Strong culture is said to exist where staff respond to stimulus because of their alignment to
organizational values. In such environments, strong cultures help firms operate like well-oiled
machines, engaging in outstanding execution with only minor adjustments to existing
procedures as needed.
Organizations may derive the following benefits from developing strong and productive
cultures:
Better aligning the company towards achieving its vision, mission, and goals
High employee motivation and loyalty
Increased team cohesiveness among the company's various departments and
divisions
Promoting consistency and encouraging coordination and control within the company
Shaping employee behavior at work, enabling the organization to be more efficient--
Competitive edge derived from innovation and customer service
Consistent, efficient employee performance
Team cohesiveness
High employee morale
Strong company alignment towards goal achievement
Where culture is strong, people do things because they believe it is the right thing to do
Organizations should strive for what is considered a "healthy" organizational culture in order to
increase productivity, growth, efficiency and reduce counterproductive behavior and turnover of
employees. A variety of characteristics describe a healthy culture, including:
Acceptance and appreciation for diversity
Regard for and fair treatment of each employee as well as respect for each employee's
contribution to the company
Employee pride and enthusiasm for the organization and the work performed
Equal opportunity for each employee to realize their full potential within the company
Strong communication with all employees regarding policies and company issues
Strong company leaders with a strong sense of direction and purpose
Ability to compete in industry innovation and customer service, as well as price
Lower than average turnover rates (perpetuated by a healthy culture)
Investment in learning, training, and employee knowledge
.
**When bullying happens at the highest levels, the effects may be far reachingindicating the
possibility of a negative ripple effect, where bullying may be cascaded. Such situations may
actually threaten the productivity of the entire organisation.
Several studies have confirmed a relationship between bullying, on the one hand, and an
autocratic leadership and an authoritarian way of settling conflicts or dealing with
disagreement. An authoritarian style of leadership may create a climate of fear, where there is
little or no room for dialogue and where complaining may be considered futile. [21]
Seeing people live the philosophy. They are my
inspiration. Pat Charmel, Griffin Hospital
First, they spent most of their efforts building strong relationships between
tribal membersits employees, volunteers, and patients. Second, instead
of telling people what to do, they engineered experiences (such as the retreats) in
which staff members would look at the same issues they were dealing with, so that
strategy became everyones problem. Third, they got out of the way and let people
contribute in their own way to the emerging tribal goals.
Most importantand hardest to seethey unstuck tribal culture and
nudged it forward, stage by stage, until people charged after problems with the zeal
of converts, not the indifference of hired guns. They built the tribe, and
as they did, people recognized them as leaders. The more they
put the tribe first, the more people respected and identified them, giving their efforts more
credibility and impact. Without the leaders building the tribe, a culture of mediocrity will prevail.
Without an inspired tribe, leaders are
impotent.
Human cognition and culture contains three components, or three broad types of "cultural rules
of behavior", namely, Values, Expectations, and Ad Hoc Rules, each of which has a mutually
conditioning relationship with behavior. Values are universal and enduring rules of behavior;
Expectations, are context-specific behavioral rules; while Ad Hoc Rules are improvised rules of
behavior that the human mind devises contingent upon a particular occasion. They need not be
consistent, they provide a "shock-absorber mechanism", which enables to cope with conflicts in
cultural practices and values, and to accommodate and adapt themselves to cultural contexts
and interactions creating hybrid cultural practices characterized by both stability and change.
Denison, Haaland, and Goelzer (2004) found that culture contributes to the success of the
organization, but the effects of these dimensions differ by global regions, which suggests that
organizational culture is affected by national culture. Additionally, Clarke (2006) found that a
safety climate is related to an organization's safety record.
Organizational culture is reflected in the way people perform tasks, set objectives, and
administer the necessary resources to achieve objectives. Culture affects the way individuals
make decisions, feel, and act in response to the opportunities and threats affecting the
organization.
Adkins and Caldwell (2004) found that job satisfaction was positively associated with the
degree to which employees fit into both the overall culture and subculture in which they
worked, affecting recruitment and retention. Individuals tend to be attracted to and remain
engaged in organization that they perceive to be compatible.
Change
the change process can be daunting. Cultural innovation is bound to be more difficult than
cultural maintenance, its introducing something new and substantially different from what
prevails in existing cultures.
