Chapter 13

Organizational Culture

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 What is Organizational Culture?

Set of shared values, beliefs, norms that influence

the way employees think, feel, and behave
towards each other and towards people outside
the organization
 Pattern of shared basic assumptions

Role of culture
 Identity
 Organization’s mission
 Standards of behavior

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Elements of Organizational Culture
Artifacts
• Stories/legends
• Rituals/ceremonies Visible
• Organizational language
• Physical structures/décor

Shared values
• Conscious beliefs
• Evaluate what is good or bad, right or
wrong
Invisible
(below the surface)
Shared assumptions
• Unconscious, taken-for-granted
perceptions or beliefs
• Mental models of ideals
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 Figure 17.2 Ways of Transmitting
Organizational Culture

Socialization
practices

Ceremonial
Employees The
Rites
learn organizational
and
through: language
Ceremonies

Stories, structures, symbols

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 Organizational Language

Words used to address people, describe

customers, etc.
Leaders use phrases and special vocabulary as
cultural symbols
 eg. Referring to “clients” rather than “customers”

Language also found in subcultures

 eg. Whirlpool’s “PowerPoint culture”

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 Stories and Legends

Social prescriptions of desired (undesired)

behavior
Provides a realistic human side to
expectations
Most effective stories and legends:
 Describe real people
 Assumed to be true
 Known throughout the organization
 Are prescriptive

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 Physical Structures/Symbols

Building structure -- may shape and reflect culture

Office design conveys cultural meaning

 Furniture, office size, wall hangings

Courtesy of Microsoft Corp.

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 Rituals and Ceremonies

Rituals
 programmed routines
 (eg., how visitors are greeted)

Ceremonies
 planned activities for an audience
 (eg., award ceremonies)

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