Chapter 7 Culture

Question 1

Culture in Organisations:

Answer 1

 Atmosphere, climate.
 Different ways of doing things.
 Levels of freedom.
 Levels of Energy.
 Values and Norms – reflected in structures and systems.

Question 2

A Century of Management Science – have we advanced much?

Answer 2

 Optimum span of control?
 One best way of describing jobs?
 One best way to appraising people, controlling, budgeting, forecasting and planning?

Question 3

A century of management science:

Answer 3

 The search for a universal formula has clearly failed.
 Many organizational ills stem from imposing inadequate structures on particular cultures, or expecting a particular culture to thrive in an inappropriate climate.

Question 4

Modern Management Science, aka “Institutional Theory” approach to managing:

Answer 4

1) The match of people to systems. Harmony between task and environment. The interrelations between them.
2) The wisdom of the appropriate.

Question 5

Ingredients of “Organizational Ideologies”:

Answer 5

• Deep-set believes about: Authority, Rewards, Control, planning, obedience, initiative, work hours, work style, dress, eccentricities, expenses, etc.

Question 6

Culture reflected in:

Answer 6

• Values, traditions, language, catch-phrases, tales, heroes, dramas, buildings, office layout, branch layout, kind of people employed, career aspirations, status in society, degree of mobility, level of education, etc.

Question 7

Organizational Ideologies:

Answer 7

• Cultures are founded and built over the years by the dominant groups in an organization.
• Even within organizations culture will differ – departments often look and feel different.
• Culture may even be expressed in formal statements of values and believes of the organization.
• Arguably the most important characteristic of an organization, its culture may even outlive it.

Question 8

Edgar Schein’s Two Cultures (1984): Note: neither is wrong – they are just different.

Answer 8

• Organization A Open offices, open doors, intense conversations and arguments, an air of informality.
• Organization B Closed doors. Things are done by appointment. Deference and obedience. Formality.

Question 9

Four main types of culture (Handy, 1999)

1) The Power Culture:

Answer 9

1) Power Patron God is Zeus.
 “Spider in the Web” structure.
 Frequent in small entrepreneurial settings. Problematic for large organizations.
 Organization run via trust, empathy and influence.
 Results take precedent over the means.

Question 10

Four main types of culture (Handy, 1999)

2) The Role of Culture:

Answer 10

2) Role Patron is Apollo, God of Reason.
 Structure of a Greek temple.
 Works by logic and rationality.
 Procedures, Hierarchy.
 The job description is more important than the person that fills it.
 Performance above the defined level is not required and in deed can be disruptive.

Question 11

Four main types of culture (Handy, 1999)

3) The Task Culture:

Answer 11

3) Task Presided by Athena, Warrior Goddess.
 Structure of a net with stronger and thinner strands.
 Power lies at the knots but is relatively dispersed – control is therefore difficult.
 The task culture is extremely adaptable, it therefore thrives when speed, integration, sensitivity and creativity are important.

Question 12

Four main types of culture (Handy, 1999)

4) The Person Culture:

Answer 12

4) Person Dionysus, the first existentialist, is its patron deity.
 Structure of a cluster, or a galaxy of individual stars.
 The psychological contract states that the organisation is subordinate to the individual and depends on the individual.
 The power base is usually “expert”.

Question 13

The influencing factors:

Answer 13

 History and Ownership
 Size
 Technology
 Goals and objectives
 The environment
 The people

Question 14

Influencing Factors, rarely properly addressed:

Answer 14

 Mergers often mean an “aggressive” organization moving into a static organization:
A power culture imposed on a Greek temple.
 Rapid technological change will lead to cultural ambiguity.
 Rather than influencing culture, goals and objectives often get influenced by it.

Question 15

The Environment:

Answer 15

 The nature of the environment (economic, market,geographical and societal settings) is often and mistakenly taken for granted in an organization.
 Diversity in the environment requires a diverse structure; what generally works best then is a task culture.
 Different nationalities prefer different organizational cultures.

Question 16

Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (1980):

Answer 16

 Power Distance – equality of power distribution.
 Uncertainty Avoidance – Want to control the future.
 Individualism as opposed to collectivism.
 Masculinity – Ambition. Quantity over quality.

Question 17

Diverse Environments call for organizational Flexibility:

Answer 17

 Functional organization
 Product organization
 Regional organization
 Customer group organization
 Or a mix of the above!

Question 18

The people:

Answer 18

 Individuals with low tolerance for ambiguity and risk will prefer the role culture.
 A need to establish one’s identity will be especially appropriate in a power culture.
 The impact of individual skills will be more marked in a power or task culture.
 Low caliber (IQ/EQ) HR will push an organization towards a role culture.

Question 19

Maccoby’s Corporate Types (1976):

Answer 19

1) The Jungle Fighter. Needs power. Sees life as a battle. Domineering, obsessed with defense.
2) The Company Man. Oriented towards the organization. Human-centered. Obsessed with politics.
3) The Gamesman. Takes calculated risks. Thrives on competition and teamwork.
4) The Craftsman. Individualistic, interested in making something. Leads by ordering.