Chapter 3 organizational culture and environment: the constraints

Report by: Group II

The omnipotent viewThe view that managers are directly responsible for an organization’s success or failure. The symbolic viewThe view that much of an organization’s success or failure is due to external forces outside managers’ control.Realty suggests a synthesis

The organizations’ culture

Organizational culture: the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act.Attention to detailOutcome orientationPeople orientationTeam orientationAggressivenessStabilityInnovation and risk taking

Strong and weak culture

Strong culture Weak culture

Values widely shared Values limited to a few people—usually top management

Culture conveys consistent messages about what’s important

Culture sends contradictory messages about what’s important

Most employees can tell stories about company history/heroes

Employees have little knowledge of company history or heroes

Employees strongly identify with culture

Employees have little identification with culture

Strong connection between shared values and behaviors

Little connection between shared values and behaviors

Current organizational culture issues facing managers

Creating an ethical cultureCreating an innovation cultureChallenge and involvement, trust and openness, idea time, playfulness/humor, conflict resolution, debates, risk takingCreating a customer-responsive culture

Spirituality and organizational culture

Strong sense of purpose.Focus on individual development.Trust and openness.Employee empowerment.Toleration of employee expression.

Environment

External environmentThose factors and forces outside the organization that affect the organization’s performance.

Internal environmentMermber of organizationmanagement

organization

customers

Social and political action

group

competitors

Trade and industry

associationsgovernments

suppliers

shareholders

unions

employees