Organizational Culture Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to organizational culture.

Organizational Culture

A system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that indicate what behavior is appropriate within an organization.

Importance of Organizational Culture

Corporate culture is an important corporate strategy for business success.

Assumptions

Beliefs about human nature and reality within organizational culture.

Values

Shared principles, standards, and goals within organizational culture.

Artifacts

Visible, tangible aspects of organizational culture.

Mission Statements

Tangible declarations of purpose, describing who the company is and what it does.

Rituals

Repetitive activities within an organization that have symbolic meaning.

Rules and Policies

Determine acceptable and unacceptable behavior within an organization.

Physical Layout

Communicates important messages about a company's culture.

Stories and Language

Provide another way to identify an organization's culture.

Culture Creation Factors

Founder values and preferences, industry demands.

Culture Maintenance Factors

Attraction-selection-attrition, new employee onboarding, leadership, reward systems.

Founder Values

A company’s culture is tied to the personality, background, and values of its founder or founders.

Industry Demands

Industry characteristics and demands act as a force to create similarities among organizational cultures.

Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA)

Employees are attracted to organizations where they will fit in, companies select people who will fit into their current corporate culture and attrition refers to the natural process in which the candidates who do not fit in will leave the company.

Employee Onboarding

The process through which new employees learn the attitudes, knowledge, skills, and behaviors within an organization.

Orientation Programs

A formal program that indoctrinates new employees to the company culture.

Leadership

Leaders are instrumental in creating and changing an organization’s culture by role modeling.

Reward Systems

Rewarding behaviors versus results sets the tone for the culture.