{"id":47854,"date":"2022-04-02T05:09:08","date_gmt":"2022-04-02T05:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/mgt-312-525-word-paper-use-reference-attached-to-complete\/"},"modified":"2022-04-02T05:09:08","modified_gmt":"2022-04-02T05:09:08","slug":"mgt-312-525-word-paper-use-reference-attached-to-complete","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/mgt-312-525-word-paper-use-reference-attached-to-complete\/","title":{"rendered":"Mgt\/312 525 word paper – use reference attached to complete"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Create<\/strong>\u00a0a 525-word paper that explains how human resource functions relate to organizational development.<\/p>\n

Format<\/strong>\u00a0your paper consistent with APA guidelines.<\/p>\n

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14<\/h2>\n

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, SOCIALIZATION, AND MENTORING<\/h2>\n

How Can I Use These Concepts for Competitive Advantage?<\/h2>\n

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\u00a9 2014 Angelo Kinicki and Mel Fugate. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited without permission of the authors.<\/p>\n

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INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING OB<\/strong><\/p>\n

This chapter focuses on organizational culture and the socialization and mentoring that allow new members to become part of the culture of the organization. The Integrative Framework shows how culture functions as both an environmental input and an organizational process.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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winning at work<\/h3>\n
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HOW WOULD I ASSESS PERSON\u2013ENVIRONMENT FIT (PE) WHEN APPLYING FOR JOBS?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cEmployment site Glassdoor provides information on salaries, organizational cultures, and interview questions by using anonymous posts from employees and people seeking employment. In 2012 the company obtained 285,000 questions used by hiring managers. Here are the four most frequently asked interview questions:\u00a0What\u2019s your favorite movie? What\u2019s your favorite website? What\u2019s the last book you read for fun? What makes you uncomfortable?<\/em>1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cWHY ARE COMPANIES ASKING THESE QUESTIONS?<\/h4>\n

\u201cAlthough these questions have nothing to do with performance, recruiters ask them because they are trying to assess whether or not an applicant will \u201cfit in\u201d with the company\u2019s culture. A recent study of people hiring undergraduate and graduate students revealed that more than 50 percent of the evaluators considered \u201cfit\u201d to be the most important criterion during the interview process.2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWHAT DOES IT MEAN TO \u201cFIT\u201d?<\/h4>\n

Person\u2013environment fit (PE)<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0reflects \u201cthe compatibility between an individual and a work environment that occurs when their characteristics are well matched.\u201d<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Although there are many types of fit, we are interested in what is called\u00a0person\u2013organization fit (PO)<\/em><\/strong>,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0which reflects the extent to which your personality and values match the climate and culture in an organization.<\/span>\u00a0PO fit is important because it is associated with more positive work attitudes and task performance and lower intentions to quit and stress.4<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHOW CAN YOU ASSESS \u201cFIT\u201d?<\/h4>\n

\u201cIt will take some effort on your part. First conduct an evaluation of your strengths, weaknesses, and values. Next, do the same for the company or department at hand by doing research about the company on the Internet or talking with current employees. This information will now enable you to prepare a set of diagnostic questions to ask during the interview process. These questions need to focus on determining your level of fit. For example, if you value recognition for hard work, then ask a recruiter how the company rewards performance. If the answer does not support a strong link between performance and rewards, you probably will have a low PE fit and will not be happy working at this company.<\/p>\n

We have created a Take-Away Application later in this chapter to help you practice the process of assessing person\u2013organization fit.<\/p>\n

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FOR YOU<\/span>WHAT\u2019S AHEAD IN THIS CHAPTER<\/p>\n

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This chapter begins your exploration of what is called \u201cmacro\u201d organizational behavior. Macro OB is concerned with studying OB from the perspective of the organization as a whole. We use the graphical image of the Integrative Framework of OB on the previous page to illustrate how organizational culture is a key input that influences a host of processes and outcomes. We begin by exploring the foundation of organizational culture so that you can understand its drivers and functions. Next we review the four key types of organizational culture and consider their relationships with various outcomes. This is followed by a discussion of how managers can change organizational culture. Finally, we discuss how socialization and mentoring are used to embed organizational culture, and focus on how you can use knowledge of these processes to enhance your career success and happiness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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14.1THE FOUNDATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE: UNDERSTANDING ITS DRIVERS AND FUNCTIONS<\/span><\/h3>\n
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MAJOR QUESTION<\/p>\n

What is culture and why is it important to understand its layers and functions?<\/p>\n

