Organizational Culture:

Refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from
other organizations.

Henry Mintzberg on Culture:

Culture is the soul of the organization — the beliefs and values ,and how they are manifested .
(I think of the structure as the skeleton ,and as the flesh and blood .And culture is the soul that
holds the thing together and gives it life force)
--The seven primary characteristics of an organization’s culture:
1. Innovation and risk-taking 2. Attention to detail 3. Outcome orientation
4. People orientation 5. Team orientation 6. Aggressiveness 7. Stability

First :Innovation and risk-taking

○ An organization that values innovation and risk -taking encourages employees to:
■ think outside the box,
■ experiment with new ideas,
■ and take calculated risks.
○ They may have programs in place to support and reward innovation ,such as dedicated
research and development teams ,innovation labs ,or regular brainstorming sessions.
Examples

Google is known for its innovative culture ,
encouraging employees to spend a portion of
their time on personal projects and fostering a
creative and entrepreneurial environment .This
has led to the development of various innovative
products and services beyond its core search
engine ,such as Google Maps ,Gmail ,and Google
Glass.
Vezeeta is a digital healthcare platform in Egypt that
has introduced innovative solutions to improve
access to healthcare services.
They have developed an online platform that allows
users to book appointments ,access medical
information ,and even consult with doctors remotely ,
promoting innovation in the healthcare industry in
Egypt.
Second :Attention to detail : The degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision ,
analysis ,and attention to detail.
- An organization that emphasizes attention to detail
○ places a strong emphasis on accuracy ,precision ,and thoroughness in its work.
○ They value quality control and have processes and systems in place to ensure that
tasks and projects are completed with a high level of attention to detail.
- Customer-oriented industries in which such precision is valued
- Employees working for Four Seasons must have an eye for detail and thrive on keeping
meticulous records.
- McDonald’s Corporation: specifies in detail how employees should perform their jobs by
including photos of exactly how French fries and hamburgers should look when prepared
properly.
- Toyota is renowned for its attention to detail and commitment to quality .The company’s
production system ,known as the Toyota Production System ,emphasizes continuous
improvement and ensuring the highest level of quality in its vehicles through rigorous
quality control processes and attention to detail in every step of the manufacturing process.
Examples:

Juhayna is one of the largest dairy and juice

Four Seasons hotels provides customers
producers in Egypt .The company is known for its
with exactly the service they prefer ,and
attention to detail in ensuring the quality and safety
they keep records on each guest’s
of its products .Juhayna maintains rigorous quality
experiences ,preferences ,and
control processes throughout its production and
expectations.
distribution chain to deliver high-quality dairy and
juice products to consumers.

Third :Outcome orientation: An organization with an outcome-oriented culture is focused on

achieving results and meeting goals.
○ Employees are trained to sell products ,and they are evaluated on their sales performance.
○ They set clear performance targets,
○ monitor progress ,and reward employees based on their ability to deliver
desired outcomes .as opposed to seniority or loyalty.
○ prioritize efficiency ,effectiveness ,and tangible results.
Examples
Amazon has a strong outcome -oriented Orascom Construction :Orascom Construction is a leading
culture, driven by its customer-centric engineering and construction company in Egypt .They
approach .The company focuses on delivering have a strong outcome-oriented culture ,focusing on
exceptional customer experiences and delivering high -quality construction projects on time and
achieving measurable outcomes ,such as fast within budget .The company has a track record of
and reliable delivery ,a wide product selection , successfully completing complex projects ,such as
and personalized recommendations. infrastructure developments and industrial facilities.
Fourth :People orientation: The degree to which management decisions take into consideration
the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.
● An organization that values people orientation places a
strong emphasis on employee well-being ,satisfaction ,and
development.
○ They prioritize creating a supportive work environment ,fostering positive
relationships among employees,
○ ensuring that employees 'needs are met.
○ They may have mentorship programs ,employee recognition initiatives ,or a strong
focus on work-life balance.
● Zappos :Zappos ,an online shoe and clothing
● Example of a people-oriented company
retailer ,has a people -oriented culture that places a
that offers employees a wide range of
individualized benefits ,including on-site strong emphasis on employee satisfaction and well-
childcare. being .The company is known for its unique
“Treat employees like they make a difference , company culture ,offering perks like flexible work
and they will ”.The result :a loyal and arrangements ,a strong focus on work-life balance ,
dedicated workforce.
and a supportive work environment.