Culture change is affected by a number of elements, including the external environment and
industry competitors, change in industry standards, technology changes, the size and nature of
the workforce, and the organization's history and management.
it is 'leadership' that affects culture rather than 'management'. When one
wants to change an aspect of the culture of an organization it is a long term
project. Corporate culture is something that is very hard to change and
employees need time to get used to the new way of organizing.
Cummings & Worley in line with the eight distinct stages mentioned by Kotter (1995):
1. Formulate a clear strategic vision (intention and direction of the change); shared values
and behaviors are needed.
2. Display top-management commitment: must be managed from the top
3. Model culture change at the highest level: the change has to be notable on top levels;
needs to symbolize the kinds of values and behaviors for the rest of the company, they
need to show the strengths of the current culture as well; the current culture does not
need radical changes, but just a few adjustments. Change agents are key in the
process and key communicators of the new values; should possess courage, flexibility,
excellent interpersonal skills, knowledge of the company, and patience = catalysts, not
dictators.
4. Modify the organization to support organizational change; Identify current systems,
policies, procedures and rules that need to be changed to align with the new values.
This may include a change to accountability systems, compensation, benefits and
reward structures, and recruitment and retention programs to send a clear message.
5. Select and socialize newcomers and terminate deviants: people can be selected and
terminated in terms of their fit with the new culture. Encouraging employee motivation
and loyalty to the company is key and will also result in a healthy culture. Train all
employees to understand the new processes, expectations and systems.
6. Develop ethical and legal sensitivity. Changes can lead to tensions specially in
employee integrity, control, equitable treatment and job security. Is beneficial to
evaluate the process to monitor the change progress and identify opportunities.
Identify obstacles of change and resistant employees, acknowledge and reward
employee improvement.
Cultural innovation includes:
Creating a new culture: recognizing past cultural differences and setting
realistic expectations for change
Changing the culture: weakening and replacing the old cultures
Cultural maintenance includes:
Integrating the new culture: reconciling the differences between the old cultures
and the new one
Embodying the new culture: Establishing, affirming, and keeping the new
culture
Edgar Schein
Robert A. Cooke
There are many different types of communication that contribute in creating an organizational
culture:[20]
Metaphors such as comparing an organization to a machine or a family reveal
employees' shared meanings of experiences at the organization.
Stories can provide examples for employees of how to or not to act in certain
situations.
Rites and ceremonies combine stories, metaphors, and symbols into one. Several
different kinds of rites affect organizational culture:
Rites of passage: employees move into new roles
Rites of degradation: employees have power taken away from them
Rites of enhancement: public recognition for an employee's accomplishments
Rites of renewal: improve existing social structures
Rites of conflict reduction: resolve arguments between certain members or
groups
Rites of integration: reawaken feelings of membership in the organization
Reflexive comments are explanations, justifications, and criticisms of our own actions.
This includes:
Plans: comments about anticipated actions
Commentaries: comments about action in the present
Accounts: comments about an action or event that has already occurred
Such comments reveal interpretive meanings held by the speaker as well as the social
rules they follow.
Fantasy Themes are common creative interpretations of events that reflect beliefs,
values, and goals of the organization. They lead to rhetorical visions, or views of the
organization and its environment held by organization members.
----
La definicin que le podemos aplicar a la cultura organizacional es la unin de
normas, hbitos y valores que de una forma u otra, son compartidos
por las personas y/o grupos que dan forma a una institucin, y que a
su vez son capaces de controlar la forma en la que interactan con el
propio entorno y entre ellos mismos. Es decir, el comportamiento de la
empresa depender de la forma en la que se apliquen unas normas u otras por
parte de sus integrantes. esa realidad cultural refleja un marco de valores,
creencias, ideas, sentimientos y voluntades de una comunidad institucional.
La cultura es el patrn por medio el cual las personas pertences a un grupo o
sociedad, son educados e incorporados a la actividad de la misma.
Qu son estas normas? Sistema para que los individuos respeten
determinadas conductas y procedimientos ante las situaciones. Estn
redactadas y aprobadas en los manuales de gestin y organizacin, su
cumplimiento y respeto es obligatorio para todos.
Qu es un hbito? No estn escritos ni tienen que estar
necesariamente
aprobados,
simplemente
son
pequeas
recomendaciones que en la mayora de los casos se toman como
normas. Para poner un ejemplo, en muchas oficinas pblicas antes no
estaba prohibido fumar, pero se entenda que perjudicaba a no
fumadores, por lo que nadie fumaba.
