CHAP 2: Corporate culture at Choi Xuan and how does it affect work performance

2.1. Theoretical basis of culture at company/working environment

According to Marry K.Pratt (2020), “Corporate culture is the collection of values, beliefs,
ethics and attitudes that characterize an organization and guide its practices”. To some
extent, an organization's culture can be articulated in its mission statement or vision
statement. Elements of corporate culture include the organization's physical environment,
human resource management practices and staff work habits. Corporate culture is also
reflected in the degree of emphasis placed on various defining elements such as hierarchy,
process, innovation, collaboration, competition, community involvement and social
engagement.
In “The Culture Code: The secrets of highly successful Groups” (2018), Daniel Cole said
“Group culture is one of the most powerful forces on the planet”. A corporate culture that
reflects the broader culture is usually more successful than one that is at odds with it. For
example, in the current global culture, which values transparency, equality and
communication, a secretive company with a strictly hierarchical structure is likely to have
trouble recruiting and retaining workers and appealing to customers and partners.
However, some organizations create unique cultures that break from certain norms and
expected best practices, a move that can define the organizations as trailblazers and help
them succeed in the marketplace. All organizations, whether they are for-profit companies
or nonprofit entities or even government agencies, have a sense of self that can be called
corporate culture.
Evan Tarter wrote in “Business Guide” (2021), “Corporate culture is important because it
can support important business objectives. Employees, for example, might be attracted to
companies whose cultures they identify with, which in turn can drive employee retention
and new talent acquisition. For companies focused on innovation, fostering a culture of
innovation can be critical to maintaining a competitive edge with respect to patents or
other forms of intellectual property. Similarly, corporate culture can also play a role in
marketing the company to customers and to society at large, thereby doubling as a form of
public relations.” 
According to Jaques (1952): “The culture of an enterprise is the daily way of thinking and
acting of its members. It's something that members have to learn and more or less follow
in order to be accepted into that business. Culture in this sense encompasses a wide range
of behaviours, production methods, skills and technical knowledge, disciplinary attitudes,
management practices and habits, goals of people relevance, pay, views on different jobs,
belief in democracy in discussions and conventions and taboos”.

According to Denison (1990): “Corporate culture refers to the internal values, beliefs and
principles that form the basis of the enterprise management system, as well as a series of
management procedures and transparent behaviours. evidence and reinforce these
fundamental principles”.

The researchers Robbins and Judge (2011) said that the nature of corporate culture has 7
basic characteristics, including: (1) Innovation and risk taking; (2) Attention to detail; (3)
Results-oriented; (4) People-oriented; (5) Group work orientation; (6) Aggression and (7)
Stability.

According to research by Schein (1992), corporate culture consists of 3 levels: Tangible

entities; Declared and Conceptual Values, Foundational Assumptions. The first level -
Tangible entities: are the values that are clearly expressed to the outside, which most
generally describe the physical environment and social activities of an enterprise. This
level includes: Typical architecture and corporate appearance; Language and slogans;
Celebrations, ceremonies and cultural activities; Symbols, traditional songs, uniforms.
Second Level - Claimed values include: Vision; Mission and fundamental values;
Strategic objectives. The third level is the underlying conception/assumption. The
underlying concept/assumption includes the beliefs, perceptions, thoughts and feelings
that are recognized within the business.

Corporate culture is a system of values, standards, concepts and behaviors of an

enterprise. It not only governs the activities of members in the business, but also creates
its own business identity. The differentiation from corporate culture has brought success
to many businesses
Corporate culture is sometimes referred to as organizational culture or company culture.
Corporate culture is also sometimes considered to be synonymous with workplace culture.
However, some experts classify workplace culture as a separate idea that specifically and
narrowly describes the conditions under which employees conduct their work -- what has
come to be referred to, in part, as the employee experience. According to this view,
workplace conditions are shaped by and ultimately reinforce the overall corporate culture.
Many organizations determine and then develop the type of corporate culture they want,
formalizing it through statements of shared values and policies designed to effectuate
those cultural values. Others organizations see their culture evolve organically and by
chance and circumstance over time. Such organizations, however, may end up with a poor
or even toxic culture because they weren't thoughtful or attentive about fostering a more
nurturing environment. An organization's culture determines to a great degree the way
workers behave and what they consider acceptable ways of interacting with each other as
well as with business partners and customers. An organization's culture also greatly
determines how it reacts to change, evolution and crises. It deeply impacts the
organization's ability to innovate and succeed in both the short term and the long term.
 