Fifth :Team Orientation: The degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather
than individuals.
○ An organization with a team-oriented culture values
collaboration ,cooperation ,and teamwork.
○ They encourage employees to work together ,share knowledge ,and leverage each
other's strengths to achieve common goals.
○ They may have cross-functional teams ,team-building activities ,or a strong
emphasis on collective decision-making.
Examples

Pixar Animation Studios :Pixar has a Fawry is a leading electronic payment platform in
strong team-oriented culture , Egypt .The company fosters a team-oriented
promoting collaboration and culture ,emphasizing collaboration and teamwork
teamwork among its employees .The among its employees.
studio believes that the best creative Fawry encourages cross-functional
work comes from teams with diverse
teamwork to drive innovation and enhance their
perspectives and encourages open
payment solutions ,contributing to their
communication ,cross-department
success in the Egyptian market.
collaboration ,and collective decision -
making in its filmmaking process.
Sixth :Aggressiveness: The degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than
easygoing.
○ An organization with an aggressive culture is driven by a desire to outperform
competitors ,seize opportunities ,and achieve market dominance.
○ They may have a strong sales and marketing focus ,reward individual achievement ,
and encourage employees to be assertive in pursuing organizational goals.

Appl :Apple is known for its
aggressive and competitive culture ,
constantly pushing boundaries and
striving for market dominance .The
company’s aggressive approach is
evident in its marketing strategies ,
product launches ,and the pursuit of
innovative technologies to stay ahead
of the competition.
Ezz Steel is the largest steel producer in
Egypt .The company has an aggressive
culture ,focused on market leadership and
expansion .Ezz Steel has pursued growth
strategies ,including acquisitions and
investments in new technologies ,to maintain
a competitive edge in the steel industry.

Seventh :Stability: The degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status
quo in contrast to growth.
○ Emphasizes consistency, predictability, and maintaining the status quo.
○ They prioritize maintaining a secure and controlled work environment, following
established procedures and protocols, and minimizing disruptions.
○ They may have robust risk management practices, well-defined roles and
responsibilities, and a structured hierarchy.
○ When the environment is stable and certain Providing stable and constant levels of
output. These cultures prevent quick action, and as a result may be a misfit to a
changing and dynamic environment.
○ Public sector institutions may be viewed as stable cultures.
Examples

Disney has a culture that values stability
and consistency .Despite being an
organization that fosters creativity and
imagination ,it maintains stability
through its strong brand identity ,
adherence to established storytelling
traditions ,and structured operational
processes that ensure a consistent
experience for its audiences across its
theme parks, movies ,and merchandise.
● National Bank of Egypt :The National Bank
of Egypt( NBE )is one of the oldest and largest
banks in Egypt .NBE embodies stability in its
culture ,ensuring a secure and reliable banking
environment for its customers .The bank
maintains a strong focus on risk management
and compliance to provide stability in the
financial services sector.
 ● Culture’s Functions: Social glue that helps hold an organization together
○ Enhances social system stability and provides appropriate standards for what
employees should say or do.
○ Boundary-defining.
○ Conveys a sense of identity for organization members.
○ Facilitates commitment to something larger than one’s individual self-interest.
Strong and Weak cultures:
Strong Culture

Strong Cultures
○ The organization’s core values are both intensely held and widely shared.
○ Have a great influence on the behaviour of their members.
○ Build cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment.
Keep Culture Alive
Selection :Hiring and Onboarding Practices:
During the hiring process ,organizations can select candidates who align with the desired culture and
values .During onboarding ,new employees should receive comprehensive training and orientation
that explicitly highlights the organization's culture ,providing them with a clear understanding of
what is expected of them.

Top management:
Clear Communication :Organizations
should clearly articulate their values ,
beliefs ,and desired behaviors through
various communication channels .This
includes sharing the company's mission ,
vision ,and cultural expectations through
employee handbooks ,orientation
programs ,internal newsletters ,company-
wide meetings ,and regular updates from
leadership.
Lead by Example :Leaders and
managers play a crucial role in setting
the tone and modelling the desired
culture .They should consistently
demonstrate the behaviorsand values
that align with the company's culture ,
serving as role models for employees
to emulate.
The Socialization Model
First :The Pre-arrival stage
● Explicitly recognizes that each individual arrives with a set of values ,attitudes ,and
expectations about both the work to be done and the organization
● Consists of anything a potential organization member has learned about the organization
prior to joining.
● Selection process :gives the job-seeker information about the organization.
● Candidates who find that their personal values do not match the core values of the
prospective company should disqualify themselves from the selection process at this time.
Second :The Encounter Stage
● Once a candidate accepts a job offer ,they enter the encounter stage.
● Confronts the possibility that expectations—of the job ,co-workers ,and the organization in
general—may differ from reality.
● If the reality of the new job is different than what the new employee expected it to be ,
socialization methods are used to orient the new employee to the existing culture and to help
them make sense of the culture of their new organization.
Third :The Metamorphosis Stage
● The new employee changes or goes through the metamorphosis stage .Outcomes :
Productivity ,Commitment ,Turnover
● Finally ,the new member must work out any problems discovered during the encounter stage.