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INTRODUCTION
Effects of Organizational Culture
Organizational change efforts are rumored to fail the
vast majority of the time. Usually, this failure is credited to lack of
understanding about the strong role of culture and the role it plays in
organizations. That's one of the reasons that many strategic planners now place
as much emphasis on identifying strategic values as they do mission and vision.
Some Types of Culture There are different types of culture just like there are
different types of personality.
Researcher Jeffrey Sonnenfeld identified the following
four types of cultures. Academy Culture Employees are highly skilled and
tend to stay in the organization, while working their way up the ranks. The
organization provides a stable environment in which employees can development
and exercise their skills. Examples are universities, hospitals, large
corporations, etc. Baseball Team Culture Employees are "free agents" who
have highly prized skills. They are in high demand and can rather easily get
jobs elsewhere. This type of culture exists in fast-paced, high-risk
organizations, such as investment banking, advertising, etc. Club
Culture The most important requirement for employees in this culture is to
fit into the group. Usually employees start at the bottom and stay with the
organization. The organization promotes from within and highly values
seniority. Examples are the military, some law firms, etc. Fortress Culture
Employees don't know if they'll be laid off or not. These organizations
often undergo massive reorganization. There are many opportunities for those
with timely, specialized skills. Examples are savings and loans, large car
companies, etc. (adapted from Organizational Culture by Carter McNamara,
PhD http://www.mapnp.org/library/org_thry/culture/culture.htm
What is Organizational Climate
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