2.2.Corporate culture at Choi Xuan

There are many examples of companies with well-defined corporate cultures. Alphabet
Inc. for example, is known for its employee-centric culture and its emphasis on working
in a creative and flexible environment, whereas Amazon (AMZN) is known for its
relentless pursuit of customer service and operational efficiencies. Often, national cultures
will play a role in determining the kind of corporate culture that is prevalent in society.
For example, Japanese corporations are known for having markedly different corporate
cultures as compared to those of American or European companies. And at Choi Xuan
Co, the company's leadership right from the early days of establishment has oriented the
development of the company according to the formula and long-term strategy. There,
building a corporate culture from the very beginning is the top concern. So where is the
corporate culture created here? Initially, leaders want to build a system of employees with
enthusiasm for the company, in addition to talent, they must also grasp and understand the
company's core values. From the core values as well as the existing strategic vision, the
company wants to base it on to offer distinct cultural values.
With the core values of "responsibility" and "trust", the leadership always directs
employees to cohesion and develop together. Therefore, the first corporate culture value
that every employee when coming to the company must understand is the culture of
teamwork, aiming for a common goal, or what we call the watch culture. Taking the
metaphorical image of a clock that works 24 hours a day, throughout the month, through
the years, we, the employees who are considered the gears, are every little detail in that
watch. , silently and together keep it up and running. Of course, each department will
have a different task, no one is the same, each person has a job. but at the same time,
people have to understand what they are doing and what other people are doing too?
Responsibility is something everyone must have, and above all, Trust in colleagues for
other departments is also important. But teamwork is always something that can be built
in any business or organization, so what's so special about it? The most obvious
manifestation of this "clock" culture is in weekly company wide meetings. This is a time
when people from all departments get together, share what they have and have not done
throughout a week.The advantages and disadvantages will be shared, so that all can
understand the problem, provide a reasonable solution to solve it with the sole goal of
helping the company develop.  Usually this meeting will require everyone to really focus
and prepare carefully before entering the meeting room. Because in such an organization,
backlog problems or arising problems are inevitable. Therefore, it takes focus and
seriousness to recognize the problem and end it as soon as possible. This important
meeting will take place on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning, the most appropriate
time. This is almost the end of a working week for everyone to see what they can do and
what problems they are facing. And also, after the meeting ends, departments and teams
will have at least 12-24 hours to plan the next working week based on the comments and
possible solutions they receive. 
As a company dealing in information technology and software, agility, responsiveness
and focus are always important factors. So, from the recruitment step to when a new
employee comes to work at the company. The value of agility and above all a culture of
"on time" is always something that is very well taught. Simply put, the working time at
the company will be fixed and everyone must strictly adhere to it. The worst thing about
working at Choi Xuan is being constantly late for work. One or two times can be due to
traffic jams, transportation problems…etc. However, being late multiple times is
definitely the fault of the individual. Punctuality is very important here, timekeepers are
always checked regularly to ensure employees comply with the rules set forth by the
company. It's not just about getting to work early or on time, but also demonstrate this
culture by completing the assigned work on time. Society is developing every second,
every minute, in the blink of an eye, many development opportunities have passed. And
the information technology and computer software industry even more requires this
agility. Therefore, completing the assigned tasks and work in a timely manner or at least
on time is very important. One individual delay will lead to a stalled department, and then
the whole company will have problems if they keep having the same problem! As
mentioned above, the whole company is perceived by everyone as a watch, the accuracy
to the millisecond is extremely important. A slow-rotating snail will also bring
unpredictable consequences. Because of that, punctuality and agility are always repeated
every day. Whoever violates will definitely be punished, not too heavy, but enough to
make an example of people more carefully about culture and the moral of the company.
In addition, the company's core values are also partly reflected in the layout and
arrangement of the departments. The company has an office layout that is not too fussy
but has a dynamic style and is suitable for the nature of the work. Employees are arranged
to sit separately but not too separate from everyone. The heads and deputy heads of
departments also sit in the same room with employees, one is to always observe as well as
to have timely interaction and support. And also create a feeling of closeness, comfort and
motivation to motivate people to work.
In any company, when employees feel comfortable, receive respect and care from their
