What

What is
is Organizational
Organizational Culture?
Culture?

Organizational Culture
Characteristics:
Characteristics:
A common perception
held by the organization’s 1.1. Innovation
Innovationand
andrisk
risk
taking
taking
members; a system of
shared meaning. 2.2. Attention
Attentionto
todetail
detail
3.3. Outcome
Outcomeorientation
orientation
Culture is the personality
4.4. People
Peopleorientation
orientation
of org.
it represents 5.5. Team
Teamorientation
orientation
psychophysical attributes 6.6. Aggressiveness
Aggressiveness
of org. 7.7. Stability
Stability

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Do
Do Organizations
Organizations Have
Have Uniform
Uniform Cultures?
Cultures?

Core Values
The primary or dominant values that are accepted
throughout the organization.

Strong Culture
A culture in which the
core values are intensely
held and widely shared.
(Remember: Difference
b/w strong and positive
culture)
 Strong
Strong culture
culture
Associated with positive organizational outcomes such as
performance, profitability, growth etc.
Strong and positive culture may include
•Empowering employees
•Having team orientation
•Clear strategic direction
•Strong vision
(Characteristics/dimensions of culture makes it strong, highly
applied characteristics, stronger culture)

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Strong
Strong Cultures
Cultures and
and Performance
Performance

Strong Culture High

Performance

Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E 16 -11

Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner
 HOW
HOW EMPLOYEES
EMPLOYEES LEARN
LEARN
CULTURE
CULTURE

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Stories
Stories Rituals
Rituals

How
How Employees
Employees
Learn
Learn Culture/
Culture/
How
How it
it is
is “reinforced”
“reinforced”

Material
Material
Language
Language
Symbols
Symbols
 How
How Employees
Employees Learn
Learn Culture
Culture

Stories
Depicting the past events of the organization.
Some organizations actually try to manage this
element of culture learning.

Rituals
Repetitive sequential activities reinforcing the
values of the organization.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 How
How Employees
Employees Learn
Learn Culture
Culture

Material Symbols
An organization’s facilities, types of executive
vehicles, the size of offices, executive perks,
employee lounges, on-site dining facilities, and
reserved parking spaces.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 How
How Employees
Employees Learn
Learn Culture
Culture

Language
Language as a way to identify members of a
culture or a subculture

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Implications
Implications for
for Managers
Managers
 Create the culture you want when the
organization is small and new

 As a manager, your actions as a role model help

create the cultural values of ethics, spirituality,
and a positive culture

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.