Organizational culture
can be briefly described as the as the collective behaviors of employees from
the same company and the way in which they react or respond to the meanings
which they have attached to their lives. On the other hand, culture can be
varied to describe values and norm of an organization, common beliefs and symbols,
working language and the habits of employees in a particular organization. When
new employees join an organization, they come to learn of the organization’s
culture and adapt themselves to behave in the some manner as the currently
existing employees. Culture is divided into different dimensions basing on the effect
of national and regional influences in where it is based. For instance power
distance.
As regards the
statement of the argument for the essay, it is not accurate to state that
symbolic meanings is the core aspect in which an organizational culture
revolves in and thus therefore, that it cannot be changed. However, symbolic meanings
play a big part in the organizational culture.
In the organizational context,
symbols refer to the shared dimensions and translations that help to put
together an organization in terms of structural composition and its life
period. In order to understand how symbols affect the culture of an organization,
it is essential to evaluate it in the perspective of how people within the
organization react and interpret incidences or occurrences within the organization,
how members of the organization act towards each other and how why they behave
the way do as a collective group. In this aspect therefore, it is essential to
acknowledge the importance of symbols in the day to day functioning of an organization.
It is also crucial to understand that when one visits an organization for whatever
reason there may be, they may be required to emulate the symbols of the
employees in the organization. This therefore means that symbols are not only a
vital element to the employees alone but to even to those in contact with the organistaion.It
the organizational setting, symbols are anything from the physical sound and
sights that can be interpreted by the employees of an organization as having significant
consequences in the operations carried out by the organization.
This means that they can
ably interpret the ideas they have in regards to the physical surroundings and
other inferences as having context in their setting. For example, the Hawthorne
studies have tried to examine the effect of factors that affect the
organizational culture like physical factors which are composed of symbols like
noise and space and their effect on the employees of an organistaion.It this case,
it was discovered that the way the organization has been planned and situated
is not just due to the practical relevance of it but due to the symbols they
hold deer. The way that items in the organization are arranged can either give
a picture of hospitality or hostility. In other studies as well it was
discovered that in order to tell a boss from a subordinate while at work. Look
at the positioning of the desks. The office desk that is close to the customers
is usually for the subordinates, while the one located far off behind symbolizes
the boss. This does not matter in which industry one is trying to evaluate, the
concept is the same in all of them.
In the consumer retail
shops in order to influence more buyers to one’s store, it is essential that the
structure is adequately designed to look fascinating, intriguing and welcoming.
In theory, the concept of aesthetics is appropriate in explaining this. It is
argued that the physical objects or things in life are essential in explaining
the outcomes of various psychological changes in the way an organization
operate. This is why Psychology argues hat the environment influences the way
on behaves and helps in the fostering of relationships in regards to the person
being influenced and the environment.
Symbols affect the
organizational cultures in varied ways especially since it is a reflection of
the common meanings and past experiences and how they are translated by the
employees of the organization. In this case therefore, symbols are an
expression of the common goal that is measurable. In organizational context therefore,
symbols act as the platform through which people aim at executing the goals of
the organization which can also be termed as the heart of culture. This is
because even though not directly communicated to them, the symbols form a basis
through which they are able to execute their duties. This way the gap between
what an employees is able to feel and what they think while at work is ably bridged.
Symbols also help to
reflect the inward vales and norms that have been importantly held by an individual.
This is why people in the organization will always behave according to the
positions they have been placed (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). This means that in
order to act a role, it is essential to align you to the required behaviors. In
order to learn the required behaviors in the organization, a new employee is
usually placed with the old ones so that they can have the role symbols well
internalized in them. This is in order to encourage the exposure of inner
values that can be able to guide an employee in what to do in the case of a
similar action. In an organization, symbols help to link feelings to
interpretation in the process to making the right decision. In the medical
filed for instance, when nurse wear their uniforms, they are deemed to being ethical
and well behaved (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). Their uniforms
symbolize compliance to the guidelines they are supposed to follow.
In the study of human
performance through the science of dramaturgy, it is noted that through
interactions, people are able to improve their performance .This science is
also helpful in explaining how the varied symbols in an organization influence
the organization. For instance, no one states how people should be dressed when
going to work. However, it is easy to tell a manager from a common employee in the
organization just from the way they have dressed.