superiors as well as from the company, it is certain that their work morale will be
significantly improved. At Choi Xuan, the importance and value of each individual in the
collective is very important. The company always puts credibility first both with its
customers and employees. The salary and bonus regimes, benefits as well as insurance are
agreed and implemented clearly, on time and extremely reputable. During the Covid 19
pandemic, even though the business of the whole company was slowed down, sales and
profits plummeted, the company or rather the above bosses always created favorable
conditions to help any employee. who are having health or financial problems. Always
make sure there is an allowance to support everyone even when people can barely get to
work.
As mentioned earlier, every weekend there will be a meeting to review professional issues
and discuss work. In general, every meeting will need everyone's focus and contribution,
sometimes there will be tension for several hours. However, this tension will quickly be
dispelled. Why? Because in Spring, there are not only meetings, but also small parties. To
relieve the stress that people have just experienced, as well as to help people reduce stress,
improve morale. The human resources department proposed a small party every weekend.
This party is really just for everyone to sit together, order food and drink and enjoy
themselves together. Simple but extremely effective, very popular with everyone. A few
years ago, this culture was only implemented occasionally due to the busy nature of the
work and no specific departments assigned to plan. However, in the past 1 year, after
years of fighting against covid 19, I have realized the importance of the human resource
issue and wanted to recreate the connection between employees. The Board of Directors
has transferred this task to the human resources department. With the request is not too
fussy, a small party at the weekend with necessary parts such as quick commendation and
reward for individuals who achieve high achievements, a small meal party and
indispensable text. technology or games. Simple, easy to do but to maintain it weekly, not
creating a feeling of boredom is also a problem. This party will usually be held around 4-
5 pm on Friday. That is right before leaving and ending an official working week. Create
a feeling of comfort, fun, create a connection between people,
Not only stopping at small parties, there will also be long trips in Spring to rest and bond
together. In most businesses, the term "bonding" is not too strange. Bonding is long
distance trips, picnics at the park in a flexible time, depending on the place, but most will
range from 1 to 2 days and 3 nights. This is the time when everyone can really rest, put
aside the fatigue and difficulties at work to really relax and have a fun bonding time with
colleagues and even bosses.Planning a trip like this will be conceived and prepared 1
month in advance. And of course this is the job that I myself have the opportunity to
experience in the Human Resources department. From determining the venue, time to go,
to the cost and other estimates. Make a detailed plan, through the comments of the
superiors and finally make the preparation and reservation. . It sounds quite simple, but it
actually takes a lot of time and effort in the preparation and search process. Not being able
to go all the way through one place or go too far, that will have the side effect of making
people tired as well as boring them. Creative thinking and always innovating is very
evident in this work! As a company with similar employee ages, not too far apart in terms
of generation, most of them are also GenZ,so it's very easy to understand the bonding of
people being displayed and working through the process for a long day. Already the Gen
Z generation, plus the maturity from the deputy heads and bosses. Combine to get a
dynamism parallel to the serious and professional in a team.
Another culture that is quite noticeable at the company is the culture on the banquet table,
or what is commonly called the drinking table culture. Indeed, celebration parties or
picnics cannot be complete without the traditional Vietnamese drink, which is wine. In
our country, the person on the wine table will be judged by many actions, showing a
certain part of that person's nature. At Spring Buds, every time there is a party that
involves alcohol or alcohol, everyone will understand what to do. Here are a few rules
that everyone will have to remember. The first is not to eat before everyone starts, that is,
you have to wait for everyone to raise a glass and hear the big boss speak and congratulate
before starting to eat. Next is when lifting the cup, you must know how to place the cup
on the bottom to match the age and position at the company. Especially if it's a boy, you
have to get up to invite the elders, department heads and even big bosses. The first is to
show respect, the second is to create sympathy and bond with the superiors, sometimes
even talk to them to be friends, which is very useful for later career. In fact, most people
do their best at the drinking table, they drink partly for comfort, and also to have a
memory later. In general, although Choi Xuan is only a small and medium-sized
company, the core and unique qualities of the company are always emphasized and
focused in each department, each step of development and expression. clearly through the
way they work as well as their employees. Employee image is the representative image of
the company. The things that the company aims to do are passed and communicated very
clearly to employees. There are very basic values but must be done differently and also
very new and very modern values have been created and gradually become a part of the
working and living life of the company.

