1. Organizational Culture, Socialization & Mentoring
Chapter 3
Organizational Culture, Socialization & Mentoring

2. Organizational Culture
3-2
Organizational Culture
Organizational Culture is “The set of shared, taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives, thinks about, and reacts to its various environments.”
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3. 3 Organizational Cultures
SAS
Free on-site medical care
Unlimited sick days
Heavily subsidized day care
Ski trips, trainers, classes
Rand Merchant Bank
The Complete Book of Rules
Amazon.com
1960s drab office building
Desks made of doors
Monitors on telephone books

4. Understanding Organizational Culture
3-3
Figure 3-1
Understanding Organizational Culture
Organizational Culture
Observable artifacts
Espoused values
Basic assumptions
Group & Social Processes
Socialization
Mentoring
Decision
making
Group
dynamics
Communication
Influence &
empowerment
Leadership
Antecedents
Founder’s values
Industry & business
environment
National culture
Senior leaders’
vision and behavior
Organizational Structure & Practices
Reward systems
Organizational
design
Collective Attitudes & Behavior
Work attitudes
Job satisfaction
Motivation
Organizational Outcomes
Effectiveness
Innovation &
stress
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5. Layers of Organizational Culture
3-4
Layers of Organizational Culture
Observable Artifacts physical manifestations of an organization’s culture
Values enduring belief in a mode of conduct or end-state
Espoused Values stated values and norms that are preferred by an organization
Enacted Values values and norms exhibited by employees
Basic Assumptions unobservable—represent the core of organizational culture
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6. Manifestations of Culture
Shared things (objects)
Shared sayings (talk)
Language
Stories
Shared doings (behavior)
Rituals
Ceremonies
Shared feelings (emotions)

7. Four Functions of Organizational Culture
3-4
Figure 3-2
Four Functions of Organizational Culture
Organizational
identity
Sense-making
device
Collective
commitment
Organizational
culture
Social system
stability
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8. 3-5
Table 3-1
Constructive Culture
Constructive Culture employees are encouraged to interact with others and to work on tasks and projects that will assist in satisfying their needs to grow and develop
High priority on constructive interpersonal relationships, and focus on work group satisfaction
Affiliative
Participative, employee centered, and supportive
Humanistic-encouraging
Value self-development and creativity
Self-actualizing
Goal and achievement oriented
Achievement
Organizational Characteristics
Normative Beliefs
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9. Passive Defensive Culture
3-6
Table 3-1 cont.
Passive Defensive Culture
Passive Defensive Culture overriding belief that employees must interact with others in ways that do not threaten their job security
Negative reward system and Defensive avoid accountability
Avoidance
Nonparticipative, centralized decision making, and employees do what they are told
Dependent
Conservative, bureaucratic, and people follow the rules
Conventional
Avoid conflict, strive to be liked by others, and approval oriented
Approval
Organizational Characteristics
Normative Beliefs
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10. Aggressive-Defensive Culture
3-7
Table 3-1 cont.
Aggressive-Defensive Culture
Aggressive-Defensive Culture encourage employees to approach tasks in forceful ways in order to protect their status and job security
Perfectionistic, persistent, and hard working
Perfectionistic
Winning is values and a win-lose approach is used
Competitive
Nonparticipative, take charge of Defensive subordinates, and responsive to superiors
Power
Confrontation and negativism rewarded
Oppositional
Organizational Characteristics
Normative Beliefs
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11. Evidence from Organizational Culture Research
3-8
Evidence from Organizational Culture Research
Organizational culture was significantly correlated with employee attitudes and behavior
Congruence between an individual’s values and the organization’s values was associated with organizational commitment, job satisfaction, intentions to quit, and turnover
Organizational culture did not predict a company’s financial performance
Mergers frequently failed due to incompatible cultures
Strong cultures have a stronger impact on employee behavior than do weaker cultures
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12. Specific types of cultures
Control culture – values role of senior executives to lead the organization
Performance culture – values individual and organizational performance
Relationship culture – values nurturing and well-being
Responsiveness culture – values ability to keep in tune with external environment

13. Culture and Financial Performance
Strength perspective – strong culture creates goal alignment, motivation, needed structure & controls
Fit perspective – culture must align with business or strategic context
Adaptive perspective – good cultures help firms adapt to environmental changes

14. Organizational Socialization
3-12
Figure 3-4
Organizational Socialization
Phases
Perceptual and Social Processes
Anticipatory socialization learning that occurs prior to joining the organization
Anticipating realities about the organization and the new job
Anticipating organization’s needs for one’s skills and abilities
Anticipating organization’s sensitivity to one’s needs and values
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15. Organizational Socialization
3-13
Figure 3-4 cont.
Organizational Socialization
Phases
Perceptual and Social Processes
Encounter values, skills, and attitudes start to shift as new recruit discovers what the organization is truly like
Managing lifestyle-versus-work conflicts
Managing intergroup role conflicts
Seeking role definition and clarity
Becoming familiar with task and group dynamics
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16. Organizational Socialization
3-14
Figure 3-4 cont.
Organizational Socialization
Phases
Perceptual and Social Processes
Change and acquisition recruit masters skills and roles and adjusts to work group’s values and norms
Competing role demands are resolved
Critical tasks are mastered
Group norms and values are internalized
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17. Organizational Socialization
3-15
Figure 3-4 cont.
Organizational Socialization
Outsider
Phases
Anticipatory socialization
Encounter
Change and acquisition
Socialized Insider
Behavioral Outcomes
Performs role assignments
Remains with organization
Spontaneously innovates and
cooperates
Affective Outcomes
Generally satisfied
Internally motivated to work
High job involvement
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18. Socialization Tactics
3-16
Table 3-2
Socialization Tactics
Tactic
Description
Consists of grouping newcomers & exposing them to a common set of experiences
Collective
Treating each newcomer individually and exposing him or her to more less unique experiences
Individual
Practice of segregating a newcomer from regular organization members during a defined socialization period
Formal
Not clearly distinguishing a newcomer from more experienced members
Informal
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19. Socialization Tactics
3-17
Table 3-2 cont.
Socialization Tactics
Tactic
Description
Refers to a fixed progression of steps that culminate in the new role
Sequential
Ambiguous or dynamic progression of steps that culminate in the new role
Random
Provides a timetable for the assumption of the role
Fixed
Does not provide a timetable for the assumption of the role
Variable
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20. Socialization Tactics
3-18
Table 3-2 cont.
Socialization Tactics
Tactic
Description
Newcomer is socialized by an experienced member
Serial
Does not use a role model
Disjunctive
Affirmation of newcomer’s incoming global and specific role identities and attributes
Investiture
Denial and stripping away of the newcomer’s existing sense of self and the reconstruction of the organization’s image
Divestiture
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21. 3-19
Mentoring
Mentoring is the process of forming and maintaining intensive and lasting developmental relationships between a variety of developers and a junior person
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22. Functions of Mentoring
3-20
Functions of Mentoring
Career Functions
Sponsorship
Exposure-and-Visibility
Coaching
Protection
Challenging Assignments
Psychological Functions
Role Modeling
Acceptance-and-Confirmation
Counseling
Friendship
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