Perspectives of Organisational Culture

Perspectives of Organisational Culture What is organizational culture all about? How did the concept arise? The idea on culture in organizations is a concept drawn from anthropology (Meek, 1988). Culture is viewed â€Å"asa system of shared symbols and meanings† (Rossi and OHiggins, 1980 cited in Lee an Yu, 2004 p. 340). Culture in organizations can simply be referred to as an organizations way of life or way of doing things. Organizational culture has been defined differently by several writers. However, most of the definitions in use lay emphases on key elements such as, norms, traditions, values, beliefs and assumptions. Organizational culture can be defined as â€Å"the collection of relatively uniform and enduring values, beliefs, customs, traditions and practices that are shared by an organizations members, learned by new recruits and transmitted from one generation of employees to the next† (Huczynski and Buchanan 2007, p.623). There is little doubt that organizational culture is a broad topic which no essay can discuss in entirety, however this essay will discuss the two approaches to the study of organizational culture and aim to critically evaluate the ways in which managers attempt to control organizational culture, drawing examples from the Hewlett Packard video watched in class and previous experience of visiting Tesco stores. History forms part of an organizations culture and it can be transmitted consciously and unconsciously over time from managers to employees. For example, it can be transmitted in the form of stories and myths (Meek 1998, Kaye 2007, Taylor S., Fisher D. et al). (Dandridge, T., Mitroff I. et al) suggest that â€Å"stories, myths and symbolism, aid understanding of the deep culture and structure of an organization†. These stories and myths in an organization might be about the start up of the organization or on the remarkable successes of its founders. For example, in the Hewlett Packard video, it indicated that the HP history formed part of the HP way as a vast number of the employees were aware of the fact that the â€Å"founders (Bill and Dave) started the company in a garage, in 1939. They developed the oscillator, used by Disney in the movie Fantasia. The bell ringing tradition was introduced by Bill and Daves wives as a signal for their husbands to observe lunch or coffee times† (The gilded cage: video watched 23 November, 2009). According to (Schein 1985 cited in Huczynski and Buchanan 2007, p.624 630) culture is considered to exist in three levels. Level one is regarded as ‘surface manifestations. At this stage, the culture of an organization is easily seen by outsiders in its symbols, language or architecture. In the Hewlett Packard case, the open plan office adopted, manifests, the relaxed environment the employees work in, and it also suggests the ease of access, between managers and employees. Tesco is very customer-centric and this is displayed by each employees approach to customers which, conveys a message regarding Tescos organizational culture of putting smiles on the faces of the shopping public, hence, creating a pleasant shopping experience for them. The second level of culture is ‘values. This has its firm foundation on morals, awareness and religious or societal precepts and is usually displayed on websites of organizations. The last level of culture is ‘basic assumptions. T hese are assumptions preconceived by an individual of an organization such as how it operates and functions in its environment. Several writers hold different views on organizational culture. The three perspective framework developed by (Martin, 1992), integration, differentiation and fragmentation perspectives provide understanding on organizational culture. The Integration or unitary perspective regards organizations as clear, consistent and unified, believing that these integrating features may result in improved organizational effectiveness. The differentiation perspective views organizations as consisting of subcultures with diverse interests and different objectives while the fragmentation or conflict perspective, sees organizations as being in a constant state of flux. The integration or managerial perspective appears to suggest that there is a relationship between strong culture and improved performance. (Scholz, 1987 cited in Huczynski and Buchanan, 2007, p.623) argues that culture generates competitive advantage. However, sustainable competitive advantage, â€Å"must be rare, adaptable and non-imit able† this determines the strong cultural traits the organization possesses (Barney, 1986 cited in Huczynski and Buchanan, 2007, p.641). Is organizational culture controllable? According to (Meek, 1998 p.455) previous studies suggest that culture belongs to management, hence, it is â€Å"available for management to manipulate†. The functionalist perspective holds that culture can be controlled, as it is regarded as something that the organization has and gives to new recruits and they do not take part in the formation, hence, it can be used as a control device by management (Smircich, 1983). However, the social constructionist perspective, rejects the notion, that culture may be controlled as it holds that culture exists through the continuous interaction between the organizations members. (Ackroyd and Cowley 1990, Harris and (Ogbonna 1999, Ogbonna 1993, Willmott 1993 cited in Huczynski and Buchanan, 2007). There exist three forms of corporate control, bureaucratic, humanistic and culture control. â€Å"More than other forms of control, however, culture control elicits sentiment and emotion,  and contains possibilities to ensnare workers in a hegemonic system† (Ray, 1986, p287). (Deal and Kennedy, 1982 cited in Ray, 1986 p.289) echoes that â€Å"it is the explicit challenge to management to make†¦ people . . . have a strongly ingrained sense of the companys values† Thus, aligning with the functionalist perspective which, supports that culture can be controlled, managers can thus, control culture, by ensuring that employees hold fast to the custom and practice of the organization. For example, in the HP video, meetings were held regularly to check the progress of team members and also to convey information to the employees as the need arises. Job security was tied to performance. Objectives setting was done â€Å"top-down, bottom-up† (objectives were set by management and accepted by each employee). The management by wondering around (MBWA) style was in force, as it enabled managers keep abreast with happenings in the company, and employees likewise had accessibility to managers to discuss issues.