2.3. How do those cultures affect business performance

In the process of development, each enterprise strives to build a system of values for
employees to accept, create harmony within the enterprise, a positive cultural atmosphere
to promote. the cultural strength of the collective, strengthen the internal strength and
strength of the enterprise. Corporate culture is a development stage of modern corporate
management thinking, representing a strategic shift in technical development in order to
create products with high cultural content. Therefore, it can be considered that corporate
culture is the most important element of contemporary business practice. At Choi Xuan,
from the very first day they step into the company, new employees will always be
instructed, think and experience in the direction that has been predetermined by the
company's management apparatus. Understanding and properly implementing each
culture at the company is not a matter of a few days, it is a process. Corporate culture in
Vietnam in general has a certain interference between the new in the West and the cultural
characteristics of the Vietnamese people themselves. Because, if the culture of this
country wants to take root in another country, another ethnic group that does not match
the national cultural identity of that country, it will be rejected and rejected by the local
culture. Therefore, the corporate culture of the enterprise must definitely consider the
indigenous cultural identity as the basis for development. The essence of corporate culture
is that internally, it is necessary to strengthen the potential, gather the creativity of
employees and employees, and encourage them to create more profits for the enterprise;
foreign policy must be accepted by the local society. If facilities and equipment are the
"body" of the enterprise, and the corporate culture is the "soul" of the enterprise.
Corporate culture is an intangible asset of the enterprise, contributing to the great strength
of the enterprise. Corporate culture is deeply rooted in trust, so it plays an important role
in the implementation of the organization's goals and tasks. So in Spring, how has the
corporate culture built and developed for a long time made an impact on the company
itself and the employees here?
Firstly, everyone understands the importance of solidarity in a team, especially a team that
is developing together to create profits. Most of the company's policies and operating
methods will be based on the collective spirit, for the sake of the collective goal. This is
the spirit that is deeply ingrained in the subconscious of Vietnamese people, "unity is
strength" has always been the guideline of many large and small corporations. At Choi
Xuan, too, solidarity and collective appreciation are given the top priority, reflected in the
way the company operates, the way the departments connect with each other and of
course the connection of each child. people here. As mentioned earlier, the "watch"
culture is the culture that most clearly shows the consensus and development of everyone
at the company. What do company-wide meetings bring? It is a summary of everyone's
work process after a certain period of time, indicating what is doing well and then
promoting and also difficulties and mistakes to quickly overcome. The collective value
and the end result must always be to contribute to the company's development, one person
for everyone and of course everyone for one person. There will not be any individuals left
behind in the daily work and development at Choi Xuan. This team-oriented culture
motivates employees to work more focused, more efficient every day to meet the needs of
both the company and the market we are targeting. Everyone has to understand what
they're doing. What are the duties in the department or at the company? How to
accomplish the assigned goal? And then when participating in meetings, how to
contribute and absorb ideas? Based on surveys done in departments as well as sharing
from some new and old employees. The fact that the company is always towards the
collective, requires interaction and connection in the working process for everyone is
necessary, a basic step to build a healthy working environment. 100% of respondents
rated this as the core essence of the company, giving them a sense of confidence when
they were always helped by people around them. People also pointed out that this is the
main motivation for people to work hard every day, giving them the feeling of
contributing to the team, seeing the value that they bring. On the other hand, the internal
meetings of the whole company are also quite interesting and discussed ideas. About XX
% of employees when asked, commented that this is a right activity and should be
maintained at the company. “Each meeting has its own purpose, but generally speaking, it
provides important information, encourages morale, and points out what is going wrong.
That is a good thing, it creates itself for meeting participants to focus on listening and
understanding what others say, which is an experience worth noting,” said Mr. XXX of
the Sales Department.About XX% also agree on the importance of internal meetings as
well as the corporate culture at the company, but these people want a slight reduction in
the nature and manner in which the meeting is being conducted. . Specifically, Ms. XX of
the Marketing Department said: "Weekly internal meetings like that are reasonable in my
opinion. Getting new, important information and knowing what you've been up to after a
week makes perfect sense. But the bosses are creating a bit of a sense of tension and
stereotype. Because there are weeks where the number of working days, the quality of
work, and the business situation really don't change much, it can create a sense of
confusion for people in a meeting that they don't know what to say, report like What if
there's really nothing going on during the work week? Moreover, the tension is also
something that some people will feel when participating in this meeting, sometimes it
helps me to focus but sometimes it also creates anxiety and a little timidity." It is the
stress that Ms. XX mentioned that is a rather big concern that the staff at Choi Xuan are
suffering from. Some said that such weekly companywide meetings are quite time
consuming and only create stress for everyone. But when asked, “have you thought about
proposing to eliminate such a meeting?” 100% answer is no. The main reason is the
importance of the meeting, also because this is the company's traditional identity, which
cannot be said to be discarded immediately. Besides, what people want to change is the
frequency of meetings and the way people talk and communicate. Most people think that
once a month a collective meeting is the most reasonable. Saves time but also does not
cause any pressure for everyone. In short, the collective culture at Choi Xuan is
understood and appreciated by almost everyone, and also gives employees the motivation
to work hard every day. Besides, when the team spirit towards results is promoted, each
individual will have to work hard and contribute to the company, as if following the top
core values and rules at the company. liability company".

