Organisations culture Essay

1.Executive summaryIn this publisher I scene at how organizations groom last and how this shade loafer be created, manipu freshd and inter budged my instruction. I alike look at what opposite factors keep transfigure and ask a companies favorableization. The paper entrust arrogate the pursuance format. A definition of finale and the problems associated with its definition. I past look at how makeupl enculturation develops, with an explanation of the aims of hea thusish analysis, a look at the various diametrical emblems of agri civilisation, and the role of the calculateer/manager in creating the organisations destination. How stopping point send packing be lurchd and the skills and actions desireed by circumspection to madely pass a pagan shift. I then finish with a conclusion.2.Defining organisational assimilationWhat is organisational agri finale? This it has been found, is not an easy question to answer. The concept of farming has its roots in anthropology, the subject of human affairs. In this mount, tillage has been utilisationd to designate two various things. A tribe or a social group is studied as a socialisation that produces and whitethorn bring on ethnic artefacts. The second use of the term refers to aspects within a given up up finale, much(prenominal) as customs, rituals, k outrightledge and so on. (Sackman, S, 1991). In the context of organisational agriculture it is fully gr confessly the second approach that is studied. Although population whitethorn not be aw be consciously of culture, it still has a persuasive influence oer their behaviour and actions. (Mullins, L, 2002). This statement explains that although we whitethorn not own the knowledge that we belong to a certain heathen group it pull up stakes still get down an impact on our behaviour and in an organisational sense, our working lives.The culture concept began to collide with organisational thinking in the late 19 70s and early 1980s. Although is it evident in ideas from a deed of earlier writers, for example Bernard (1938) and Jacques (1952). If we look at a number of various of organisations it is eject to give away that things argon d integrity differently. This idea applies to tot all(prenominal)y organisations, even in similar companies that ar operating(a) in the analogous industry. Tesco providesmuch the same portion as Sainsburys, save on close follow-up we would be able to see the differences in which the two companies operate.It is more difficult nevertheless to describe how things atomic number 18 d wizard differently, or why the agencynership feels different. A study problem with the concept of culture is the degree to which item-by-items, organisations or good communities display characteristics which be consistent within it. (Martin, J, 2001). Do all British people display characteristics that be consistent with British culture? It is clear that although the re ar numerous similarities in the behaviour of people within a be culture, that several(prenominal) differences provide some variety. The same moldiness also be assumed in the context of organisational culture. different problem with finding a definition for organisational culture is the sheer number of definitions that already exist. Kroeber and Kluckhorn list more than 250 definitions of culture, that include components such as ideas, concepts, ideologies value, attitudes, goals, norms, learned behaviours, symbols, rites, rituals, customs, myths, habits or artefacts such as tools and former(a) material representations. (Sackman, S, 1991). This inevitably leads to confusion amongst researchers as to a universal definition of organisational culture.The term the way we do things near here (Deal and Kennedy, 1988) is much accepted as an operational definition of organisational culture. However this offers little in terms of the content of culture.Kilman et al. (1985) suggest s culture is the meditates the ideologies, sh ard philosophies, value beliefs, assumptions, attitudes, expectations, and norms of an organisation3.Levels of cultureNow we shake up looked at a definition of organisational culture we should look deeper into what develops and films up an organisations culture.According to Schein (1985), organisational culture is do up of third levels.Visible organisational structures and dish outes(Hard to decipher)Strategies, goals, philosophies(Espoused justification)Unconscious, taken for granted beliefs, habits of perception, model thought and feeling(Ultimate source of value and action)The Levels of g overningal Culture, Schein, E (1985)ArtefactsThese form the surface level of culture. They include all the things that a somebody sees, hears and has contact with. In an organisation it would be the architecture of the environment such as the watchfulness hierarchy, its technology, its creations and products and its style in terms of polite ness of ad vesture twain up and down the hierarchy, place codes and formal procedures.Schein identifies the most important point of this level universe that artefacts atomic number 18 easy to identify tho aphonic to decipher. Two organisations may well feel the same system in operation but they can mean different things in terms of the culture of the organisation. Schein puts his point into an example by maxim both the Egyptians and Mayas built bigger pyramids, but they were tombs in one culture and temples in the other. This point is contradicted by Gagliardi (1990) who says ones own response to physical artefacts such as buildings and other office layouts can lead to the recognition of major images and root metaphors that reflect the deepest levels of culture.This is back up by my own experience. I direct worked in a supermarket, anorganisation with a elevated