Culture Dynamics and

assessment

A system of shared meaning held by members

that distinguishes the organization from other
organizations

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Innovation and Risk Taking

Attention to Detail
Outcome Orientation
People Orientation
Team Orientation
Aggressiveness
Stability

Culture

Organizational culture
is concerned with how
employees perceive an
organizations culture,
not whether or not
they like it
Descriptive

Job Satisfaction

Measures affective
responses to the work
environment:
concerned with how
employees feel about
the organization
Evaluative

The dominant culture expresses the core

values that are shared by a majority of the
organizations members

Subcultures

tend to develop in large

organizations to reflect common problems,
situations, or experiences of members
Subcultures mirror the dominant culture but
may add to or modify the core values

Defines Boundaries
Conveys a Sense of Identity
Generates Commitment Beyond Oneself
Enhances Social Stability
Sense-making and Control Mechanism

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Barrier to Change
Culture is slow to change even in a dynamic
environment

Barrier to Diversity
Culture seeks to minimize diversity
Can embed prevalent bias and prejudice

Barrier to Acquisitions and Mergers

Most mergers fail due to cultural incompatibility

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Ultimate source of an organizations culture is

its founders
Founders create culture in three ways:
By hiring and keeping those who think and feel
the same way they do
Indoctrinating and socializing those employees to
their way of thinking and feeling

Acting as a role model and

employees to identify with them

encouraging

158

Selection seek out those who fit in

Top Management establish norms of

behavior by their actions
Socialization help new employees adapt to
the existing culture

159

Pre-arrival initial knowledge about the

organization and own unique ideas
Encounter exposed to the organization
Metamorphosis member changed to fit
within the organization
1510

Success in employee socialization depends on

managements selection of socialization method
and the closeness of new employees values to
those of the organization
1511

Culture is transmitted to
employees through:
Stories provide
explanations
Rituals reinforce key
values
Material Symbols
convey importance
Language identify and
segregate members

1512

A strong culture with high risk tolerance, lowto-moderate aggressiveness, and focuses on
means as well as outcomes is most likely to
shape high ethical standards
Managers must be visible role models
Communicate ethical expectations
Provide ethical training
Visibly reward ethical acts and punish
unethical ones
Provide protective mechanisms

1513

A positive culture is one that emphasizes the

following:

Building on Employee Strengths

Rewarding More Than Punishing
Emphasizing Vitality and Growth of the
Employee

1514

National and Organizational Cultures:

Organizations exist in a global context

Must be aware of local and national cultures

Suggestions and Observations:

Organizations heavily dependent on foreign markets
and labor

National culture does influence organizational

culture

All managers must be culturally sensitive

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