In the era of technology 4.0, society is constantly updating and developing every minute,
every second, time is the most important thing in all human activities. This is even more
true for people in the business field. Taking advantage of every precious moment,
constantly updating and refreshing, and being really agile is the most important thing
when doing any job. For a company oriented to the field of information technology and
digitized software like Choi Xuan, this is really a top priority issue.Punctuality plays an
important role in productivity in the workplace and can have an even more important
function in building the foundation for a personal brand. Professionals, including
employees and managers, have one thing in common, which is that they prioritize
punctuality. When you arrive late, you leave a bad impression. No one wants to start an
important meeting with an apology. On the other hand, you can also be stressed and
distracted, even making unnecessary mistakes. Arriving on time will calm you down,
allow yourself a few more minutes to think about your argument, and you will appear
confident, poised, and in control of the conversation. This habit helps you stand out like a
professional.
Starting from the first thing, that is going to work on time, a seemingly easy thing but not
everyone can do or maintain it every day. There are all sorts of reasons for being late to
work, sometimes tolerable. But every day, 5-10 minutes late to work is another story, a
story about individual consciousness! Going to work fully and on time is the first thing
when it comes to the company that everyone must follow. That's why being late to work
is almost nonexistent here. People said: “The company policy is quite strict about coming
to work and being on time. If you are late for 5 minutes, you can also be fined an hour of
work, and if you are too late, you may go to work that whole day without charge. Those
who are particularly late to work continuously may be even more severely punished."
Answer yes, but everyone agrees that this is the correct rule and must be followed.
Waking up early and arriving at work on time is not only good for health, but also has
more time to prepare for work. Punctuality culture must also be adhered to by people
through the work they do every day. Assignments should always be completed as soon as
possible, and at the latest, on time. Any delay will lead to the cessation of the whole
process. It is not possible for one individual to influence the entire group like that. In
general, this is the culture that is best absorbed and responded to by everyone, because not
only does it create a more professional feeling when working, but each individual will
also contribute more to the company's collective. results later.
The corporate cultures mentioned above can all be seen as the rules and values that the
company wants its employees to grasp and follow with the aim of helping the company
grow. But it must be understood that, when working for the company, employees do not
just want to get their basic salary back. There are many factors to how long an employee
stays with the company they work for. For a company, the more skilled employees stick
with them for a long time, the smoother the rotation of the whole business will be. In
order to bring high efficiency and save recruitment and training costs as well as many
other related costs when replacing people. According to resource management experts, in
order for employees to be truly satisfied with the working environment and stick with the
organization, businesses need to make employees feel respected and given opportunities
for career development. and have a reasonable remuneration mechanism. Therefore, when
employees are asked by the company to follow its core values and rules, they must get
something in return from the company itself. Understanding this issue, the leaders at Choi
