Organizational Culture

Class 7-8

What is Culture?

The set of values, attitude, beliefs, and expected behavior shared by members of an organization. “The way things are done around here”

• The “personality” of an organization

• Method of managerial control counter to formal organization

Part of informal organization of the congruence model

Levels of Culture

Iceberg Model of Culture

Functions of Organizational Culture?

Control - influences decisions and behaviors

Connect - social glue that bonds people

Comprehend - helps people understand what is happening in the organization, and why

Cultural Strength

Strong culture - values, assumptions, and beliefs are widely held and agreed upon (they exert a strong impact on behavior)

• Stronger situations: funerals, ceremonies, libraries, first dates

Weak culture - disagreement or confusion around values, assumptions, beliefs (behavior is influenced through formalized systems, bureaucracy)

• Weaker situations: sitting at home, shopping, subway, parties

Benefits of strong cultures

Values that are 1) widely shared and 2) viewed as extremely important.

Benefits

• Ability to attract and retain employees

• High motivation to achieve the vision

• Competitive advantage from employing uniquely skilled and talented individuals

• Feelings of “fit”, cohesion, and solidarity

Costs of Strong Cultures

Cult-like features

• belief in superiority

• unwillingness to question shared values and assumptions

• insulation from outside viewpoints

• lack of diverse perspectives and opinions

• feeling coerced and pressured to comply with norms

How to build culture

1. Attraction - attracting the right people

2. Selection - hiring/selecting the right people

3. Attrition - kicking out the right people

What determines who you go to help?

1. Competence

2. Trust

3. Accessibility

Bad Help Examples

1. Takeovers

2. Swoop and Poops