perplexity hierarchy. Mevery of the artefacts of the organisation gave the impression of a real formal cult ure. A strict uniformed dress code was in place, with management wearing different colours from subordinates, and formal forms of address macrocosm used. The troupe was also more often than not bureaucratic with countless forms to be filled out a large poetry of standard procedures in place. One person however may look at a really escaped organisation and class it as in encumbranceive and unproductive, while another may class it as innovative and free from unnecessary bureaucracy, this depends on the individuals preceding preconceptions rough the artefacts that argon present.ValuesValues are usually one persons beliefs about a given situation. If a manager believes that at a certain time of the year his/her society should run at a lower capacity due to learn etc. This is attributed to his personal value. Only once these values are acted on, successfully apply and accepted by the organisation do they become alter into vestigial assumptions. From a marketing perspective, s ome of these values may remain conscious and may be explicitly stated in a companys mission statement as the dominant values of the organisation (Deal and Kennedy, 1982). Only values that are concrete that can be physically and socially validated, they are confirmed by the groups experiences, go through his transformation process.Underlying assumptionsIf a root word to a problem works frequently then it is often accepted as a regularisation for solving the given problem. The place of culture comes forrard be relieve oneself these assumptions are shared within the group and are therefore mutually reinforced. These assumptions can often cause problems when someone newfound, with a different set of cardinal assumptions from a previous culture, joins the organisation.As humans we standardized constancy. Any decision which challenges or questions an implicit in(p) assumption, such as changing a costing method, or a method ofproduction, will likely lead to anxiety and defensivene ss within the organisation. A skill take by managers wishing to change aspects of an organisations culture is to fleck this connection, to get to the deeper levels of culture, and to deal with the anxiety that results when these assumptions are changed.The trio stages are linked constantly together. Basic assumptions are treated as the essence- what culture really is and values and behaviours are treated as observed manifestations of the culture essence. (Mullins, 2002).We are able to see now how culture is developed in term of values cosmos acted upon and accepted by the organisation, these values being transformed into underlying assumptions and the artefacts of the organisation being formed by the interpretation of these underlying assumptions.4.Types of organisational cultureHandy (1993) identifies quatern types of organisational culture.Power culturePower cultures revolve around a focal person or comminuted group, this person or group has absolute supply throughout the entire organisation. It is often found in small entrepreneurial companies, and relies mostly on assert and communication. It is normally non-bureaucratic with few formal procedures. The success of the organisation depends largely on the skill of the focal person or group.Role cultureRole cultures are often largely bureaucratic, it is often described as a small number of senior managers resting on the strong pillars of the various ranges of the organisation. Each person has a undertake role within a function of the organisation which in turn has a specified role withinorganisation as a whole. These roles are expected to be adhered to and it is rare for an individual or function to deviate into different areas of the business. Predictability and stability are two main themes within this type of culture. This type of culture often develops in large companies with large numbers of stave and a tall management hierarchy. Companies with this type of culture tend to have steady objecti ves and operate in largely prophetic markets. Again this relates back my own experience as this type of culture is largely prevalent in supermarket chains.Task cultureTask cultures recognise the objectives and goals of the organisation as being paramount. Handy describes this as a net or matrix culture. Power is often shared by a aggroup of experts who are highly manoeuvrable to suit the needs of the organisation. It largely found in team or catch found organisations such as consultancy firms or engineers. person CulturePerson cultures are largely individual orientated. Any structure is solely accommodate to assist the individuals within the organisation. at that place is no specific power structure with individuals having wind up power everywhere their own operations. Examples of this would be barristers chambers, architects, business consultants, individuals that have come together to share resources such as office quadrangle and admin support.Some people are more suited to different types of cultures than others. Where one person will be happy working in an organisation with a task culture, he/she may feel contract and undervalued in a role culture environment. Another person may be the opposite and may feel secure within a largely role orientated company.An important skill for managers is being able firstly to identify the type of culture his/her organisation is operating in and then to employ the correct people for that culture, this helps in reducing any anxiety caused bychanges to underlying assumptions previously discussed.There are more other models of the types of organisational culture operable to the researcher. Writings by Deal and Kennedy on the generic cultures, Ouchis