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Organizational Culture Concept:

Meaning- An OC is a system of shared meaning held by members (of that particular organization) that distinguishes the organization from other organizations. The OC is a system of shared beliefs and attitudes that develops within an organization and which guides the behaviors of its members that distinguishes one organization form other. Characteristics of OC According to SP Robbins: There are at least, seven primary characteristics existing as essence of an organization. 1. Innovation and risk taking i.e. the degree to which the employees are encouraged to be innovative. And how much they can go ahead to take risk. 2. Attention to detail: how much the workers are attentive to precision and analytical to the work in hand. 3. Outcome orientation: Management focuses on result or outcomes. 4. People orientation: the degree to which management is alert to the effects of outcomes on people within the organization. (Shows the degree to which management is alert forwards the people within an organization. 5. Team orientation: shows the degree to which work activities are organized aroung teams rather that, individuals. 6. Aggressiveness: The degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easy going.(my view- People should be competitive with an aggressive fine not actually being aggressive) 7. Stability: the degree to which organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo in contrast to growth.( According to Robbins , SP) According to N K Chaddha : Following are the other characteristics of an organizational culture1. Common behavior- adapting common language, terminology and rituals to the mode of behavior. 2. Norms- follow guidelines as how the work should be performed. 3. Most dominant values- customer satisfaction of upmost importance, encourage high quality of product. 4. Organizational philosophy- organizational polices come out of this philosophy. 5. Rules and regulations- sense of discipline is implemented through these rules and regulations.

Organizational Culture

6. Organizational climate- gives and employee a feeling about the entire organizations functioning values, attitude of people. All organizations have culture because they all are embedded in specific societal cultures and are part of them.

Elements of culture:
Organizational culture is comprised of shared values, attitudes, languages and many other things. No single element can create culture, Rather culture emerges from an interplay of element But question arises how does it take its birth? Why does it emerge? The answer is as follows1. Company founders: a. These are the individuals who have visions regarding value and attitudes. b. They have their philosophy also to shape the organizational culture. c. Once the attitudes, values and beliefs are settled, these are communicated to new comers by the old workers. d. Once they spread properly and accepted by all members they persist all along the organization and become the central part of their dominant culture. 2. Influence of environment: Continuous experience with external environment plays an important role in establishment of culture. Competition in the innovative, highly qualitative and alert to customers satisfaction. 3. Interaction with others i.e. (within organization) - people with different perspective work together they interpret situations differently. They share their views, beliefs and attitudes but act as a building block in the development of an organizational culture. Implications of organizational culture: An organizational culture struggles with both of it: Positive and negative effects. Working positively it has1. A boundary defining role, i.e. creates distinction between one organization and others. 2. Conveys a sense of identity for organization

Organizational Culture

3. Generates commitment of something larger than ones individual self interest. 4. Enhances the stability of the social system So far conformity is maintained to the rules it works as basis of reward & upward mobility. In other words an organization keeps on moving towards success till the rules and regulations are acceptable to all and the inner cohesiveness remains intact. But there are situations when culture appears elusive & intangible (indefinable) . Those situations and their implications are as follows1. Culture as Liability- Culture is valuable as it reduces ambiguity, increases consistency of behavior but we cannot ignore the potential dysfunctional aspects of culture which tells upon its effectiveness. 2. Barriers to Change- It makes difficult to respond to changes in the environment. 3. Barriers to Diversity- Because of race, age, gender disability, different habitual workers create a paradox (a statement appearing contradictory but contains truth). (i)Strong cultures can be liabilities when an organization effectively eliminates the unique strength that people of different backgrounds bring to the organization. (ii) Strong cultures can be liabilities when they support institutional bias or become insensitive to the people who are different. 4. Barriers to Acquisitions & Mergers: Generally it is done for financial purpose (to save cost or to reduce expenditure). Here also strong culture stands as barrier. Before acquisition, it is a must think process i.e., whether the two or both the organizations culture match up. Merger has also its own grievances. PROCESS OF ORGANIZATION CULTURE An organizational culture does not come out of the sky or thin air. It is to be created and once it is established, it must be strengthen. The process of culture creation goes in certain ways. They are as followsI. Impact of Founders & Leaders- Hiring, recruiting & keeping employees who think and do in the same way they do. Further these values are reinforced by the transformational leaders. The founders Rewards to strengthen culture- Incentive system for the better performance of employee. Stable Work Force- The organizations values, beliefs and attitudes can be transmitted through stable workforces.

II. III.

Organizational Culture

IV. V.

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Cultural network- the transmission of cultural values is done by its executives through organizations network, newsletters, annual magazine, display board etc. Employees selection and orientation- Is the most important process of an organization culture. Only those employee should be selected who have keen interest in knowing the organization culture during and after interview employees should be compatible (Happy or relaxed) with organization culture along with duties, salary and hours of works etc. It is necessary to do the business ethically. Last but not the least the process of socialization accounts much for an organizational culture. Then new comers are made adapted to the new culture. The most critical stage of socialization is at the line of entry. Some employees may be non conformists or continuously which contributes to sustaining of culture. Thus, socialization contains stages:a) Pre arrival b) Encounter, and c) Inorphosis This three stage process has an impact on the new employees work productively.

Organizational Culture