THE BIGGER PICTURE<\/p>\n

Although you may have a small impact on your employer\u2019s organizational culture, you undoubtedly are affected by it. Culture affects outcomes at the individual, group, and organizational level. You are going to learn what creates organizational culture and how culture in turn affects other organizational processes. You also will understand the three levels that constitute culture and the functions it serves for organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The quote \u201cculture eats strategy for breakfast\u201d was attributed to management expert Peter Drucker. But it really caught everyone\u2019s attention when Mark Fields, CEO at Ford Motor Company, used it in 2006. The slogan currently hangs in the company\u2019s \u201cwar room.\u201d Ford\u2019s former CEO Alan Mulally created the war room, which contains charts, graphs, and lists of products, as a meetingplace for executives to discuss the execution of Ford\u2019s corporate strategies. The culture slogan serves as a reminder of the importance of organizational culture to Ford\u2019s success.5<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

What is the point of this slogan? It\u2019s quite simple. A company can have the best vision and strategy in the world, but it won\u2019t be able to execute them unless the culture is aligned with the strategy. This is a lesson that successful companies like Lincoln Electric, Southwest Airlines, and SAS Institute have applied for years. Lincoln Electric has the largest share of the global welding market, Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, and SAS is the world\u2019s largest privately held software firm.6<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0All of these firms exert significant effort at creating and reinforcing the type of culture that helps them achieve their strategic goals.<\/p>\n

One of our primary goals in this chapter is to help you understand how managers can use organizational culture as a competitive advantage. Let us start by considering the foundation of organizational culture.<\/p>\n

Defining Culture and Exploring Its Impact<\/h3>\n

Organizational culture<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0is defined as \u201cthe set of shared, taken-for-granted implicit assumptions that a group holds and that determines how it perceives, thinks about, and reacts to its various environments.\u201d<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This definition highlights four important characteristics of organizational culture:<\/p>\n

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\u2022Shared concept.<\/strong>\u00a0Organizational culture consists of beliefs and values that are shared among a group of people.<\/p>\n

\u2022Learned over time.<\/strong>\u00a0It is passed on to new employees through the process of socialization and mentoring, topics discussed later in this chapter.<\/p>\n

\u2022Influences our behavior at work.<\/strong>\u00a0This is why \u201cculture eats strategy for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022Impacts outcomes at multiple levels.<\/strong>\u00a0Culture affects outcomes at the individual, group\/team, and organizational levels.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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FIGURE 14.1<\/strong>DRIVERS AND FLOW OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Adapted from C. Ostroff, A. J. Kinicki, and R. S. Muhammad, \u201cOrganizational Culture and Climate,\u201d in I. B. Weiner, N. W. Schmitt, and S. Highhouse, eds.,\u00a0Handbook of Psychology<\/em>, vol. 12, 2nd ed. (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012), 643\u2013676. Reprinted with permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.<\/p>\n

Figure 14.1<\/a>\u00a0provides a conceptual framework for understanding the drivers and effects of organizational culture. Five elements drive organizational culture:<\/p>\n

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\u2022The founder\u2019s values<\/p>\n

\u2022The industry and business environment<\/p>\n

\u2022The national culture<\/p>\n

\u2022The organization\u2019s vision and strategies<\/p>\n

\u2022The behavior of leaders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In turn,\u00a0organizational culture<\/em>\u00a0influences the type of\u00a0organizational structure<\/em>\u00a0adopted by a company and a host of\u00a0internal processes<\/em>\u00a0(including human resource practices, policies, and procedures) implemented in pursuit of organizational goals. These organizational characteristics then affect a variety of\u00a0group and social processes<\/em>.8<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This sequence ultimately affects employees\u2019\u00a0work attitudes and behaviors<\/em>\u00a0and a variety of organizational\u00a0outcomes<\/em>. All told,\u00a0Figure 14.1<\/a>\u00a0tells us that organizational culture has a wide span of influence, ultimately impacting a host of individual, group, and organizational outcomes.9<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Once again, this is why culture eats strategy for breakfast.<\/p>\n

The Three Levels of Organizational Culture<\/h3>\n

Organizational culture operates on three levels:<\/p>\n

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1.Observable artifacts<\/p>\n

2.Espoused values<\/p>\n

3.Basic underlying assumptions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Each level varies in terms of outward visibility and resistance to change, and each level influences another level.<\/p>\n

Level 1: Observable Artifacts<\/strong><\/span>At the more visible level, culture represents observable artifacts.\u00a0Artifacts<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0consist of the physical manifestation of an organization\u2019s culture.<\/span>Organizational examples include:<\/p>\n

