"If you start with the type of person you want to hire, presumably you can build a work

force that is prepared for the culture you desire... "Another important thing is to spend a lot of time with your people and to communicate with them in a variety of ways. And a large part of it is demeanor. Sometimes we tend to lose sight of the fact that demeanor - the way you appear and the way you act - is a form of communication. We want our people to feel fulfilled and to be happy, and we want our management to radiate the demeanor that we are proud of our people, we are interested in them as individuals and we are interested in them outside the work force, including the good and bad things that happen to them as individuals." In both of these examples, the top management of the companies was vigilant about maintaining their cultures. The behavior rules and boundaries are relatively clear and communicated often. However, this is not typical. I believe most organizations operate with a diversity of cultures. This is especially true considering the increasing worldwide mobility of people and cultures and values. So, we may say that the Basic features of corporate culture are: Employees are at once the consequence, creators, and carriers of culture Cultural values are reflected in a variety of ways (overt & subtle) Culture changes but it does so slowly Cultural values are necessarily few, because values inevitably conflict

There's some debate over whether companies should design their personnel policies and reward systems around cultural values. Currently companies tend not to, because of the concern about stereotyping certain cultures. A popular trend is for companies to "reengineer" themselves, which involves an attempt to change their culture, usually to a team orientation. Studies indicate that the following are necessary for a company to change to a "team culture:" Common and consistent goals Organizational commitment Role clarity among team members Team leadership Mutual accountability with the team Complementary knowledge and skills Reinforcement of required behavioral competencies Power (real and perceived) Shared rewards The importance of corporate culture is growing as the result of several recent developments. Companies are encouraging employees to be more responsible and act and think like owners. In exchange for more flexible work schedules, employees are expected to always be "on-call." With the demise of more traditional communities (e.g. neighborhoods, etc.), companies are filling employees' need to belong to a community. At the same time companies are encouraging teamwork and the formation of teams. Therefore, organizational leaders shouldn't ignore corporate culture. Rather, it should be addressed in the organization's mission, vision, and goal statements, and emphasized in company sponsored training and company communication. The statements should include the following:

 To be financially successful, etc. (employees want to belong to a successful organization) To be accepting of cultural (ethnic) diversity To provide good working environment To allow scope for self-development and challenging job roles etc. Organizational Culture and Change As we have studied Organizational Culture is a dynamic system of shared values, beliefs, philosophies, experiences, habits, expectations, norms, and behaviors that give an organization its distinctive character. The culture helps guide the activities of the company, helps provide an unwritten code of behavior, and helps provide a shared sense of identity. The corporate culture may be manifested in various ways such as statements of principle, stories, slogans, heroes, ceremonies, symbols, climate, and the physical environment. Some aspects of the culture may be guided or created by managers; others may be influenced by employees and other significant power groups within the company. Managers may influence the culture by defining company mission and goals, identifying core values, determining levels of autonomy, structuring the workplace, developing reward systems, and creating socialization

opportunities that reinforce the culture. It is presumed that the culture contributes to the effectiveness of the organization. If it does not, it may signal the need for change. Influences for change can be either internal or external to the organization. Some typical internal sources may be a change in managers, employees or technology. Some external sources may be political, technological or economic. Depending on the nature of the change, it may be threatening, to many in the

organization. Change may be of a strategic nature, structural, process-oriented or, people centered. Rapid, revolutionary change is particularly threatening.