Thirdly, symbols are
also the basis through which employees of an organization are able to align
their conversations regarding their past encounters. In this context, am going
to evaluate how money is a symbol of how people frame their conversations in
the organistaion.It allocation of the budget, it is relatively easy to tell the
priorities of an organization as this will be depicted with the item with the
most money allocated to it (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). This way, it is easy
to tell what the organization values and the need to make their values exemplified.
These way employees are able to center their conversations regarding that item
in regards to values and priorities. It is also common to find employees of an
organization having discussion on the various dressing modes in the company since
it is one issue that symbolize just how they are, behave and operate. When one
goes dressed for an interview say in tiny shorts, it may not necessarily mean
that you are not the suitable candidate for the job, but that may not be the
way that symbolizes how the employees of the company dress up while going to
work .If not in line with their symbols, then this could be a major disqualification
factor.
The last function of
symbols is also to integrate the various organization systems into meaning.
While new in an organization, it is very important that one tries to find what
areas of the organization may work for them. For example in a hotel where the
chauffer opens your door and carries your bags to the lobby, one would be
deemed to make a quick assessment that their service is very good, unlike where
you have to do most of the ground work yourself. Through the way an
organization behaves, it is very eat you tell how efficient their whole
operation system could be (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010).
However, besides
symbolic meanings, organizational culture is also influenced by other issues.
The first issue is the people or the employee working in the organization. It
is not only symbols that are a key basis in the formation of culture in an organization.
However, the way the employees of the organization behave in terms of attitudes
towards the work and the work place in regards to perception, interests and
mentalities is a key influencing factor of the culture of an organization (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). If all the employees
are rude and unruly, then one will easily conclude that the organization does
not care about the well being of their customers.
Another issue
altogether is the gender of the employees in the sense that a specific gender
may incorporate its characteristics to be perceived as the overall way in which
the organization operates. For example since the airline industry is majorly dominated
by hostess, people have the picture that the industry is dominated by caring
and loving individuals (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010) .This is because such
are natural qualities of women as compared to those of their male counterparts
which make them always carry out their tasks in an aggressive manner.
The culture of an
organization is also affected by the type of the business. In business or
organizations where the employees have no guaranteed security in their
employment, they basically tend to foster a very unfriendly organization
culture. This is especially due to the fact that they are aware that they may
not be required to work any longer after a certain period and thus the need to
foster ethical behavior or a positive culture is elusive to them. The type of
goals and objectives set bay an organization also affects its culture. If the types
of strategies that have been aligned and propagated are harsh on the employees
in meeting their targets, then they will be forced to also behave in the same
manner (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). For instance, it is
common knowledge that the advertising industry is generally very convincing and
persuasive in culture. This is because the sales employees working for the
companies are paid on a commission basis and in order to attain a higher amount
of salary/commission they are forced to make more sales. This therefore forces
them to be very persuasive and convincing so that they can impact more positively
on their customers and be able to make higher sales.
It is not only the
employees who shape the culture of an organization but also the management and how
it approaches the employees (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). In case where the management
is the only lead in making strategic decisions affecting the organization, it
is this culture that will make the employees to be les involved or concerned with
making positive change or impacting positively on the performance of the
organization. However, in an environment where the employees are given mandate
to contribute in making strategic decisions or in allaying their opinions, then
the culture fostered will be that where the employees are active participants
with a high degreed of involvement both in creating innovations and in
improving productivity.
Last but not least, the
general behavior of he external parties and the customers/clients that come to
the organization will help shape the organizational culture (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010). For instance in the
case of call centers, it is just appropriate to work in shifts that is day and
night so as to cater effectively for the clients of the organization. It is due
to their demand and availability that you operate.
With his issues in perspective, culture can
therefore be managed and is not as rigid as implied. This could be done through
various ways such as creating a reception that is receptive to change, fostering
positive management values, use of many channels in the conveying of organizational
problems, initializing of a better communication method to articulate and transfer
positive values and belief’s in the organization (Buchanan& Huczynski, 2010).
Reference
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