Understanding the Culture of Your Organization
The culture of an organization is encoded in the images, metaphors,
artifacts, beliefs, values, norms, rituals, language, stories, legends,
myths, and other symbolic constructs that decorate and give form to the
experience of everyday life. Let's apply the culture metaphor to Washington
University. How would you describe its culture? Answer each of the questions
below.
What are the principal images or metaphors that people use to describe
the organization?
What physical impression does the organization and its artifacts create?
Does this vary from one place to another (schools/departments, administration,
fraternity/sorority, etc.)?
What are the primary beliefs and values (i.e., the dos and don'ts)?
What are the main ceremonies and rituals and what purposes do they
serve?
What language dominates everyday discourse (i.e., buzzwords, clichés,
jargon, etc.)?
What are dominant stories or legends that people tell? What messages
are they trying to convey?
What reward systems are in place? What "messages" do they send in terms
of activities or accomplishments that are valued, and those that are not?
What are the favorite topics of informal conversation?
Think of three influential people: In what ways do they symbolize the
character of the organization?
Are there identifiable subcultures in the organization? How are they
differentiated? Are they in conflict or harmony?
What impacts do these subcultures have on the organization? What functions
do these groupings serve for their members? Is the overall effect on the
organization positive or negative?
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