Organizational Culture

Organizational Culture

Subject: Business    / Management   
Question

Week 1 discussion

Please respond to all questions, one question at a time. Each topic should be addressed as a separate thread.

Indicate the activity in the title of your response, for example: Activity # 1 or Activity # 2

__________________________

Activity #1 – Introduction

Welcome to our course discussions!

Post an introduction explaining why you are taking this course, what you hope to learn in the course, and an interesting fact about you and/or your professional/ educational goals.

Feel free to communicate your message in an advanced way, such as audio, video or a Web 2.0 tool. If you choose this option, it would also be helpful to post a text version.

Activity #2 – Organizational Culture

Based on your reading of the textbook chapter, describe and give an example of an assumption in your organization. This should be a belief that is "taken for granted", about "the way we do things here". The attached chart may help you identify some basic assumptions.

Respond to at least 2 other classmate posts with meaningful, positive comments. "Good job!" or "me too" is not meaningful. Instead, be specific and share your experiences about the stated topic. As a reminder, keep conferences on task and not off the main topic. Always check your spelling before you submit.

Week 2 discussion

Activity # 1

Based on the reading for this week, identify an artifact and a value in your organization.

Respond to two colleagues.

Activity #2

1) Watch this video on the OCAI survey instrument:

http://www.ocai-online.com/downloads/videos/4-Culture-Types-in-Competing-Values-Framework

2) Go to this page and take the FREE survey: http://www.ocai-online.com/products/ocai-one

Based on these:

a) How did your organization rate on the OCAI instrument you did? (Share the results)

b) Do you agree with the results? Why or why not?

No need to respond to colleagues.

Week 3 discussion

Activity #1

Take the INCA Survey and calculate your scores.

Then post a paragraph with a summary of your scores and a short reflection on where you are in terms of cultural awareness.

No need to respond to colleagues.

Activity #2

The GLOBE study built on another study conducted by Geert Hofstede, one of the most comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. In Hofstede's study, he describes and measures 6 cultural dimensions – some of which were also used in the GLOBE study : Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long Term Orientation and Indulgence.

1) Go to this page: http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

and select United States.

2) Then select under Comparison Country any country of your choice.

3) What can you tell us about the difference between the U.S. and the other country?

Please respond to two colleagues. You may give input or opinions on cultures that you know, or have lived in. Remember that these results are general and may not apply to every experience or example you have seen.

Week 4 discussion

Activity #1

In your own words, explain the relationship between either:

a) leadership and culture

b) performance and culture

Please respond to at least two colleagues.

Activity #2

Based on the reading of organizational life stages, what life stage do you consider your organization to be in? How does the life stage impact the culture of the organization?

No need to respond to colleagues.

Week 5 discussion

Activity #1

Based on the reading from Cameron and Quinn, discuss the difference between culture and climate.

No need to respond to colleagues.

Activity #2 – Value Clusters

Search the Web and compare at least five companies’ slogans. Briefly state what value cluster is represented in the advertising. For example:

Kentucky Fried Chicken – We do chicken right! Value Cluster – Efficiency

Respond to two colleagues, agreeing or disagreeing and explain why.

Activity #3 – Cultural Values

List five common sayings or proverbs in your culture and indicate what cultural values they are conveying: Example:

Time is money and money is time – Efficiency

Good old American know how – Ethnocentrism

It takes a village to raise a child – Collectivism, humanitarianism

Respond to two colleagues, agreeing or disagreeing and explain why.

Week 6 discussion

Activity #1 –

Think of a recent change that happened in your organization. Try to focus on a large change, not just a small change in artifacts, such as a form. It might be a policy change, a change in leadership, a change in organizational goals. Think about how it was implemented.

Based on Kotter's 8 steps, describe the change. Did your organization follow each step? If so, describe how. If not, describe how "skipping" that step may have impacted the change and how employees responded to it.

Respond to two colleagues

Week 7 discussion

Activity #1

Piderit (2000) believes that the definition of the term resistance must incorporate a much broader scope. She states that "a review of past empirical research reveals three different emphases in conceptualizations of resistance: as a cognitive state, as an emotional state, and as a behavior" (p. 784).

What is your understanding of these three types of resistance? Can you give an example of each type?

Respond to two colleagues.

Week 8 discussion

Activity #1

In 1-3 paragraph, summarize what you learned about culture and change in this course.

In the body of your paragraph(s), use at least three citations from different sources.

At the end of your paragraph(s), list your references.

Please also respond to at least two colleagues.