CIPS L6M5 - STRATEGIC PROGRAMME LEADERSHIP
LO3
The meaning of organisational culture - Answers - Culture is based on shared beliefs,
attitudes, customs and rules which have developed over time.
"the way things are done around here"
Culture & Strategy - Answers - A company strategy may be successfully copied but its
culture cannot be exactly replicated. Schein (2010) describes organised culture at 3
levels:-
· Artefacts - culture manifest in terms of physical attributes, what people can see?
· Espoused value - company straplines, product slogans, the organisation mission
statement and the operational practices from the organisation.
· Underlying assumptions - assumptions are not physically visible but are reinforced by
the unspoken rules and assumptions made through a decision taken at all levels of the
organisation.
The culture of an organisation - Answers - is often compared to that of an individual
Culture & Incentives - Answers - Incentives play a big part in organisation culture e..g
salary, benefits, pension
Culture & Leadership - Answers - Business leaders infulence culture
Culture & Values - Answers - Culture describes what an organisation is about and helps
to explain its underlying values which guide decisions and practices
managing change in culture - Answers - is not easy to do in practice and has to be done
over time
Small organisations may find it easier as they have less complex structures
70% of efforts fail to manage change due to organisational culture (COULD BE FALSE!)
The ingredients of culture - Answers - History of the organisation
The primary function (what it does) and technology
Strategy
Size
,Culture, Values and Actions - Answers - Consistency between the publicised values and
the actions of an organisation is key. Any inconsistencies may have a negative impact
on both internal and external organisational stakeholders.
Assumptions of organisations - Answers - Assumptions of organisations come from past
successes and once ingrained are difficult to change
Cognitive stability - Answers - Humans need a culture of stability which should be
challenged to achieve change
Culture and Peoples Attitude - Answers - Peoples attitude influences an organisations
culture
Identifying Culture - Answers - If trying to assess its own culture, the organisation may
fail to address a bias or a skewed view of the true culture of an organisation, which may
result in an inaccurate understanding.
Therefore cultural analysis should have breadth and not simply be the observation of a
single individual or group in the organisation.
Schein's Levels of culture: Basic assumptions - Answers - o The basis on which
individuals are respected
o The organisation's ability to compete
o The balance between competition and collaboration between individuals
o How and by whom decisions are made
Deal & Kennedy's 6 cultural elements - Answers - Deal and Kennedy examined 6
interlocking cultural elements, five of which pertain to Schein's artefacts and creation
1 History narrative people share regarding the foundation of the organisation
2 Ritual and ceremonies things employees do together - bacon butties
3 Stories provide examples of how employees should behave & enforce underlying
expectations linked to psychological contract.
4 Heroic figures role models
5 The cultural Network informal network in the organisation where knowledge is shared
and information learned. May be through gossip, storytelling or people who have access
to information or powerful leaders.
, Deal & Kennedy's Values and beliefs - Answers - The 6th element from Deal & Kennedy
is 6 Values and beliefs - used to guide decision-making & approach to solving problems.
Schein - cultures developed in an organisation from external adaption & internal
integration:-
· External adaption - the manner in which an organisation has had to evolve & change
in order to survive, compete and succeed in the market place.
· Internal integration - looks at how an organisation is structured and how structure
equips to succeed.
An example organisation that values put the customer at the heart of everything it does
would benefit from a centralised hierarchy with sole decision-maker able to make &
implement decisions quickly.
Ways to effectively identify culture - Answers - · Be as impartial as possible when
observing the culture of an organisation
· Looks of display of emotion
· Watch for things that are not there
Interviews and factory walk rounds can help identify culture
Schein's Levels of culture - Answers - Schein looks at culture from the view of an
outsider to or observer of an organisation. This approach identifies 3 levels of culture:-
· Artefacts & creations
- Values
- Basic Assumptions
Levels of culture: Artefacts & creations - Answers - o Rites and ceremonies
o Symbols
o Taboos
o Myths & stories
o Language
o Norms
Schein's Levels of culture: Values - Answers - o Honesty
o Basis of rewards
o Effort
o Trust
· Basic assumptions
LO3
The meaning of organisational culture - Answers - Culture is based on shared beliefs,
attitudes, customs and rules which have developed over time.
