Assignment:
"Organizational culture is the set of shared values and norms that control organizational members' interactions with each other and with suppliers, customers, and other people outside the organization" (Jones, p.23).
Organizational culture can be divided into three levels (Schein, 2004):
Level 1: Observable Artifacts and Behaviors
Level 2: Beliefs and Values - stated and practiced
Level 3: Basic Underlying Assumptions - unobservable and unconscious
The interrelationship of competencies and culture adds to the uniqueness and complexity that helps form an organization. Studies have shown that when all else is equal this complex interaction helps give the organization a competitive advantage by acting as one of the critical barriers to new competitors (Cameron & Quinn, 1999).
"Strategic organizational shifts cannot happen without a shift in organizational culture. Echoing the sentiments of Jason Fried, Founder of Basecamp and author of REWORK, culture is not created, it happens as a result of behaviors exhibited by the teams and individuals in an organization. Additionally, culture shifts aren't achieved by bringing in a couple of foosball tables and a fridge full of snacks into the office" Kundu & Sachs, 2015, para. 5)
FYI: Jason Fried's book Rework is a great read and a great book to give to your boss. (https://www.amazon.com/Rework-Jason-Fried/dp/0307463745/ref=sr_1_1 )
1. Why is culture so important to an organization?
2. Can you think of examples of a great organizational culture? How about terrible organizational cultures?
3. How are these reflected?
4. Can/should a company that has a terrible organizational culture succeed? Would like to work there?
References:
Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational Culture and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Jones, Gareth R. 2007. Organizational theory, design, and change. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (1999). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework. Addison-
Wesley series on organization development. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley.
Kundu, A. & Sachs, A. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/unfinished-business-organizational-transformation