type Z companies, and several more. The direction of this paper however is on the development and change of culture and this will be explored in the followers sections.5. Factors instilling the development of cultureThe role of the get togetherOrganisations do not form accidentally or spontaneously. They are created because one or more individuals embrace that the coordinated and concerted action of a number of people can accomplish something that an individual cannot (Frost,p et al. 1991)At the beginning of an organisations life the part often has complete control over the organisation. He/she will make most of not all of the important decisions over all areas of the organisations operations. Because they had the original idea, founders will typically have their own notion, based on their own cultural history and personality of how to get the idea fulfilled. (Schein, 1985). Since the founder started the group it is natural to assume that he/she also impose their thoughts, values and assumptions on the group. As new members enter the group the founders assumption will be changed and modified to suit the new organisation, but will always have the biggest impact on what becomes the organisational culture.This has large implications for the f uture of the organisation. If the company was founded by an informal, easy expiration type of person then this is the type of organisational culture that is likely to develop. Similarly if the organisation is founded by a formal, distinguished person, the company will likely develop this kind of organisational culture. This will continue to form the organisations culture and have a large influence on the actions of the company even if new drawing cards are brought in to the organisation. The assumptions of the founder will already be deep routed and form the basis ofthe culture. sizeSize affects an organisation because of the formality that is often required in larger companies. A large company with many levels of management and a large number of functions or even businesses cannot realistically operate on an informal level. This has implications for the culture of the organisation.TechnologyIf the company uses highly technological systems and procedures in its operations ie phar maceuticals, the cultural stress will be on the technical skills of its employees. A company in the service sector may have a cultural slant towards client service.Goals and objectivesWhat the organisation wants to achieve will also affect culture. An organisation that wishes to become a market leader may inherit cultural values that reflect that attitude, i.e. company image focused, or have a heavy marketing orientation.EnvironmentThere are many environmental factors that can affect an organisations culture, stakeh agingers, competitors, politics etc. etc. How a company chooses to act with each of these environmental forces will determine how the organisations culture develops.PeopleThe preferred style of work amongst both senior management and employees has a large effect on the organisations culture. If senior management crusade to implement a culture that is unacceptable to employees a answer willfollow, industrial action, low motivation, poor productivity etc. Likewise if employees attempt to force management into followers their own culture then a negative reaction will also result. i.e. resettlement or the replacement of workers.(Section taken from Martin, J, Organizational Behaviour, 2001) ripened management need to realise the factors that affect an organisations culture and attempt to you analyse the likely impact major business decisions may have. Failure to do may have negative consequences for the culture and hence the success of the company.6.Cultural change, the role of managementThere is some respectable debate as to whether changing something as constituted as corporate culture is viable Writers with this persuasion usually focus on the deeper levels of culture, the underlying assumptions. turner (1986) supports this stance by suggesting that it would not be possible to manipulate it accurately because it becomes such an integral part of the organisations fabric. Because these are taken for granted assumptions about organisational life, members cannot come across any other way of operating.Those advocating corporate culture usually focus on the surface elements of culture, the artefacts. These are more easily changed than the deeper routed assumptions. Some writers have beseechd that unless the deeper assumptions are changed that the company will revert back to old ways of operating. Despite these arguments there is wide consensus that cultural change should only be attempted as a last resort and after other avenues have been sought.(Cummings, Worley, 1993)A primary task of management is to control the activity of employees to best serve defined organizational interests. They can achieve this control exploitation formalized rules (bureaucratic mechanisms), economic rewards and sanctions or values and norms about how the work is to be done (clan or culturalmechanisms) (Wilkins and Ouchi, 1983 cited by Sinclair, A, 1993). This statement reflects the common view that organisational culture needs to be aligned with organisational outline if the company is to be successful. Many companies have now realised the importance of developing strategies harmonious with the organisations culture.sometimes however culture needs to be changed, if component part require an organisation to follow a contingent strategic route or a profound change affects the organisation i.e. market forces, government action, rapid growth etc. then the culture will have to be adjusted to suit the strategy and external environment.Managers require many skills in rank to successfully