Organisational culture and structure
Culture, HRM and ethics.
Understanding Organisational Culture
Interest in organisational culture began in the early '80s when management gurus such as Tom Peters began to focus on culture as a differentiator of successful organisations. In the past twenty-odd years interest in culture has increased as case studies have identified a strong link between organisational culture and its performance. Managers in general and HR practitioners in particular, must appreciate the extents to which culture influences organisation. Understanding and managing the implications of the nature of human relationships in the organisational context is critical for HR managers so that they can constantly develop practices and policies that foster the culture that the organisation wishes to prevail (eg. Zappos and Tony Hsieh).
What is organisational culture?
Organisational culture is the personality of the organisation, 'the way we do things around here'. Culture refers to the underlying values, beliefs, traditions and codes of practice that employees share.
Management psychologist Schein describes culture as a phenomenon that surrounds us all. Culture according to Schein is 'A pattern of shared basic assumptions that a group learns as it solves problems'.
It can be seen through:
1. Behaviour: language, customs, traditions
2. Groups norms: standards and values
3. Espoused values: published, publicly announced values
4. Formal Philosophy: mission
5. Rules of the Game: rules to all in organisations
6. Climate: climate of group in interaction
7. Embedded skills
8. Habits of thinking, acting, paradigms: Shared knowledge for socialisation
9. Shared meanings of the group
10. Metaphors or symbols
In general terms culture can be defined as the physical aspects of society eg. art, music. Culture also means the values the citizens of that society share.
It's important to remember that, if the management's stated values and beliefs differ from what
Understanding Organisational Culture
Interest in organisational culture began in the early '80s when management gurus such as Tom Peters began to focus on culture as a differentiator of successful organisations. In the past twenty-odd years interest in culture has increased as case studies have identified a strong link between organisational culture and its performance. Managers in general and HR practitioners in particular, must appreciate the extents to which culture influences organisation. Understanding and managing the implications of the nature of human relationships in the organisational context is critical for HR managers so that they can constantly develop practices and policies that foster the culture that the organisation wishes to prevail (eg. Zappos and Tony Hsieh).
What is organisational culture?
Organisational culture is the personality of the organisation, 'the way we do things around here'. Culture refers to the underlying values, beliefs, traditions and codes of practice that employees share.
Management psychologist Schein describes culture as a phenomenon that surrounds us all. Culture according to Schein is 'A pattern of shared basic assumptions that a group learns as it solves problems'.
It can be seen through:
1. Behaviour: language, customs, traditions
2. Groups norms: standards and values
3. Espoused values: published, publicly announced values
4. Formal Philosophy: mission
5. Rules of the Game: rules to all in organisations
6. Climate: climate of group in interaction
7. Embedded skills
8. Habits of thinking, acting, paradigms: Shared knowledge for socialisation
9. Shared meanings of the group
10. Metaphors or symbols
In general terms culture can be defined as the physical aspects of society eg. art, music. Culture also means the values the citizens of that society share.
It's important to remember that, if the management's stated values and beliefs differ from what