Organizations Culture and How Is It Formed - Coursework Example

Organizations culture and how is it formed? Name: Course: College: Tutor: Date: Introduction Culture fills all facets of any society. It is the basic fabric that joins people together. Culture orders tastes in, clothes, music, and even political as well as idealistic views of a group of people. Not only do we share culture, but also it is stable and deep. Nevertheless, culture is not existent simply as a communal phenomenon. Organizations, both small and large, hold fast to a culture. Organizational culture decides how an organization functions and how its members outline events both inside as well as outside the organization (Peter and John, 2004). In this paper, the basic ideas of organizational culture are going to be explored. It describes what the organizational culture, its significance, its formation, as well as the existing diverse types of organizational cultures Many definitions for organizational culture exist. A variety of scholars give culture the definition how an organization goes with reference to meeting its objectives as well as missions, how it solves problems, or as a intensely rooted worth that forms the individual’s behavior within the group. According to Trice and Beyer (1984), organization culture is any social system arising from a network of shared ideologies consisting of two components: substance-the networks of meaning associated with ideologies, norms, and values; and forms the practices. Members get the meanings, which are expressed, affirmed, and communicated. In its completely organizational culture, comprise an organization’s communal values, behaviors, symbols, as well as assumptions (Igo and Skitmore, 2006). It is important to note that no culture of an organization exists on its own. Every one organization will exhibit a main culture, but will also include portions of other cultures typically in the variety of sub-cultures. It also is particularly vital to acknowledge that no culture is the correct culture. Any one culture can turn out to be functional or dysfunctional. The culture in an organization must be in shape with the competitive environment furthermore allowing the organization to meet its aims and missions. All cultures have a life cycle, which is characteristically examined to see if it still fits the requirements of the organization (Walker, Symon and Davies 1996). There are four types of cultures. The first being the support culture, which operates like a tiny society where people trust and support each other. Members of this culture cooperate, ensures everybody is mutual on an idea, in addition to doing all that they can to determine conflict. They consist of excellent communication and outstanding service both external and internal. This culture produces a nurturing environment characterized by members liking to spend time together and may lead to personal and professional lives becoming blurred. When a support culture develops into dysfunctional, the individual needs are placed over those of the organization. Due to an obligation to agreement, decisions are made slowly. Support cultures tend not to be very task leaning. Too much time used up together promotes personal differences that often deter work in addition to ruining the exceptional service that is a characteristic of support cultures (Smircich, 1983). The second culture is the power culture, which originates from a central power in an enigmatic leader. This leader takes action unilaterally and decisively, but always places the organization’s best intentions in mind. Power cultures are very involving to the people inside the organization. Most of them will always delay in the offices until late nights and work on weekends in the office. Since expectations are clear and loyalty is acknowledged and rewarded, motivation is not a setback. In a dysfunctional phase power, cultures produce organizations that are inefficient organizations where everybody waits for appreciation before advancing on an idea. This is witnessed in organizations that are too large for an individual to maintain all the authority and control. Employees may also use a lot of time playing political games and attempting to curry favor with the boss instead doing the actual working. Such members often become burned out; furthermore, disloyal workers face a hostile and cruel environment (Thomas, Ward, Chorba and Kumiega, 1990). Another culture is the achievement culture. This is one in which people work hard to attain goals and make the group better as a whole. It generally comprises of highly inspired people who call for little to no supervision. Procedures and rules are limited since they may hinder with the achievement of work. When a rule comes in the way of realizing a goal, the rule will simply be ignored. The best methods and tools for producing outcomes are used. When one goal is realized, everyone swiftly moves on to an extra. Because of this mindset and environment, accomplishment culture is likely to be highly adaptive. Unfortunately, members of this culture end up in burn out on their job. There could be difficulty in establishing control if there is need as the culture nurtures individuals. Members may also turn into being highly spirited with each other and the mindset of ‘by all means’ can lead to illegal and dishonest behavior (Goffee and Jones, 2000). The last culture is the role culture, which is a highly structured environment with apparent objectives, goals, and procedures. Every employee is judged almost exclusively, on how sound they meet up these goals and objectives. In a practical phase, role cultures run highly efficiently and comprise in built checks as well as balances of power. This culture rewards reliability and constancy and, because of its well-articulated measures, produces small stress. On the other hand, taken to ends role cultures can form an organization of robots that just follow the regulations and have very miniature concern for that which is not in their jurisdiction. This attitude creates an environment in which collaboration and cooperation are non-existent. This may make a person’s talent may go unemployed. In role cultures, it takes long to experience change. Those within this culture, in particular a dysfunctional one, may become troubled on taking risks (Hofstede, 1994). Culture is cultivated. In an organization setting, it is taught to fresh workers through official training programs, but in general informal technique like stories, rituals, myths, and common behavior do more to educate new staff. Formation of an organizational culture happens in four major areas: the structure of an organization, how an organization utilizes its resources, the people inside the organization, and the course of completing the labor of an organization. These areas are defined by the goals and mission established by an organization. Moreover, when they exist in balance and harmony a good culture, in addition to a good working environment is fashioned. When any of these four is left out the culture, work environment as well as the organization itself can swiftly decline.  