Qu es un valor? Cualidad que confiere a las cosas, hechos o
personas una estimacin, ya sea positiva o negativa. Son caractersticas
morales inherentes a la persona, como humildad, simpata, honradez o
puntualidad.
Clasificacin de la Cultura Organizacional
CARACTERSTI
CAS
C.O. DBIL
C.O. FUERTE
AUTONOMIA
Supervisin estrecha. Los
trabajadores tienen poca
liberta en su puesto
Supervisin general. Todos tienen
libertad para resolver los
problemas de su puesto
ESTRUCTURA
Puesto de trabajo
estandarizado. Reglas y
procedimientos formalizados
Puestos de trabajo flexibles.
Reglas y procedimientos no
formalizados
APOYO
La direccin se centra en la
produccin y muestra escaso
inters por su plantilla
La direccin muestra gran inters
y apoyo a la plantilla.
PREMIO
Se aprecian y premia la
fidelidad, el esfuerzo, la
cooperacin. Se desconocen
los niveles productivos del
personal
Las compensaciones y ascensos
que se otorgan al personal estn
basados en su nivel de
productividad.
CONFLICTOS
La gerencia mantiene un
nivel mnimo de conflicto
constructivo, debido a la
presencia de conflictos
disfuncionales o destructivos
La gerencia intencionalmente
aumenta la intensidad del
conflicto funcional o constructivo,
lo suficiente para que siga siendo
viable, autocrtico y creativo.
RIESGOS
No se estimula al trabajador a
ser innovador y creativo
Se alienta y utiliza el talento
creativo e innovador del
trabajador
En muchas ocasiones la cultura es tan evidente que se puede ver que la conducta de
la gente cambia en el momento en que traspasa las puertas de la empresa.
El mal conocimiento de la cultura puede ser causa de malos entendidos y malas
interpretaciones dentro de las sociedades en el momento en que pierde su capacidad
de coordinacin y de integracin.
La cultura organizacional se fundamenta en los valores, las creencias y los principios
que constituyen las races del sistema gerencial de una organizacin, as como
tambin al conjunto de procedimientos y conductas gerenciales que sirven de soporte
a esos principios bsicos.
CREACION Y SOSTENIMIEMTO DE LA CULTURA ORGANIZACIONAL.
Algunos de los mecanismos para crear y mantener la cultura organizacional en una
empresa son:
Declaraciones formales de la filosofa organizacional, organigramas, credos, misin,
materiales
Diseo
usados
de
en
el
espacios
reclutamiento
fsicos,
la
fachadas,
seleccin,
socializacin.
instalaciones,
edificios.
Manejo deliberado de papeles, capacitacin y asesora por parte de los lderes.
Sistema explcito de premios y reconocimiento, criterios de promocin.
Sistemas y procedimientos organizacionales. (Los tipos de informacin, control y los
sistemas de apoyo a las decisiones en trminos de categoras de informacin, ciclos
de tiempo, la persona a quien se destina la informacin, el momento y la manera de
efectuar la evaluacin del desempeo y otros procesos valorativos transmiten
mensajes implcitos de lo que los lderes suponen y aprecian.) Criterios aplicados en
el reclutamiento, seleccin, promocin, nivelacin, jubilacin y excomunin del
personal
Por otra parte, la originalidad de una persona se expresa a travs del comportamiento
y, la individualidad de las organizaciones puede expresarse en trminos de la cultura.
Hay prcticas dentro de la organizacin que reflejan que la cultura es aprendida y, por
lo tanto, deben crearse culturas con espritu de un aprendizaje continuo. Al respecto
Siliceo (1995) sostiene que la capacitacin continua al colectivo organizacional es un
elemento fundamental para dar apoyo a todo programa orientado a crear y fortalecer
el sentido de compromiso del personal, cambiar actitudes y construir un lenguaje
comn que facilite la comunicacin, comprensin e integracin de las personas.
La cultura una vez implantada y aceptada se alimenta de s misma, ofrece estabilidad
y certidumbre (saber qu se espera, es importante, que hacer, cules son amenazas
o beneficios)
POR QU ES IMPORTANTE:
1. Se puede entender mejor una organizacin si se conoce su cultura, el qu, cmo y
por qu se hacen las cosas y de sus actos
2. Es clave para entender qu es y una forma estratgica y eficiente de actuar para
administrarla.
