Download Organizational Culture

Organizational Culture &
Diversity Management
What is Culture
• Culture is defined as the set of values, guiding
beliefs, understandings and ways of thinking
that is shared by members of an organization
The Function of Culture
• Culture is the social glue that helps hold an
organization together by providing appropriate
standards for what employees should say or do.
• It has a boundary defining role.
• It conveys a sense of identity for organization
members.
• It facilitates the generation of commitment to
something larger than ones own self interests.
• It enhances social system stability.
• It serves as a “sense –making” and control mechanism
that guides and shapes the attitudes and behaviour of
employees.
Relationship Between Structure &
Culture
Organizational Culture
• Behaviour
• Central values
• Shared normative
beliefs
• Assumptions
Organizational Structure
Questions for Reflection
1. Does behaviour reflect underlying values and
beliefs?
2. Can organizational culture be managed?
3. What is the relationship between culture, HR
outcomes, and competitive advantage?
4. How does diversity among employees affect
work place culture?
Culture - Strong vs. Weak
• In strong cultures, key values are deeply held
and widely shared
• Strong cultures have greater influence on
employees than do weak cultures
• Employees are more committed to
organizations with strong cultures
• Strong cultures are associated with high
organizational performance
Identifying Culture
• Rites and Ceremonies – sequences of activities
• Stories – a narrative of significant vents or
people
• Symbols – essential in creating an
organizations personality
• Language – organizations develop unique
jargon
Major Factors Affecting Cultural
Change in Organizations
Large Business
Moderate
difficulty in
implementing
cultural
change
Great
difficulty in
implementing
cultural
change
Relative ease
in
implementing
cultural
change
Moderate
difficulty in
implementing
cultural
change
Size and Complexity
Small Business
Low
Cultural Homogeneity
High
Types of Cultures
Constructive Culture
• Members are encouraged to interact with
others and to approach tasks in ways that help
them meet their satisfaction needs;
• Are characterised by achievement, self
actualization, humanistic encouraging, and
affiliative norms.
Types of Cultures
Passive/Defensive Cultures
• Members believe they must interact with
people in ways which will not threaten their
own security;
• Characterised by approval;
• Conventional, dependant, and avoidance are
norms.
Types of Cultures
Aggressive/Defensive Culture
• Members are expected to approach tasks in
forceful ways to protect their own status and
security;
• Characterised by oppositional, power,
competitive and perfectionist norms.
Discussion
• “ The culture that may be managed is the
manifestly observable behaviours not
unobservable deep-seated attitudes of
individuals” Ogbonna (1992)
Business Strategy and Culture
Innovation
• Develop products or services that
differ from competition
Quality
• Improve product service or
quality
Enhancement
Cost Reduction
Speed
• Be the lowest cost producer of
goods or provider of services
• Be the fastest innovator, producer,
distributor, responder.
Dimensions of Organizational Culture
• Refer to hand out
• In groups discuss how the dimensions of
organizational culture relate to the business
strategy
Normative Systems Model for
Organizational Change
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Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
• Refer to hand out
Hand Out
• Article Summary: Unexpected Consequences
of Cultural Interventions
What is ....Diversity Management?
• a strategy that is intended to foster and maintain a
positive workplace environment.
• Usually initiated by Human Resources professionals
and managed by department heads and supervisors.
• an effective diversity management program will
promote recognition and respect for the individual
differences found among a group of employees.
• The idea of this management style is to encourage
employees to be comfortable with diversity in the
workplace and develop an appreciation for differences
in race, gender, background, sexual orientation or any
other factors that may not be shared by everyone
working in the same area of the company.
Diversity Management
• The underlying principle of diversity management has to do with
acceptance.
• While individuals retain their own sense of values and ethics,
diversity management encourages people to recognize that not
everyone is alike.
• Rather than being intimidated or prejudiced by those differences,
employees are encouraged to accept the fact that there are diverse
interests, diverse values, and diverse physical and emotional
characteristics present within the office environment.
• Further, the diversity present in the office does not have to hamper
productivity or create conflict.
• Instead, the diversity may function as helpful attributes that
promote the attainment of the goals and objectives of the
department.
Diversity Management Audit
Questions for Discussion
1. Does behaviour reflect underlying values and
beliefs?
2. Can organizational culture be managed?
3. What is the relationship between culture, HR
outcomes, and competitive advantage?
4. How does diversity among employees affect
work place culture ? What is the link?
Today we discussed....
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Culture defined
Function of culture
Relationship between culture & structure
Strong vs weak culture
Cultural identification
Factors affecting culture in organizational change
Dimensions of culture
Systems model
Diversity management audit
Linkages between diversity management &
culture