Analysing organisation - Essay Example

Analysing organisation March 06, Analysis of Organisation Culture The key ideas of Meyerson & Martin (1987) are about three paradigms of organisation culture. The three paradigms reflect different aspects of organisational change. These are integration, differentiation and ambiguity. As per paradigm 1, culture serves as an integrating mechanism that holds together diverse members of an organisation together so that they work as a team. Paradigm 2 differentiation suggests that culture is not a single monolithic entity but is made up of a number of values, and sometimes-contradictory manifestations.

As per paradigm 3 Ambiguity, culture is made up of individuals who agree or disagree about some viewpoints while they are ignorant or indifferent to others.The key insights from Meyerson & Martin (1987) indicate that organisation is a culture imbued with the collective beliefs, meanings and values of the people and not a discrete variable. The three paradigms seem to diverge and converge on certain aspects and reveal the real status of large organisations. Consider Integration paradigm that aims to bring together disparate groups of employees by creating a single encompassing structure that glues together all.

However, paradigm 2 differentiation does not agree with paradigm 1 and it indicates that culture is made up of a number of conciliatory and opposing views. The third paradigm of ambiguity is aligned with paradigm 2 since it proposes that people have contradictory views in an organisation. The three insights are best represented in the following figure.Figure 1. Contrasting approaches to cultural change (Meyerson & Martin, 1987)The key insight from Meyerson & Martin (1987) is that out of these paradigms, one would be dominant while others serve as sub cultures.

The three paradigms have diverging implications and they would tend to produce mixed results when a cultural change is needed. One factor that emerges is the quality of leadership that guides and ushers in organisational change. Meyerson & Martin (1987) conclude that the best method is to use paradigm 1, integration, since it can be used to bring various cultures under the dominant organisational culture. Yet at the same time, integration allows individuals to maintain their unique characteristics so that they agree and differ on certain view while maintaining the organisational goals and objectives.

The key insights can be applied in practice by using the principles mentioned by Meyerson & Martin (1987) who used these paradigms to analyse the operations of Peace Corps in Africa. In this case, volunteers from different African nations with different and often opposing ideology came together. They worked as Peace Corps officers and while the team members differed on individual perspective, they agreed to follow the common organisational identity and culture. While integrating cultures, it is important to let individualism and ambiguity grow together.

The culture that emerges will allow for creativity, diversity and experimentation to grow. A manager cannot supervise all aspects of work in an organisation. This is true in large pyramidal structured firms where employees would be in the lower levels and at a distance from the power centres. In such a case, an organisational culture that integrates all employees yet allows for individualism and ambiguity to thrive would help in bringing in change. By using all three paradigms, certain blind spots are avoided and the cultural reality in the organisation is acknowledged.

As an example, a large firm such as Wal-Mart employs African Americans, Whites, Hispanics, Asians and people of other cultures. However, the organisational structure recognises and accepts these cultural differences and provides an opportunity for them to work together and grow. These are thus the important themes mentioned in the article. ReferencesMeyerson, D & Martin J., 1987. Cultural change: an integration of three different views. Journal of Management Studies, 24 (6), pp. 623-647