3. Su identificacin es importante para la gestin porque sirva para actuar de forma
consistente y coherente
4. Permite comprender relaciones de poder, reglas no escritas y lo aceptado cmo
vlido y verdad.
5. Aclara comportamientos aparentemente inteligibles que permiten una planeacin
efectiva acorde con la realidad organizacional.
Beneficios:
-
Reduce ansiedad, ya que requieren orden, consistencia y congruencia
Implementar diversas estrategias en base de la cosmovisin de esa cultura
Conocer las fuerzas y debilidades de la estrategia
Cmo identificarla:
-
Cosas fsicas y visibles: Ambiente fsico
Valores que dirgen el comportamiento (do entrevistas y evitar estado idealizado)
Versiones adaptadas de otras culturas:
Verdades no cuestionables han solucionado problemas:
Ambiente externo (dominio, sumisin, armona, honestidad, competencia,
calidad, riesgo, se refleja en el producto entregado)
Naturaleza de la verdad y realidad (reglas verbales y de comportamiento:
acciones orientadas al tiempo presenta, pasado o futuro; la naturaleza del
espacio representa espacio, territorio, control, privacidad, etc)
Inconsciente (Naturaleza humana: es perezoso, bueno, malo, variable,
incapaz; Naturaleza actividad humana refleja la concepcin del trabajo y
del descanso)
Naturaleza de las Relaciones humanas (individualista, compaerismo, amor,
comunitaria).
Estilo
autocrtico-participativo/
consultivo-coelgiado)
Por lo tanto toda cultura contiene:
-
Historia
Lenguaje y patrones de comunicacin
Sistemas y procedimientos
paternalista-delegativo
Misin y visin
Ancdotas y mitos
Un cambio es posible mediante cohesin grupal y deber existir:
Lenguaje comn y categoras conceptuales compartidas
Definicin de sus fronteras
Asignacin de autoridad, poder, status, propiedad, etc
Normas de relaciones humanas o clima laboral
Cmo resolver los problemas con ideologas, creencias, hbitos y
costumbres
Recompensas y sanciones, narracin de casos de xito
Cdigo de tica y normas de comportamiento
Manejo de riesgos y eventos interesantes
Mtodods de cambio: El cambio es dinmico, constante y turbulento, debe ser
convincente
Reorganizacin
Desarrollo organizacional
Comunicaciones
Entrenamiento
Reclutamiento
Administracin por objetivos y resultados
Justicia, equidad y competitividad de compensacin
Romper con el status quo con un un ambiente que reconozca el esfuerzo
Agentes de cambio:
Compromiso con el xito y mentalidad ganadora
Sentido de urgencia e iniciativa
Disposicin y entusiasmo por satisfaccin del cliente
Asumir riesgos, coraje, tolerancia de la frustracin
Innovacin en mtodos de trabajo
Cuidado de los recursos
Disfruta riesgos y confianza
La visin forma la cultura:
Dirige los actos en futuros problemas a futuro
Establece patrones de conducta y relaciones
Imprime la visin del mundo y el negocio (ideas y tradiciones que
emana)
Crea conciencia y modela conducta
Pautas implcitas o explcitas de comportamiento adquiridas por
patrones conductuales, creencias y lenguaje
Adaptarse en polticas y procedimientos con el ambiente comercial
Influye sobre el trabajo en grupo
-
Involucramiento (motivacin y empowerment) del grupo
Opinin sobre el trabajo de otros y el propio
Relaciones de compaerismo
Visualizacin del futuro
Estilo de liderazgo
Uso de comunicacin efectiva
Solucin de problemas y/o conflictos interpersonales
Ojo:
-
La cultura puede ser fuerte pero no tener congruencia entre lo esperado y lo
que se hace
Se aprende en resultados positivos y en momentos de stress
Nunca se termina de formar, est en cambio constante
Debe fortalecer la flexibilidad y el potencial de aprendizaje e innovacin
La cultura debe poseer las siguientes caractersticas:
-
Distintividad
Integracin (es como un rayo lser a mayor cohesin, ms
efectivo)
Estabilidad
Aceptacin
ndole implcita
Reflejo de alta direccin
Simbolismo
Subculturas
Ninguna es mejor
Diversa intensidad
Se aprende, Se comparte, es Transgeneracional, inluye en la
percepcin, Se adapta
El reto es tener una cultura de alto desempeo que se caracterice por la inquitante
autorenovacin, sentido de urgencia y decisin de transformar para alcanzar ls metas.
