What is Organizational Culture?
Prepared by
James J. Messina, Ph.D.
Available on www.jamesjmessina.com
Cultures in Organizations
There are three aspects to culture:
1.
Artifacts
2.
Espoused Beliefs
3.
Underlying Assumptions
(Schein, 1992)
Aspect #1 of an Organizational
Culture: Artifacts
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Visible aspects of culture in an
organization “what is”:
Visible behaviors such as:
organizational structures, practices
and processes, technology, rituals,
and language (Schein, 1992)
Aspects #2 of an Organizational
Culture: Espoused Beliefs
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Is a set of beliefs on “what ought to be”
Strategies, goals, and philosophies such
as promoting good

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Problem solving
Innovation and creativity
Working with others and management
controls (Schein, 1992)
Aspect #3 of an Organizational
Culture: Underlying Assumptions
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Unconscious, taken-for-granted beliefs,
perceptions, thoughts, and feelings
Basic underlying assumptions are the
ultimate sources of values and actions
and need to be understood if one is to
get to what truly is the culture of an
organization (Schein, 1992)
12 Dimensions of
Organizational Culture
1.
2.
3.
4.
External versus internal emphasis: the degree to
which the organization focuses on customer/client
satisfaction versus internal activities, such as reports
and committee meetings.
Task versus "worker" or "human resource"
focus: whether the organizational emphasizes task
accomplishment versus the social needs of the
employees.
Risk averse versus risk seeking: a tendency to be
cautious in adopting innovations versus being willing
to take risks especially when confronted with new
challenges and opportunities is tolerated.
(Reynolds,1986)
12 Dimensions of
Organizational Culture
4.
5.
6.
Conformity versus individuality: the degree to
which distinctive and idiosyncratic behavior is
tolerated.
Individual versus collective decision making:
the degree to which decisions are made in a collegial
manner with broad input from those affected.
Centralized versus decentralized decision
making: relating to the degree to which decision
making is centralized in the organization.
(Reynolds,1986)
12 Dimensions of
Organizational Culture
7.
8.
9.
Stability versus innovation: the tendency of the
organization to innovate and change versus
emphasizing stability and well-established procedures.
Cooperation versus competition: the degree to
which cooperative behavior is emphasized and
rewarded.
Simple versus complex organization: relating to
the complexity of the formal and informal structures
and the political processes within an organization.
(Reynolds,1986)
12 Dimensions of
Organizational Culture
10.
11.
12.
Informal versus formalized procedures: the
degree of emphasis on detailed rules and procedures
versus informal discussions and flexible work rules.
High versus low loyalty: the degree of loyalty to
the work organization versus other relevant groups.
Ignorance versus knowledge of organizational
expectations: focusing on the degree to which
organizations communicate performance expectations
to employees and gain their commitment to
organizational goals. (Reynolds,1986)
#1 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture - Collegiality
There is:
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A great deal of informal consultation
A great deal of sharing of technical information
A close collegial relationship among the staff
A strong sense of belonging to the group
A strong sense of responsibility to help each
other if a staff person has a personal problem
Candid and open communications existing
between management and line staff
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#2 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Information Emphasis
There is:
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Reliance on electronic information systems to help
provide cost effective customer service
Reliance on computer-based information when
scheduling customers for service
Use of sound methods to assure that Technicians change
their practices to include new technologies and field
studies
A high level of commitment to measuring technical
outcomes
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#3 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Quality Emphasis
There is:
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A reality that staff who develop inappropriate customer
care practices will be "talked to"
Encouragement of internal reporting of negative
customer care
Close monitoring of the quality of each technician’s work
Open discussion of technical failures
Emphasize on customer satisfaction
Understanding that quality of service is goal one
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#4 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Management Style
There is:
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Consensus building in the administrative decision making
process
Consideration of the business office and administration
as being a very important part of the service delivery
system
Broad involvement of staff in most customer services
related decisions
A great deal of loyalty by staff to the organization
Management’s obtaining and providing to staff
information that helps them to improve the cost
effectiveness of their customer services
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#5 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Cohesiveness
There is:
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An identifiable service delivery style that all try to adhere
to
A general agreement on the best methods for new
installment and repair of equipment
Widespread agreement about most moral/ethical issues
A rapid change in technical practice among staff when
studies indicate that they can improve quality or reduce
costs
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#6 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Business Emphasis
There is:
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Business decision making is heavily weighted
toward improving productivity and profitability
A high priority to maximizing revenue
Each technician determines how many
customers are scheduled per work day
No adding new pieces of equipment if they won't
make money for the organizations and
technicians
(Kralewski,
Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#7 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Organizational Trust
There is:
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A sense that everyone is paid adequately for
how hard they work for the organization
A belief that the technicians’ compensation
formula is well aligned with the organization's
goals
A feeling that the administrators care about
their workers
A high degree of trust in the organization
(Kralewski,
Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#8 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Innovativeness
There is:
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An incentive/compensation system that
encourages innovation
Encouragement of risk taking in adopting
innovations in customer
Recognition given to staff for the innovations
that they create and implement
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
#9 Characteristic of a Healthy
Culture – Autonomy
There is:
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An emphasis on technician individuality; each technician
has the right to provide services according to his/her
own style
A feeling that each technician is autonomous, but
working in the same organization for support services
A great deal of tolerance of individual technicians
individualized ways of providing quality customer
services
(Kralewski, Dowd, Kaissi, Curoe & Rockwood, 2005)
References
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Kralewski, J.J., Dowd, B. E., Kaissi, A, Curoe, A &
Rockwood, T. (2005). Measuring the Culture of
Medical Practices. Health Care Management
Review: July-September, 184-193
Reynolds, P.D.(1986). Organizational Culture as
Related to Industry, Position and Performance: A
Preliminary Report. Journal of Management
Studies: 23, 333.
Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and
leadership (2nd ed). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass