1. Organisational Culture

2. Agenda Elements of culture The importance of culture Types of cultures
Ways of thinking about culture
The relationship between culture and performance
Fish culture

3. Elements of Culture Physical Structures Rituals/Ceremonies Stories
Language
Tangible Artifacts of
Organisational
Culture
Beliefs
Values
Assumptions
Intangible Artifacts of Organisational
Culture

4. Oakley’s culture as expressed in its physical design
Oakely, Inc.’s protective and competitive corporate culture is apparent in its building design and workspace. The building looks like a vault to protect its cherished product designs (eyewear, footwear, apparel and watches).

5. The Role of Organisational Culture (Greenberg & Baron, 2000, pp
Culture provides a sense of identity for organisational members
SWA and Virgin Blue employees strongly associate with the company’s emphasis on fun
Culture may generate commitment to the organisation’s mission
Culture can clarify and reinforce standards of behaviour
Culture can promote stability of an organisation’s social system

6. Types of Organisational Cultures (Goffee & Jones, 1998)
High  
Sociability
(people
orientation)
Networked
Communal
Fragmented
Mercenary
Low
Low High
Solidarity (task orientation)

7. Types of Cultures Goffee & Jones Model (1998)
Sociability – a measure of friendliness.
People relate in a caring, friendly way, often going out of the way for each other.
Solidarity – a measure of task orientation.
People focus on common interests and goals.
Networked – organisational members viewed as family and friends.
Focus on friendships can take eyes off performance
Eg’s: Unilever, Heineken
Mercenary – people are intense and determined to meet goals
Can lead to inhumane treatment of people
Eg’s: Mars, Campbells, Komatsu

8. Types of Organisational Cultures (Goffee & Jones, 1998)
Fragmented – made up of individualists with little identification to organisation
While performance judged on quality of work, these orgs may lack collegiality and may overemphasis critiquing of others
Eg’s: most universities, professional law firms
Communal – value both friendship & performance – feelings of belonging combined with ruthless focus on goals
Downside may become unhealthy whole-of-life obsession with work
Eg’s: HP, J&J, Bain and Co.

9. Deal & Kennedy’s Model (1992)

10. Which values and beliefs are shared by all?
Ways of thinking about culture: the integrationist perspective (Martin 1992)
Which values and beliefs are shared by all?

11. Ways of thinking about culture: the differentiationist perspective (Martin 1992)
Which values and beliefs unify individual subcultures internally but separate them from one another?

12. Ways of thinking about culture: The fragmentationist perspective (Martin 1992)?
? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
? ?
What values and beliefs are ambiguous?

13. Ways of thinking about culture: the Sophisticated Perspective (Martin 1992)? ?
Martin stresses the need to look through all three lenses in order to comprehensively observe organisational culture

14. The Relationship Between Culture and Performance
View 1 – Stronger is Better
Held by Peters & Waterman, Collins & Porras, however strong cultures may be a problem when:
Culture content is incompatible with the organisation’s environment.
Strong cultures focus attention on one mental model.
Strong cultures suppress
dissenting values from subcultures.

15. Creating ‘Cult-like Cultures’ (Collins & Porras, 2000, p.136)
Orientation and training with ideological as well as practical content
Internal ‘universities’
On the job socialisation by peers and immediate supervisors
Up-through-the-ranks policies
Exposure to pervasive mythology
Unique language & terminology
Constant emphasis on corporate values & heritage
Corporate songs, cheers, affirmations or pledges
Tight screening processes
Incentives & advancement criteria linked to ideology
Awards, contests and public recognition
Tolerance for honest mistakes that do not breach core ideology
Plant/office layout
reinforcing norms
& ideals

16. Are ‘cult-like cultures’ required in Australian organisations?
Hubbard et al (2002) argue that strategic alignment is more important, where culture is only one element of a set of elements requiring ‘perfect alignment’. These include:
External environment
Strategy
Systems
People
Leadership
Structure
Communications
Perceptions

17. The Relationship Between Culture and Performance
View 2 – Culture Should Fit internal processes & external conditions
Held by Cartwright & Cooper – mergers likely to fail where dominant partner has a power culture
No point in having a strong culture if it is the wrong culture
Sounds good, but how can managers monitor and adjust appropriately to environmental
changes? Further, this approach makes
difficult the possibility of competitive
advantage from cultural uniqueness.

18. The Relationship Between Culture and Performance
View 3 – Adaptability is Everything – constant and proactive cultural adaptation is demanded – parallels organisational learning approaches.
However, not all organisations may need to pursue adaptiveness or engage in learning, especially if in stable, relatively unchanging environments (Palmer & Hardy, 2000)

19. Culture Change in Action

28. Fish Culture
Play
Make their day
Be there
Choose your attitude