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\u2022Acronyms<\/p>\n

\u2022Manner of dress<\/p>\n

\u2022Awards<\/p>\n

\u2022Myths and stories told about the organization<\/p>\n

\u2022Published lists of values<\/p>\n

\u2022Observable rituals and ceremonies<\/p>\n

\u2022Special parking spaces<\/p>\n

\u2022Decorations<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At Facebook, for example, the word \u201chack\u201d is pasted all around offices. The term \u201chack\u201d is symbolic of \u201cthe hacker way\u201d of pursuing continuous improvement and challenging the status quo.10<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Kayak.com<\/a>, an online travel company, uses a two-foot-tall stuffed elephant named Annabelle as an artifact. Annabelle sits in a specially designed conference room that is used to have sensitive meetings or discussions. Paul English, cofounder and chief technology officer, created the room and brought in Annabelle because Kayak\u2019s open floor plan does not lend itself to discussing touchy matters. The company feels that this artifact has led to more honest and constructive communications among employees.11<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0It\u2019s important to remember that artifacts are easier to change than the less visible aspects of organizational culture.<\/p>\n

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Annabelle the Elephant is an artifact of the corporate culture at\u00a0Kayak.com<\/a>, provided as a catalyst to make sure employees do not ignore an important but difficult topic, the so-called elephant in the room. Can you think of other artifacts that might prime people to give honest feedback?<\/p>\n

Level 2: Espoused Values<\/strong><\/span>Values were defined in\u00a0Chapter 2<\/a>\u00a0as abstract ideals that guide one\u2019s thinking and behavior across all situations. In the context of organizational culture, it is important to distinguish between values that are espoused versus those that are enacted.<\/p>\n

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\u2022Espoused values<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represent the explicitly stated values and norms that are preferred by an organization.<\/span>\u00a0They are generally established by the founder of a new or small company and by the top management team in a larger organization. Most companies have a short of list of espoused values. For example, Procter and Gamble\u2019s list of values includes integrity, leadership, ownership, passion for winning, and trust.12<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0In contrast, Google and Zappos have 10 espoused values.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Because espoused values represent aspirations that are explicitly communicated to employees, managers hope that those values will directly influence employee behavior. Unfortunately, aspirations do not automatically produce the desired behaviors because people do not always \u201cwalk the talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Energy company BP, for instance, has long claimed that it values safety, yet the company had a refinery fire in Texas City, Texas, that killed 15 people in 2005. In 2006, a pipeline leak in Alaska lost over 200,000 gallons of crude, and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf lost more than 200 million gallons according to the US government.13<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022Enacted values<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represent the values and norms that actually are exhibited or converted into employee behavior.<\/span>\u00a0They represent the values that employees ascribe to an organization based on their observations of what occurs on a daily basis. It is important for managers to reduce gaps between espoused and enacted values because they can significantly influence employee attitudes and organizational performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Consider that a survey from the Ethics Resource Center showed that employees were more likely to behave ethically when management behavior set a good ethical example and kept its promises and commitments.14<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This finding was underscored by another study of 129 mergers. Employees were more productive and post-merger performance was higher when employees believed that the post-merger behavior within the newly formed firm was consistent with the espoused values.15<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0It pays to walk the talk when it comes to integrating companies after a merger.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Juniper Networks spent considerable effort to align its espoused values of trust, delivering excellence, pursuing bold aspirations, and making a meaningful difference with employee behavior. The company started by selecting 200 employees from around the world to come up with a list of behaviors that exemplified each of the values. These behaviors were then infused into the human resource practices of hiring, training, evaluating, and promoting people. The company completely revamped its process of performance appraisal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022Old.<\/strong>\u00a0Employees felt the old system violated the company\u2019s values. Previously the company evaluated all employees and then forced a distribution curve across the entire population.<\/p>\n

\u2022New.<\/strong>\u00a0The new system builds on a \u201cconversation day.\u201d On such days, \u201cemployees and managers discuss areas for improvement and areas for growth, set stretch goals, and align the goals with employees\u2019 career aspirations. There is no rating given or a specific measure of improvement.\u201d An employee survey revealed that 66 percent of Juniper\u2019s employees felt that the new system was helpful or extremely helpful.16<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Level 3: Basic Underlying Assumptions<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Basic underlying assumptions<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0constitute organizational values that have become so taken for granted over time that they become assumptions that guide organizational behavior.<\/span>\u00a0They represent deep-seated beliefs that employees have about their company and thus constitute the core of organizational culture. As you might expect, basic underlying assumptions are highly resistant to change. Consider how Unilever CEO Paul Polman reinforces a core belief in sustainability (see Example box).<\/p>\n

Sustainability<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represents \u201ca company\u2019s ability to make a profit without sacrificing the resources of its people, the community, and the planet.\u201d<\/span>17<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Sustainability also is referred to as \u201cbeing green,\u201d and Pulitzer Prize\u2013winning political commentator Thomas Friedman believes that \u201coutgreening\u201d other nations can renew America and even defeat al-Qaeda.18<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/small><\/span>Unilever Strives to Promote a Sustainability Culture<\/p>\n

