Organizational Culture and Behavior

These flashcards cover key concepts related to organizational culture and behavior, focusing on definitions and important models.

Organizational Culture

The shared social knowledge within an organization regarding the rules, norms, and values that shape the attitudes and behaviors of its employees.

Observable Artifacts

Manifestations of culture that employees can easily see and discuss, such as symbols, physical structures, language, stories, rituals, and ceremonies.

Espoused Values

The beliefs, philosophies, and norms that a company explicitly states, which may not always correspond with enacted values.

Basic Underlying Assumptions

Taken-for-granted beliefs and philosophies that are so ingrained that employees act on them without questioning their validity.

Culture Strength

The intensity of culture that exists when employees agree on how things are supposed to happen within the organization and their behaviors align with those expectations.

Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) Model

Theory that suggests employees are drawn to organizations whose culture matches their personality, leading to a selection process and eventual attrition for mismatches.

Socialization

The primary process by which employees learn the social knowledge necessary to understand and adapt to the organization’s culture.

General Culture Types

Organizational cultures classified by two dimensions: solidarity (how similar group members think and act) and sociability (how friendly employees are to one another).

Subcultures

Distinct cultures that form within an organization, often under strong leadership or specific group needs, which can support or challenge the main organization's culture.

Person-Organization Fit

The degree to which a person's values and personality match the culture of the organization, which is correlated with organizational commitment.