Maiden Voyage Essay

The given passage taken from Denton Welch’s Maiden Voyage starts with a clear and concise statement that brings focus on mainly three details, the first being that the writer is a lively and independent foreigner or in other words, an extrovert, the second and third being that the time is morning and there are two more characters, Mr Butler and Mr Roote involved respectively. Mr Butler clearly warns the writer that ‘foreigners are not welcome here’ and he should preferably stay out of the locals’ way. This tells us that the Chinese prefer being isolated and like mixing amongst themselves. This statement is quite ironic because Mr Butler himself seems as if he is of English origin. No outgoing traveller would like hearing this and naturally the writer doesn’t like being confined between the four walls of the room when he could be doing several other outdoor activities. The writer also uses strong emotional language such as ‘hated’, ‘fiercely’ and ‘brooding’ to reinforce this. The symbolism of the ‘moth eaten ball and the old tennis racket’ informs the reader that hardly anyone uses the sports equipment. The incredibly rebellious writer vents outs his anger by striking these old worn out balls fiercely against the stable doors. It is this lack of excitement that leads the stubborn writer to trouble. He decides to take matters to his own hands and foolishly escapes out in the country side. Whilst this escape from drudgery is happening, Mr Butler and Mr Roote are so deeply engrossed in their own conversation that they fail to realize that the writer is running away. To the reader, this clearly suggests that they are content not to look outside their own world and have not moved on from this morning’s conversation whereas the writer on the other hand has. The writer uses mysterious and exotic language to describe the country. The still silence, the hot sand, the ‘stunted bushes’ left the writer overwhelmed maybe because he was used to an entirely different landscape. The grass is tall, tall enough for a person to hide and was also described as ‘rank’ maybe because it had a stench to it and also, the fact that it was as ‘sharp as knives’ made it even more hard as well as dangerous to walk on. ‘The soles of my shoes began to burn’ suggests that temperatures were high, high enough to leave the writer dehydrated and exhausted. The reader is left behind with an image similar to that of that of a dream, a hot dream.

The Appeal of Annotated Bibliography Citation

The Appeal of Annotated Bibliography Citation Readers might even be interested in locating the source themselves. As a part of corporate social responsibility, the help of on-line bibliography are provided at zero cost to students who can't afford to cover generating the citations. Top Annotated Bibliography Citation Secrets Sometimes it can be as a consequence of annotated bibliography citation your own negligence for not seeking skilled help by picking a great place to get essays from. It is possible to create a citation at any moment and also return and edit it as many times as you would like. There's a high likelihood of being mixed up with the different citation styles and wind up losing valuable marks. Please remember that all of your text, for example, write-up beneath the citation, must be indented so the author's last name is the sole text that's flush left. The Pain of Annotated Bibliography Citation See the next page for examples of the way to footnote the mos t frequent kinds of sources you will use in your NHD paper. You compose the total citation under the heading References near the end of your manuscript. The citation is only going to be sorted right after the document is exported to the internet generator. Take a look at this page to learn more on the topic of parenthetical citations. The very first paragraph provides a succinct overview of the author's project in the book, covering the principal points of the job. Studying the summary can help you to be acquainted with the contents of distinct articles, journals and books in limited time. The very first step in developing an annotated bibliography is selecting a research topic or region of study the bibliography will concentrate on. MLA format for bibliography is particularly crucial for the students, that are pursuing education in the area of law or literature. Consider and explain the method by which the source is related to your research question. A brief evaluation o f whether he is useful for the purpose of the research. When he has more than one date, it is sufficient to use the date that is most relevant to your use of it. The exact same source might have been published on more than 1 date, like an on-line version of an original source. Annotated Bibliography Citation Secrets If you're on the lookout for an APA sample paper, take a look at the other resources found on BibMe. If you should learn more in regards to the ASA, we have all the strategies and tips to aid you in getting there. Our ASA bibliography format tool isn't difficult to use, generates quick and accurate effects and most of all, can be retrieved by anybody at any moment, PC or mobile notwithstanding. The bibliography generator can likewise be regarded as a digital highlighter, which lowers the probability of skipping important facts during academic research. An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that provides an overview of every one of the entries. Now you are all set to start writing your very own annotated bibliography. Seeing a sample annotated bibliography may be valuable way to begin. The Benefits of Annotated Bibliography Citation Our free APA citation maker isn't difficult to use! Citation Machine can help you cite your sources. There are two sorts of citations in APA. All you need to do first is to obtain the most suitable MLA citation generator for your taste. When you choose us to assist you with a bibliography APA making you know which you're receiving the best assistance possible. To begin with, you will want to choose which type of citation format is appropriate to the paper and its sources, for example, MLA or APA.