An organization without a mission or goals will wander without direction through the desert. Moreover, such an organization certainly will not have any culture. The direction and focus that an organization’s goals and mission offers determines how the organization will allot its resources along with completing the work at hand (Egan and Michelle, 1997). Importance of organization culture to the manager Three levels exist in any organization. The first level being the individual, the main push is to inspire the employee so that he will meet the desires of his employer. The second level is composed of the group where administration focuses on relations among employees and the creation of a group identity. The organization forms the third level. The goal at this level is to form a smooth in addition to efficiently running organization. Meeting the goals of the third level requires the achievement of the goals of the first two levels. If a worker is not correctly motivated to take her tasks, or if a department has trouble working together, then the organization as a whole suffers (Marshall and Stephanie, 1993). Realizing the goals of the first two levels is increasingly becoming harder. Currently, with a world of globalization, extreme competition, along with immediate communication, change is constant. Workers now have the ability to scan the job market for the occupation that puts them in the best point to succeed both professionally and financially. Worker faithfulness to an organization is vanishing since workers are changing jobs so often (Goldstein and Michael, 1996). This leads to organizational culture being so vital. Culture produces sustainability for an organization in addition to acting as the most powerful cohesion force. According to anthropologists, membership in a steady primary group is very important for the well-being of any given society. Organizations are not different in this respect. Organizations need stability in order to carry on. Organizational culture can give that stability by letting people to converse with each other, organize efforts, as well as identify members from non-members (Bird, 1996). Culture comprises what is respected; the language, the leadership style, as well as symbols, the routines, procedures, and the definitions of achievement that distinguishes an organization. It is an explicit set of values and customs shared by groups and people in an organization. They control the way they interrelate with each other and with stakeholders out of the organization. Here, organizational values are attitudes and thoughts. They clarify what kind of objectives members of an organization should practice in addition to the suitable kinds or standards of behavior the members must use to realize these goals. Out of organizational values builds up organizational norms, expectations or guidelines that recommend appropriate type of behavior by workers in particular situations. They control the conduct of organizational members towards each other (Juechter, Fisher and Alford, 1998). Over the past 25 years, the notion of organizational culture has achieved wide approval as a way to understanding human systems. From the perspective of an open system, each facet of organizational culture can be taken as a vital environmental condition that affects the system plus its subsystem. Increase in globalization, competition, mergers, alliances, acquisitions and a variety of workforce departments have produced a greater call for for organizational culture. Consequently, it has become a significant pattern for the development of an organization (Goldstein and Michael, 1996). Understanding the culture of an organization by managers is an important step since it clarifies the magnitude of creating suitable systems of shared meaning to help staff work together toward preferred outcomes. The leaders and members are required to acknowledge the impact of their manners on the culture of the organization. The people within the organization will find it easy learning that the relationship between an organization and its environment is affected by the organization's essential assumptions. Being the most critical factor influencing an organization's effectiveness, capacity, and longevity, it contributes considerably to the organization's brand promise and brand image. Another reason why the management must understand organization culture is that it creates energy and momentum. The energy will infuse the organization as well as create a new momentum for accomplishment (Goffee and Jones, 2000). Conclusion In an organizational culture, there are an organization’s shared values, behaviors, symbols, and assumptions. The organization culture allows its members to structure events in a related fashion and offers the steadiness an organization requires to survive in this ever-changing world. There is no one perfect culture in existence. In order for any one of the four cultures to be the correct culture for an organization, it is vital that it be functional and let the organization to realize its goals and mission. It is very significant that an organization from time to time do reviews to its culture to ensure it still permits the organization to do well in its competitive environment. No one can never beyond doubt value an organization until he understands the culture of that organization (Goldstein and Michael, 1996).   Organizational culture is a powerful force. It has tumbled the CEOs of Fortune many companies and turned small businesses into influential stories of success. However, organizational culture exists not only in the business world. All organizations whether small or big have a culture, including institutions of higher learning. The culture of a learning institution goes a long way towards explaining how it operates, its employee approval, and the level of opposition to change. Institutions no longer function in a vacuum. The explosion of the internet and the succeeding information revolution has produced a competitive marketplace for institutions. With the correct organizational culture, an institution can meet the want of its students and retain its legal place as the world’s leading learning center (Hofstede, 1994). References Peter L, John C, (2004). "The effect of organizational culture and leadership style on job satisfaction and organizational commitment: A cross-national comparison", Journal of Management Development, Vol. 23 Iss: 4, pp.321 – 338. Igo T, Skitmore M, (2006). Diagnosing the organisational culture of an Australian engineering consultancy using the competing values framework. Construction Innovation, 6(2), pp. 121-139. Walker H, Symon G, Davies B. (1996). “Assessing Organizational Culture: A Comparison of Methods.” International Journal of Selection and Assessment. 4(7):96–105. Thomas C, Ward M, Chorba C, Kumiega A.(1990). “Measuring and Interpreting Organizational Culture.” Journal of Nursing Administration. 20:17–24. Smircich L.(1983). “Concepts of Culture and Organizational Analysis.” Administrative Science Quarterly. 28:339–58. Goffee R, Jones G. (2000). The Character of a Corporation: How Your Company's Culture Can Make or Break Your Business. London: HarperCollins Business. Hofstede G. (1994). Cultures and Organizations; Intercultural Cooperation and its Importance for Survival. London: HarperCollins. Available at Understanding Organisational Culture. (2011). The stairway consultancy. Available at www.thestairway.co.uk/publications/understanding-organisational-culture.html Mandy Varley. (2011). Can organizational culture make your communications clearer? Charitycomms. 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