change an organisations culture. It is a lengthy process that is full of danger. Staff need to be lull and convinced that the new culture will work, other defence mechanisms and the problems discussed earlier may begin show.The following guidelines to changing culture have been cited in (Cummings, T, Worley, C, Organization development and change, 1993)1.Clear strategic vision- the firm needs to have a clear view of its operational strategy if culture is to be changed. Managers need to know where the company is now and where it is planning on going.2.Top-management commitment- cultural change must be managed from the top of the organisation. Senior managers need to be committed to the new culture. They must have the staying to see the changes through.3.Symbolic leadership- executives must communicate the new culture through their own actions. Their behaviour needs to be the behaviours and actions that are being sought in the entire organisation. In an example given in the text, the chief executive officer of Dana Corporation Rene McPherson threw the companies multi-volume policy manuals into a waste paper basket during a meeting and replaced them with a one page set of principles.4.Supporting organisational change- the culture change must also be supported by changes in the organisational structure and operations, the artefacts as have already been discussed. They can get people aware of the behaviours requ ired in the new culture for the organisation to be successful.5.Selection and socialization of newcomers and termination of deviants. One of the most important methods in changing an organisations culture is hiring the right people. This is particularly full-grown in management positions where the manager has influence over the behaviour of subordinates.6.Ethical and legal sensibility- sometimes when culture change happens some employees feel they are being hard done by, maybe due to a change in roles, due a promise made during the transition that has been fulfilled. This may lead to legal battles and or resignations from the company.These steps demonstrate some of the ways that managers can influence and successfully change an organisations culture. There is of dividing line no universal solution to changing or influencing culture, all companies are different and individual approaches are more than likely necessary for cultural change to be successful.An example of cultural chang e is given in (Martin, J, Organizational Behaviour, 2001). In this case study of a motor car dealership in the UK, the newly appointed managing director wanted to change the company culture. The existing culture was largely autocratic with instructions coming down the hierarchy and staff carrying out these instructions. She wanted to change the culture so that the company has a more had team based approach with decision making at team level and initiative being used at all levels of the organisation.To do this she had to use forceful tactics such as showing staff a video of disappointed customers and even accepting a loss in revenue while the changes were being made. Along with this approach she enwrapd many changed such as more staff training, revision of pay schemes, dogging improvement groups, multi-functional teams etc. After three historic period the culture change was deemed complete and she could turn her deal to the future of the company.This case study highlights the often drastic measures and level of commitment that is required by managers to introduce a culture change to an organisation.7.ConclusionIt is relatively clear that organisational culture exists and that it plays a huge part in an organisations actions and the behaviour of its employees. Very few writers now argue with this point. I have discussed how culture develops in an organisation and the different levels and types of culture that emerge. Referring back to the second part of the original question, we have seen how managers can influence and attempt to change an organisations culture and the various problems that are encountered in this process. Although there are debates as to whether an organisations culture can or cannot be changed it would seem that there is a mid-point between the two arguments.There are examples of successful culture changes and I have given one in the text. It is clear that if properly organised and implemented a cultural change can be achieved. However we cannot assume that the culture has been changed all together. If the underlying assumptions are as strong as Schein and other writers claim then these will always affect the company culture in some rule or form. If the new culture is not carefully controlled could reappear. To conclude I would say, although cultural can be changed to suit the environment and organisational strategy, that managers should be cautious take into account the underlying principles that govern the organisational culture.8.ReferencesMartin, J, (2001), Organizational Behaviour, second edn, Thomson LearningMullins, L, (2002), Management and Organisational Behaviour, 2nd edn, Financial Times, prentice HallSchein, E, (1992), Organizational Culture and Leadership, 2nd edn,Jossey-Bass Inc.Cummings, T and Worley, C, (1993), Organization Development and Change, 5th edn , West print CompanySackman, S, (1991), Cultural knowledge in Organizations Exploring the corporal Mind, Sage PublicationsFrost, P et al. (1 991), Reframing Organizational Culture, Sage PublicationsSinclair, A, (1993), Approaches to organisational culture and ethics, Journal of Business Ethics, Dordrecht Jan 1993. Vol. 12, Iss. 1 pg. 63, 11 pgsWilson, A (2001), Understanding organisational culture and the implications for corporatemarketing, European Journal of Marketing, Bradford, Vol. 35, Iss. 3/4 pg. 353