1. Introduction to Organisational Behaviour and Application to Management
The Organisation - Culture

2. Why is culture important?
A common perception held by the organisation’s members; a system of shared meaning

3. Activity
What do you think is the culture of Huang Huai University?

4. Characteristics of Culture
Seven primary characteristics
Innovation and risk taking
Attention to detail
Outcome orientation
People orientation
Team orientation
Aggressiveness
Stability

5. Activity Consider each of the characteristics of culture.
Rate HHU on a scale from low to high on each characteristic.

6. Are cultures the same in companies?
Culture is a descriptive term: it may act as a substitute for formalization
Dominant Culture
Expresses the core values that are shared by a majority of the organisation’s members
Subcultures
Minicultures within an organisation, typically defined by department designations and geographical separation
Core Values
The primary or dominant values that are accepted throughout the organisation
Strong Culture
A culture in which the core values are intensely held and widely shared

7. What does culture do? Culture’s Functions
Defines the boundary between one organisation and others
Conveys a sense of identity for its members
Facilitates the generation of commitment to something larger than self-interest
Enhances the stability of the social system
Serves as a sense-making and control mechanism for fitting employees in the organisation

8. Negatives of culture Institutionalisation Barriers to change
Barriers to diversity
Barriers to acquisitions and mergers

9. Activity
Can you think of any organisations that you think have a culture which you would not fit in with?
Why do you think you would not fit in?

10. Where does culture begin?
Stems from the actions of the founders:
Founders hire and keep only employees who think and feel the same way they do.
Founders indoctrinate and socialize these employees to their way of thinking and feeling.
The founders’ own behavior acts as a role model that encourages employees to identify with them and thereby internalize their beliefs, values, and assumptions.

11. The Socialization Process
Pre-arrival
The period of learning prior to a new employee joining the organisation
Encounter
When the new employee sees what the organisation is really like and confronts the possibility that expectations and reality may diverge
Metamorphosis
When the new employee changes and adjusts to the work, work group, and organisation

12. The Socialization Process

13. Activity
What were your perceptions of university life before you came to HHU?
How are they different to the reality of life at HHU?

14. How to implement socialization
Choose the appropriate alternatives (16.3):
Formal versus Informal
Individual versus Collective
Fixed versus Variable
Serial versus Random
Investiture versus Divestiture
Socialization outcomes:
Higher productivity
Greater commitment
Lower turnover

15. Forming and keeping culture
Organisational cultures are derived from the founder
They are sustained through managerial action

16. Diagram of socialization

17. How do you learn culture?
Stories
Anchor the present into the past and provide explanations and legitimacy for current practices
Rituals
Repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of the organisation
Material Symbols
Acceptable attire, office size, opulence of the office furnishings, and executive perks that convey to employees who is important in the organisation
Language
Jargon and special ways of expressing one’s self to indicate membership in the organisation

18. Activity How have you learned culture within HHU?
If you had to describe HHU’s culture in terms of jargon, what would those words be?

19. Ethical organisational cultures
Characteristics of organisations that develop high ethical standards
High tolerance for risk
Low to moderate in aggressiveness
Focus on means as well as outcomes
Managerial Practices Promoting an Ethical Culture
Being a visible role model
Communicating ethical expectations
Providing ethical training
Rewarding ethical acts and punishing unethical ones
Providing protective mechanisms

20. Positive organisational cultures
A culture that:
Builds on employee strengths
Focus is on discovering, sharing, and building on the strengths of individual employees
Rewards more than it punishes
Articulating praise and “catching employees doing something right”
Emphasizes individual vitality and growth
Helping employees learn and grow in their jobs and careers
Limits of Positive Culture:
May not work for all organisations or everyone within them

21. Spirituality in organisational cultures
Workplace Spirituality
The recognition that people have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of the community
NOT about organised religious practices
People seek to find meaning and purpose in their work

22. Why spirituality?
As a counterbalance to the pressures and stress of a turbulent pace of life and the lack of community many people feel and their increased need for involvement and connection.
Job demands have made the workplace dominant in many people’s lives, yet they continue to question the meaning of work.
The desire to integrate personal life values with one’s professional life.
An increasing number of people are finding that the pursuit of more material acquisitions leaves them unfulfilled.

23. Spirituality in the workplace
Concerned with helping people develop and reach their full potential
Directly addresses problems created by work/life conflicts
Four characteristics of spiritual organisations:
Strong sense of purpose
Trust and respect
Humanistic work practices
Toleration of employee expression

24. Criticisms of spirituality
What is the scientific foundation?
It is still pending: needs more research
Are spiritual organisations legitimate – do they have the right to impose values on employees?
Spirituality is not about God or any religious values
It is an attempt to help employees find meaning and value in their work
Are spirituality and profits compatible?
Initial evidence suggests that they are
Spirituality may result in greater productivity and dramatically lower turnover

25. Activity What are your thoughts on spirituality in an organisation?
Would you describe HHU as having a spiritual culture? Why?

26. Culture and culture
Organisation cultures, while strong, can’t ignore local culture
Managers should be more culturally sensitive by:
Adjusting speech to cultural norms
Listening more
Avoiding discussions of controversial topics
All global firms (not just U.S. firms) need to be more culturally sensitive

27. Employee performance
Employees form an overall subjective perception of the organisation based on these objective factors (diagram)
The opinions formed affect employee performance and satisfaction.

28. Activity Think about your team presentations.
What culture is there in your cake business?
What might the changes do to that culture?
What culture would you like there to be?

29. Summary Strong cultures are difficult for managers to change
In the short run, strong cultures should be considered fixed
Selecting new hires that fit well in the organisational culture is critical for motivation, job satisfaction, commitment, and turnover
Socialization into the corporate culture is important
As a manager, your actions as a role model help create the cultural values of ethics, spirituality, and a positive culture