Xuan always listen and give specific policies and plans to determine the best things for
employees. Towards the collective value, the individual element must also be upheld. XX
% of employees who participated in the survey all nodded in agreement that they are
feeling respected and appreciated for their ability. They find themselves working in a
healthy and progressive working environment. That makes them more confident, much
more comfortable. In addition to respecting each individual, the company also has a lot of
reward policies as well as community-building activities and mental buffs for everyone.
As mentioned above, the weekly summaries of small parties, in stark contrast to the
previous stressful meeting, will be the time when everyone is most relaxed during the
week.
There is a new religion, although it is only snacks or a few cups of milk tea, but it is also a
great spiritual encouragement for employees at the company. Not only that, it is also a
place where everyone has the opportunity to talk more, understand each other little by
little, relax to the fullest. Therefore, it is not surprising that 100% of the employees
surveyed agree that they are satisfied with this activity, they consider this a small step in
the bonding process towards collective unity, moreover, everyone All think that such a
relaxed spirit will work much more effectively when the interaction is pushed up. And
last but not least, the problem that is showing the difference in the thoughts and feelings
of the employees is the table culture when the company has the opportunity to go out or
celebrate a certain occasion.X% think that this is a natural thing to have and should be
developed to improve people's connection. They believe that when participating in such
parties, comfort is the first factor, drinking freely and having fun together, then they can
really get close to each other. However, up to XX% of respondents think that this culture
should be decided by each person. Alcohol or other alcoholic beverages are not good for
health, drinking too much will cause many consequences, especially when you are resting
and relaxing, should not spoil the atmosphere because of stimulants. The majority of
people who feel dislike or even oppose table culture are GenZ girls or young people.
From there, we can see the difference in the thinking of the two generations at the
company. Agree that parties like this must be a bit drunk, However, it must be in
moderation and above all, it must be decided by the drinker himself. There should be no
coercion or disparagement at that time, which will most likely lead to friction or even
scuffles if someone loses control of their mind. When surveyed with the question "Culture
... how does it affect you when working at the company?" With 3 answer options: "Good
influence", "bad influence", "neutral". It is interesting that when asked about "drinking
table culture" at the company, up to XX% of employees chose "bad influence" and they
all showed no interest in this. This is also the opinion of employees that needs to be
considered and resolved by leaders. When surveyed with the question "Culture ... how
does it affect you when working at the company?" With 3 answer options: "Good
influence", "bad influence", "neutral". It is interesting that when asked about "drinking
table culture" at the company, up to XX% of employees chose "bad influence" and they
all showed no interest in this. This is also the opinion of employees that needs to be
considered and resolved by leaders. When surveyed with the question "Culture ... how
does it affect you when working at the company?" With 3 answer options: "Good
influence", "bad influence", "neutral". It is interesting that when asked about "drinking
table culture" at the company, up to XX% of employees chose "bad influence" and they
all showed no interest in this. This is also the opinion of employees that needs to be
considered and resolved by leaders.