Topic 3: Internal Organizational Culture

Question 1

What position does Google have in their workplace whose sole focus is to think of ways to make employees happy?

Answer 1

Chief Happiness Officer.

Question 2

Give 3 benefits of a positive workplace organizational culture.

Answer 2

motivated employees
high employee retention
improved performance

Question 3

They can be profit-making firms – such as food manufacturers and tax advisers – and not-for-profit entities such as public hospitals, schools and charities.

Answer 3

Organizations

Question 4

What are the 3 features that all organizations have?

Answer 4

Goals
People
Structure

Question 5

What are the 3 categories of Organizational Culture?

Answer 5

Artefacts
Espoused values
Beliefs and assumptions

Question 6

Visible indicators of culture (design and arrangements of the work space, routines of employees, how they greet customers).

Answer 6

Artefacts

Question 7

A shared idea that forms “how things are done around here”.

Answer 7

Beliefs and assumptions.

Question 8

Unlike beliefs and assumptions, these are ideas that are talked about and aimed for in the organization.

Answer 8

Espoused values.

Question 9

Explain Schein’s description of the different levels of organizational culture as an iceberg.

Answer 9

The tip is the artefacts; they are the visible indicators of culture. The espoused values are some what visible - they can be seen on the websites or documents but they may not necessarily be what you see. The hidden part is the beliefs and assumptions. You cannot see them but they manifest as artefacts.

Question 10

What is Culture Theory?

Answer 10

Culture is a metaphor for the organization.

Question 11

How do managers perform an analysis of the organizational culture?

Answer 11

The artefacts are what they and the customers see. If something needs changing, the change must happen at the espoused values level. If change is needed at the espoused values level, the change must happen at the basic assumptions level.

Question 12

What does it mean if there is no correlation between levels (ex// the artefacts are not the same as the espoused values)?

Answer 12

The employees are not thriving. They do not embody the values of the organization.

Question 13

Give 5 categories of artefacts.

Answer 13

Physical structures and symbols
Organisational language
Rituals and ceremonies
Organisational stories and legends
Technology

Question 14

Give 5 examples of espoused values.

Answer 14

an organisation’s declared set of values and norms

vision and mission statements

company or employee charters

codes of conduct

a statement of the organisation’s aspirations

Question 15

Espoused values only reflect the real culture of the organisation when they are ___________.

Answer 15

shared

Question 16

Does Schein’s model include personal assumptions, or shared assumptions?

Answer 16

Shared assumptions. While personal assumptions and beliefs affect how a person acts, it is the shared assumption of the group that is considered culture.

For example, in a not-for-profit charity, the shared belief can be that “they can make a difference”. From this, espoused values may be written and artefacts may manifest that show these values - if they truly believe that they can make a difference.

Question 17

6 assumptions of Schein’s model.

Answer 17

Assumptions about what is the truth in physical and social matters.

Assumptions about the importance of time in a group.

Assumptions about how space is to be owned and allocated, the symbolic meaning of space around people.

Basic assumptions about the intrinsic or ultimate aspects of human nature, whether the human nature is fundamentally good or bad.

Assumptions about the organisation’s relationship with its environment and about the understanding of work.

Assumptions about the right way for people to relate with each other, the appropriate ways to distribute power and responsibilities and the appropriate ways of resolving conflicts and making decisions.

Question 18

What are Chris White’s three ways to create a work culture that brings out the best in employees?

Answer 18

Unblock communication

Become responsive

Aim higher

Question 19

What does Chris White mean by “checking out”?

Answer 19

When people feel unheard or terrible at work, they check out by becoming less productive, less motivated, and start thinking of leaving.

Question 20

What are Chris White’s choices for when management and employees don’t agree on something?

Answer 20

Leave

Stay but compartmentalise our values and our actions and perhaps leave it ‘for another day’.

In Bezos’s words ‘disagree and commit’ – ‘will you gamble with me on it?’

Question 21

What question does Chris White recommend employees and management to ask to unblock communicaton?

Answer 21

What don’t we talk about here that we should?