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Organizational Culture: Some Definitions

Organizational culture is defined as the shared patterns of meaning, values, and beliefs that develop within an organization and are taught to new members. It represents the invisible and tacit rules that shape how members perceive, think, and behave. Culture is shared through common experiences and symbols and exists on three levels - visible artifacts, espoused values, and deep assumptions. An organization's culture is also influenced by the larger national culture in which it operates.

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Anita Maggiolo
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59 views

Organizational Culture: Some Definitions

Organizational culture is defined as the shared patterns of meaning, values, and beliefs that develop within an organization and are taught to new members. It represents the invisible and tacit rules that shape how members perceive, think, and behave. Culture is shared through common experiences and symbols and exists on three levels - visible artifacts, espoused values, and deep assumptions. An organization's culture is also influenced by the larger national culture in which it operates.

Uploaded by

Anita Maggiolo
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Organizational Culture:

Some Definitions
• Glue that holds an organization together
through a sharing of patterns of meaning.
Culture focuses on the values, beliefs, and
expectations that members come to share.”
• Pattern of basic assumptions that a group
has invented, discovered, or developed in
learning to cope with its problems...
Organizational Culture:
Some Definitions
• Is invisible, but is the implicit and tacit
knowledge members share, which informs
and shapes activities…
• Culture is taught to new members as the
correct way to perceive, think, behave and
feel in relation to
Central Notion of “Sharing”

• Shared understanding, shared meanings,


shared values, shared norms, shared beliefs
• Common and shared experiences--similarities
and differences
• If you go to look for shared meanings can’t
find them--intangible--must be interpreted,
represented through symbols, symbolic
action
Organizations Are Part of Larger
National Culture
• Hofstede’s research on IBM in 40 countries
• National cultural differences within
organizational culture
– power distance
– uncertainty avoidance
– individualism
– masculinity
Organizations Are Part of Larger
National Culture
• Power Distance: willing to accept unequal
distribution of power, wealth, prestige (LPD-
Denmark)
• Uncertainty Avoidance: tolerance for
ambiguity, risk, uncertainty
• Individualism: expectation to act
independently of other members
• Masculinity: Clear gender role separation
3 Level Model of Organizational Culture

1 Artifacts: Visible but often undecipherable


2 Values: Greater level of awareness
3 Assumptions: Taken for granted and
invisible (“unquestioned truths”)
Artifacts of Culture

• Physical: art, logos, buildings, décor, dress,


appearance, physical layout, materials
• Behavioral: ceremonies, rituals,
communication patterns, traditions,
customs, rewards, punishments
• Verbal: anecdotes, jokes, jargon,stories,
myths, history, heroes,villains,metaphors
Values and Norms

• Values: social principles, standards, basis


for making moral judgments about right and
wrong
• Norms: Unwritten rules that tell members
what is expected of them; defines what is
normal and deviant behavior
• Values and norms are closely linked
Some Examples of Deep Level
Assumptions
 Nature of human nature
 “Correct” way for people to organize
 Homogeneity vs. diversity
Debates About Organizational Culture

• How culture should be used --understanding


vs.control
• Can culture really be “managed” or “changed”?
(Culture change programs, culture as a tool of
management, e.g., Tushman & O’Reilly)
• Norms and values grounded in deeply rooted
assumptions and unquestioned beliefs--almost
impossible to “manage”

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