Ch12 Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is organizational culture?
It is the shared system of meaning held by members that distinguishes one organization from another.
How does Richard Perrin define organizational culture?
As the sum of values and rituals that act as ‘glue’ to integrate members of an organization.
What are the basic features that capture an organization’s culture?
- Innovation and risk taking
- Attention to Details
- Outcome orientation
- People Orientation
- Team Orientation
- Aggressivness
- Stability
What is a strong organizational culture?
A culture where values are widely shared, messages are consistent, and employees identify with the organization.
What is a weak organizational culture?
- Little connection between shared values and behavior
- Employees have little identification with culture
- Employees havelittle knowledge of company history or heroes.
- Conveys contradictory messages about what is important
- Values are limited to few people-usually top Management
What are key sources of organizational culture?
Founders, top management behavior, recruitment, socialization of new employees, past practices, mission & vision.
How is organizational culture transmitted to employees?
Through stories, rituals, symbols, language, control systems, and power structures.
What role do stories play in culture transmission?
They legitimize current practices and anchor the present to the past.
What are rituals in organizational culture?
Repetitive activities that reinforce key values and highlight what’s important in the organization.
What is the role of symbols in organizational culture?
They signal what behaviors are appropriate and who is important in the organization.
What is the function of organizational language?
It helps members identify with the culture and preserves the cultural identity.
What are the four key functions of organizational culture?
- Organizational identity
- collective commitment
- social system stability
- sense-making device.
How does culture create climate in an organization?
By shaping shared perceptions of the work environment and promoting team spirit.
How to Create a Positive Organizational Culture?
- Connect to your purpose & values
- Create a common language
- Walk your talk
- Encourage humanity in the workplace
- Make it fun
- Develop cultural champions
What are some actions to build a positive culture?
- Connect to your purpose & values
- Create a common language
- Walk your talk
- Encourage humanity in the workplace
- Make it fun
- Develop cultural champions
What is required to create a culture of innovation?
- Vision
- systems
- create and empower cross functional teams
- risk-taking
- reward for innovation
- continuous learning.
How can you Create a Customer Responsive Culture?
- Have few rigid rules, procedures and regulations
- Use widespread employee empowerment
- Have good listening to customer messages.
- Hire employees with strong interest in serving customers
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What defines a sustainability culture?
A shared belief in sustainability’s importance and behaviors that support environmental responsibility.
What are some ways to support a sustainability culture?
- Face reality, without sugarcoating
- Establish and follow a sustainability vision
- Give importance to sustainability
- Embed sustainability in decision-making processes
- Engage fully
What makes an ethical culture?
- Be a visible role model
- Provide protective mechanisms.
- reward ethical acts, punish unethical ones.
- Provide ethical training.
- Communicate ethical expectations
What is workplace spirituality?
Recognizing that people seek meaning in work and value purpose, trust, respect, and community.
Why is interest in spirituality growing at work?
- Job demands have made the workplace dominant in many people’s lives, yet they continue to question the meaning of work
- Many people are finding that the pursuit of more material acquisitions leaves them unfulfilled.
What is institutionalization in culture?
When organization is valued for itself than the services it produce and prevents the company from adapting to an unfamiliar environment.
What is a cultural barrier to change?
Strong cultures may resist transformation, slowing adaptation to new environments.
