Describe the elements of organizational culture and discuss the importance of organizational subcultures.
Compare and contrast four strategies for merging organizational cultures.
Describe five strategies for changing and strengthening an organization’s culture, including the application of attraction–selection–attrition theory.
Describe the organizational socialization process and identify strategies to improve that process.
Definition: The values and assumptions shared within an organization.
Importance: Provides direction toward what is considered the "right way" of doing things.
Represents the company’s "DNA":
Acts as an invisible yet powerful template for employee behavior.
Definition: Observable elements of an organization’s culture.
Examples:
Physical structures
Language
Rituals and ceremonies
Stories and legends
The conscious beliefs of an organization which guide evaluation of good/bad, right/wrong.
Nonconscious, taken-for-granted beliefs that influence the organization’s norms and behaviors.
Innovation: Experimentation, opportunity seeking, risk-taking.
Stability: Predictability, security, rule-oriented.
Respect for People: Fairness, tolerance.
Outcome Orientation: Action-oriented with high expectations.
Attention to Detail: Precise and analytical.
Team Orientation: Focus on collaboration and people.
Aggressiveness: Competitive, low emphasis on social responsibility.
Dominant Culture: Values/assumptions shared most consistently throughout the organization.
Subcultures: Present throughout the organization and reflect localized values.
Countercultures: Subcultures that oppose aspects of the dominant culture.
Functions: Surveillance, critical review, and emergence of new values.
Elements: Physical structures, ceremonies, language, stories.
These artifacts maintain and transmit the organization's culture.
Serve social prescriptions for desired behaviors.
Most effective when they:
Describe real individuals.
Are perceived as true.
Are widely disseminated throughout the organization.
Prescribe behaviors.
Language: Affects how employees communicate and express interactions within the organization.
Rituals: Programmed routines, e.g., visitor greetings.
Ceremonies: Planned events, e.g., award ceremonies.
Office design and building structures reflect and shape culture.
Cultural meaning conveyed through furniture, office size, and decor.
Refers to how deeply employees share the organization's dominant values and assumptions.
Institutionalization: Strong cultures are reinforced through artifacts and long-lasting practices, often originating from founders.
Culture content should align with the environment to guide appropriate decisions and behaviors.
Cult strength does not equate to cult-like behaviors; it should allow for subculture dissent without suppressing diversity.
Conducting a bicultural audit minimizes cultural collisions during mergers.
Steps:
Identify cultural artifacts
Analyze data for cultural conflicts
Develop strategies and action plans to bridge cultures.
Assimilation: Acquired firm adopts acquiring firm’s culture.
Deculturation: Imposing culture from acquiring firm.
Integration: Creation of a composite culture.
Separation: Firms maintain their distinct cultures.
Use attraction–selection–attrition theory:
Attraction: Applicants self-select based on cultural fit.
Selection: Firms choose applicants whose values align with the culture.
Attrition: Employees who do not fit leave on their own or are removed.
Aligning firm artifacts with desired culture.
Clear communication of cultural expectations.
Providing culturally consistent rewards and recognition.
The process by which individuals learn the values and behaviors necessary to fulfill roles within the organization.
Newcomers develop comprehension of organizational culture, expectations, and dynamics.
Form social relationships and adapt to work roles.
Pre-employment: Learning about the organization.
Role Management: Testing expectations against job realities, Relationship strengthening.
Realistic Job Preview (RJP): Offer balanced information about job roles.
Socialization Agents: Supervisors provide technical feedback; co-workers serve as role models.
Edgar H. Schein's contributions to the study of organizational culture and leadership.