"the way things are done around here"
Culture & Strategy - Answers - A company strategy may be successfully copied but its
culture cannot be exactly replicated. Schein (2010) describes organised culture at 3
levels:-
· Artefacts - culture manifest in terms of physical attributes, what people can see?
· Espoused value - company straplines, product slogans, the organisation mission
statement and the operational practices from the organisation.
· Underlying assumptions - assumptions are not physically visible but are reinforced by
the unspoken rules and assumptions made through a decision taken at all levels of the
organisation.
The culture of an organisation - Answers - is often compared to that of an individual
Culture & Incentives - Answers - Incentives play a big part in organisation culture e..g
salary, benefits, pension
Culture & Leadership - Answers - Business leaders infulence culture
Culture & Values - Answers - Culture describes what an organisation is about and helps
to explain its underlying values which guide decisions and practices
managing change in culture - Answers - is not easy to do in practice and has to be done
over time
Small organisations may find it easier as they have less complex structures
70% of efforts fail to manage change due to organisational culture (COULD BE FALSE!)
The ingredients of culture - Answers - History of the organisation
The primary function (what it does) and technology
Strategy
Size
,Culture, Values and Actions - Answers - Consistency between the publicised values and
the actions of an organisation is key. Any inconsistencies may have a negative impact
on both internal and external organisational stakeholders.
Assumptions of organisations - Answers - Assumptions of organisations come from past
successes and once ingrained are difficult to change
Cognitive stability - Answers - Humans need a culture of stability which should be
challenged to achieve change
Culture and Peoples Attitude - Answers - Peoples attitude influences an organisations
culture
Identifying Culture - Answers - If trying to assess its own culture, the organisation may
fail to address a bias or a skewed view of the true culture of an organisation, which may
result in an inaccurate understanding.
Therefore cultural analysis should have breadth and not simply be the observation of a
single individual or group in the organisation.
Schein's Levels of culture: Basic assumptions - Answers - o The basis on which
individuals are respected
o The organisation's ability to compete
o The balance between competition and collaboration between individuals
o How and by whom decisions are made
Deal & Kennedy's 6 cultural elements - Answers - Deal and Kennedy examined 6
interlocking cultural elements, five of which pertain to Schein's artefacts and creation
1 History narrative people share regarding the foundation of the organisation
2 Ritual and ceremonies things employees do together - bacon butties
3 Stories provide examples of how employees should behave & enforce underlying
expectations linked to psychological contract.
4 Heroic figures role models
5 The cultural Network informal network in the organisation where knowledge is shared
and information learned. May be through gossip, storytelling or people who have access
to information or powerful leaders.
, Deal & Kennedy's Values and beliefs - Answers - The 6th element from Deal & Kennedy
is 6 Values and beliefs - used to guide decision-making & approach to solving problems.
Schein - cultures developed in an organisation from external adaption & internal
integration:-
· External adaption - the manner in which an organisation has had to evolve & change
in order to survive, compete and succeed in the market place.
· Internal integration - looks at how an organisation is structured and how structure
equips to succeed.
An example organisation that values put the customer at the heart of everything it does
would benefit from a centralised hierarchy with sole decision-maker able to make &
implement decisions quickly.
Ways to effectively identify culture - Answers - · Be as impartial as possible when
observing the culture of an organisation
· Looks of display of emotion
· Watch for things that are not there
Interviews and factory walk rounds can help identify culture
Schein's Levels of culture - Answers - Schein looks at culture from the view of an
outsider to or observer of an organisation. This approach identifies 3 levels of culture:-
· Artefacts & creations
- Values
- Basic Assumptions
Levels of culture: Artefacts & creations - Answers - o Rites and ceremonies
o Symbols
o Taboos
o Myths & stories
o Language
o Norms
Schein's Levels of culture: Values - Answers - o Honesty
o Basis of rewards
o Effort
o Trust
· Basic assumptions
