
Rites and Rituals
The ceremonies through which an organization celebrates its values
Basic Assumptions
Third level of Schein's model. Represents "core" beliefs about how the world and how it operates