Night and Maus - 2669 Words

Comparison of Maus and Night The Holocaust was a traumatic event that most people can’t even wrap their minds around. Libraries are filled with books about the Holocaust because people are both fascinated and horrified to learn the details of what survivors went through. Maus by Art Spiegelman and Night by Elie Wiesel are two highly praised Holocaust books that illustrate the horrors of the Holocaust. Night is a traditional narrative that mainly focuses on Elie’s experiences throughout the holocaust while Maus is a comic book that focuses on the relationship between Art and his father and the generational trauma Art is going through as well as his father’s experiences during the Holocaust. Night and Maus are very different styles of†¦show more content†¦In chapter one of book II Art reveals that he feels extremely guilty about not having to go through the Holocaust like his father did and says Somehow, I wish I had been in Auschwitz with my parents so I could really know what they l ived through! †¦I guess its some form of guilt about having had an easier life than they did(Spiegelman, MausII,16). Postmemory affected Art throughout his life because of his father’s dramatic life experiences. Marianne Hirsch describes Postmemory with some hesitation because she thinks that it may imply that we are â€Å"beyond memory† and she doesn’t want people to think that’s what she means. Postmemory is different from regular memory because it is caused by generation gaps, like the gap between Art and Vladek. It is â€Å"a powerful and very particular form of memory precisely because its connection to its object or source is mediated, not through recollection but through an imaginative investment and creation...Postmemory characterizes the experience of those who grow up dominated by narratives that preceded their birth, whose own belated stories are evacuated by the stories of the previous generation shaped by traumatic events that can be neither understood nor recreated† (Hirsch, 1997: 22). Many of Arts memories from when he was a boy come from many from Postmemory. They are the memories that Vladek talks about from his earlier experiences from the Holocaust and of Anja. Arts memories are controlled by â€Å"the experience of thoseShow MoreRelatedNight And Maus Reflection1343 Words   |  6 Pageshow his life was before and during the Holocaust. In Vladeks story , by his son, Art, Spiegelman, was told through a series of interviews and a graphic novel. The authors of Night and Maus portray the Holocaust through survivor testimony , interviews, personal experiences and different perspectives. In the book, Night, Elie Wiesel describes his experiences during the Holocaust. He explains about how his life was before and during the Holocaust . Elie Wiesel starts off by talking about MosheRead MoreThe Night And Maus Book Review Essay1365 Words   |  6 PagesWiesel’s autobiography, Night, his faith in humanity, his belief in God’s justice and his childhood and innocence destroyed and changed his identity as a result of his experiences during the Holocaust. Vladek Spiegelman, a Polish Jew in the book Maus written by Art Spiegelman, struggles through life during this European catastrophe, but does not portray a memory as affecting as Elie Wiesel’s. 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Guilt is one of the most prominent themes of the book. Two types of guilt are present in his books: survivor’s guilt and familial guilt. Spiegelman s, familial guilt comes from the death of his mother. The guilt that heRead More`` Maus Trigger Me More Than Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass And Half Of A Yellow Sun966 Words   |  4 PagesMaus trigger me more than Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Half of a Yellow Sun since my country has been through similar experience. My country is the Republic of Korea, also called South Korea. It is small country located between powerful countries like China, Russia, and Japan. Thus, it is a place where war never stopped even till now. Too many times, we were too close to losing our country and one time, in 1910 we actually did. Lasted for Thirty-five year s, it is called the KoreaRead MoreMaus and Persepolis1097 Words   |  5 PagesPersepolis and Maus: Two Survivors and Their Stories. 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He did not suffer through the horrors of the World War II Holocaust