Cultures in Organizations - Essay Example

Cultures in organization Organizational cultures refer to the behavior of people in organizations. Humans are some of the most fundamental resources in organization a feature that commands effective human resource management in order to sustain the profitability required by every business organization. The organization must therefore manage the behavior of the people in the organization effectively in order to steer the profitability. In order to streamline the behavior of the people in the organization, most organizations have elaborate missions statements; goals and vision statement that help portray the values of the organization. Among other tools used by managers to control behavior of employees, include working language, beliefs, symbols and acceptable habits at the organization. Such tools constitute an organizational culture and subcultures. Communication is an essential cultural aspect that influences the productivity of an organization. The management of the organization therefore invests most of its resources to manage the flow of information within the organization. Information for example is an equally important asset in an organization since the information influences the management, production and marketing among other important features of the organization. This explains the various policies that control the flow of information in the organization. Working language is a primary feature that manages the flow of information besides influencing the culture within the organization (Jex & Britt 77). Most organizations have an official operational language within the organization. Besides the use of a specific language, organizations also have specific channels of communication with certain media considered official. The use of video conferencing, telephones and emails have become official channels of communication that expedites management operations. Deal and Kennedy define organizational culture liberally as the manner in which organizations operate. In their definition, they provide a number of organizational cultures defining the relationship among the employees and managers within the organization and the influence of such relationships in the productivity of the organization. Among the organizational cultures the two scholars propagate, include work hard play hard culture. The culture explains the operations of restaurants and fast food cafes. Such cultures have low risks and rapid results. Such cultures require cohesive organizations with the coordination between the management and the employees. Effective communication permits free flow of information between the managers and employees. Communication models such as the upward flow and the downward flow of messages are essential in the management and production process since they influence the nature of the specific undertakings. Upward the upward model of communication forms a platform for interaction between employees and managers at the organization. The flow of feedback is vital in influencing the nature of operations at the organization. An organization must therefore develop a culture that permits employees to communicate with their managers. Down ward model of communication on the other hand is a systematic model of communication that permits mangers to communicate with their junior employees. Both models work in unison to create a coherent organization in which the managers communicate the policies of the organization effectively to their juniors while the junior employees also have effective channels of communication through which they pass their feedbacks and complain back to the mangers (Papa 91). This way, the organization operates in coherence with each party understanding the demands of the other. The student subculture is one of the most subcultures in most organizations. This refers to the constant of progressive growth and appraisal of the employees as they rise through the ranks within the organization. The subculture provides for effective entry into the organization with new employees serving as students within the organization as they learn the technical features of both their positions and the operations of the organizations. Most corporate organizations currently recruit graduate trainees who join the company at lower levels and work as students as they learn the intricate features of both the organization and the profession. As they progress through the ranks within the organization, they learn more about the roles of the different positions a feature that provides the organization with domesticated professionals who have vast experience on the operations of different departments within the organization. The student subculture is applicable in several organization since it gives the organization the authority to train and develop the workforce it requires. As the employees move through the ranks, they serve as students learning fundamental lessons about the operations of the organization from their seniors. This ensures that the organization has effective employees to succeed the senior managers or any other employee serving in any capacity within the organization in case they quit their roles. The subculture makes human resource management easier. The human resource department has a large pool of resources from where it draws the vital human resource to occupy vacant positions created by either the demise or the absenteeism of any employee. Additionally, the management of the organization has more control of the human resource owing to the fact that the department enjoys control over the employees since it trained them on the different roles. Additionally, the human resource management has adequate understanding of the employees since during the progressive training, the management acquires information about the strengths and weaknesses of the employees a feature that expedites the transition process in case a position falls vacant within the organization (Black 54). Faculty culture is yet another culture that facilitates employee management in order to improve the productivity of the organization. Systems theory of management refers to an organization as a system with several components that must work in dedicated unison in order for the organization to realize the desired profitability. The faculty subculture adopts a similar view to organizational management. The organization comprises of several faculties thereby requiring effective management through the creation of departments. Most organizations have thee marketing, production and administration departments. While the three appear semiautonomous, they work in unison but with different employees in order for the organization to attain the profitability enshrined in its objectives. The marketing department for example requires appropriate individuals with vast knowledge and experience of appropriate marketing functions to help increase the organization’s market share. The administration department also known as the management department requires individuals with appropriate knowledge and experience in organizational and business management. The production department on the other hand requires personnel with technical knowhow on the different technologies relating to the production operations. The three departments have different employees all of whom possess different technical knowhow. However, the three departments with diverse employees must work in unison with each department influencing the operations of the others in order to steer the organization towards the desired profitability. The administrative culture on the other hand seeks to create an organization with effective organization with each administrator having clear obligations and duties in the organization. Among the common administrative offices in the organization, include the president, the provost and the vice president among many others. Such organizations have appropriate power provisions with each administrator having clear and concise mandates concerning the operations of the organization. The culture improves accountability in the organization as each administrator commands explanations from his immediate junior. Additionally, the administrators have elaborate delegation mechanism as the vice president assumes the roles of the president in his absence. The principals on the other hand may assume the roles of the vice president in his absence. Such create effective opportunities for the top-level managers to motivate and train junior managers on different managerial functions. The administrative culture develops an ambiance of importance and professionalism within the organization as managers seek accountability from their juniors. Bureaucracy and theory X and theory Y are two theories that help design an effective organizational culture that permits the exchange of information between the mangers and the employees. Bureaucracy vouches for the creation of offices to enhance the influence of the management among the employees. Through the offices, managers breech the gap between their offices and the employees of the firm. The theory develops a culture of intense supervision and accountability as the progressive officers update the top-level managers with information concerning the functions of the numerous departments. The theory develops a culture effective in the management of large numbers of employees most of whom are unprofessional. Theory X and theory Y on the other hand provide mangers with effective understanding of the employees thereby influencing the formation of appropriate organizational cultures. Theory X posits that employees are lazy in nature and hate work. According to the theory, employees will work only under intense supervision. Theory Y on the other hand posits that employees love their work, which comes naturally to them. In-depth application of the theory X and theory Y in the development of an organizational culture provides the management with effective understanding of the employees thereby developing effective strategies for the diverse organizational structures. Professional employees for example have the technical knowhow required in their respective field, such a work force easily work with minimal supervision owing to the satisfaction that comes with the work. The management of the organization must therefore develop a culture of appreciation, motivation and constant appraisal of the employees in order to increase their productivity. Unlike the unskilled labor that require intense supervision, the professional workforce requires a liberal work environment, one in which they interact freely with the management. In retrospect, organizational cultures refer to the manner in which different organizations manage their internal affairs. The culture of an organization must be unique but seek to meet the profitability goals and objectives of the organization. The organizational culture influences the flow of information within the organization as discussed above often referring to the official language of communication within the organization and the types of media the organization uses to communication. The development of different technological gadgets of communication has revitalized organizational communication as managers use such technologies as video conferencing and emails to communicate. Additionally, the organizational culture refers to the relationship between both the employees and the departments within the organization. The culture should improve the efficiency of production thereby sustaining the profitability. Works cited Black, Richard. Organizational Culture: Creating the Influence Needed for Strategic Success, London UK: 2003. Print. Jex, Steven & Britt, Thomas. Organizational Psychology, A Scientist-Practitioner Approach. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Print. Papa, Michael J., et al. Organizational Communication Perspectives and Trends (4th Ed.). New York: Sage Publications, 2008. Print. Read More