When Paul Polman took over as CEO of Unilever in 2009, he told Wall Street analysts that the company would no longer provide earnings guidance and quarterly profit statements. This is unheard of! Analysts revolted and the stock price immediately dropped.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Paul Polman, CEO at Unilever.<\/p>\n

WHAT WAS POLMAN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?<\/span><\/p>\n

Polman wanted to instill a deep-seated belief regarding sustainability within all employees at Unilever. He started this effort by creating a \u201cSustainable Living Plan.\u201d The plan contained goals to \u201cdouble its sales even as it cuts its environmental footprint in half and sources all its agricultural products in ways that don\u2019t degrade the earth by 2020.\u201d The company also set a goal to improve the well-being of 1 billion people by influencing them to wash their hands and brush their teeth and by selling foods with less salt and fat.<\/p>\n

Polman told investors that \u201cif you don\u2019t buy into this, I respect you as a human being, but don\u2019t put your money in our company.\u201d He believes that shareholder return should not override nobler goals. He also said, \u201cOur purpose is to have a sustainable business model that is put at the service of the greater good. It\u2019s as simple as that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF UNILEVER\u2019S PUSH FOR A SUSTAINABILITY CULTURE?<\/strong><\/span>Polman believes that employees are more engaged and the company is a more desirable place to work. As evidence, Unilever \u201cis one of the five most-searched-for employers, behind Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook.\u201d In 2012, sales grew in every region Unilever operates in around the globe, and the company cut costs through its Sustainable Living plan.<\/p>\n

Employees at Unilever \u201csay that doing good is in the company\u2019s DNA.\u201d This is what we call a basic underlying assumption!19<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

YOUR THOUGHTS?<\/span><\/h3>\n

1.What do you think was the driving force behind Polman\u2019s desire to create a culture of sustainability?<\/p>\n

2.Do you agree with Polman about the tangible business benefits of Unilever\u2019s cultural values?<\/p>\n

3.Whether you agree with Polman or not, was he wise to tell investors not to put money in the Unilever if they did not also buy into the Sustainable Living plan?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Four Functions of Organizational Culture<\/h3>\n

An organization\u2019s culture fulfills four important functions (see\u00a0Figure 14.2<\/a>):<\/p>\n

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1.Organizational identity<\/p>\n

2.Collective commitment<\/p>\n

3.Social system stability<\/p>\n

4.Sense-making device<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

FIGURE 14.2<\/strong>FOUR FUNCTIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Adapted from discussion in L. Smircich, \u201cConcepts of Culture and Organizational Analysis,\u201d\u00a0Administrative Science Quarterly<\/em>, September 1983, 339\u2013358. Copyright \u00a9 1983. Reprinted with permission of Sage Publications, Inc.<\/p>\n

To help bring these four functions to life, let\u2019s consider how each of them has taken shape at Southwest Airlines. Southwest is a particularly instructive example because it has grown to become the largest carrier in the United States serving more customers domestically than any other airline and has achieved 40 consecutive years of profitability.\u00a0Fortune<\/em>\u00a0named Southwest the seventh Most Admired Company in the World, and it was recognized in 2012 by\u00a0Chief Executive Magazine<\/em>\u00a0as one of the 40 Best Companies for Leaders based on outstanding company culture and internal professional development.20<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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Function 1: Culture Provides Employees with an Organizational Identity<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Southwest Airlines is known as a fun place to work that values employee satisfaction and customer loyalty over corporate profits. Gary Kelly, Southwest\u2019s CEO, highlighted this theme by noting that \u201cour people are our single greatest strength and our most enduring long-term competitive advantage.\u201d21<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The company has a catastrophe fund based on voluntary contributions for distribution to employees who are experiencing serious personal difficulties. Southwest\u2019s people-focused identity is reinforced by the fact that it is an employer of choice. Southwest contributed $228 million into its employee-based profit-sharing program in 2013. The company also was rated as providing outstanding opportunities for women and Hispanics by\u00a0Professional Women<\/em>\u00a0magazine and\u00a0Hispanic<\/em>\u00a0magazine, respectively, and\u00a0National Conference on Citizenship<\/em>\u00a0ranked Southwest as one of The Civic 50 for use of time, talent, and resources in civic engagement.<\/p>\n

Function 2: Culture Facilitates Collective Commitment<\/strong><\/span>The mission of Southwest Airlines \u201cis dedicated to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.\u201d22<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Southwest\u2019s nearly 46,000 employees are committed to this mission. As evidence, Southwest was rated number one in Customer Service by the 2013 Airline Quality Ratings and JD Power named them 2012 Customer Service Champion for performance in People, Presentation, Price, Process, and Product.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

This photo demonstrates Southwest\u2019s culture. You see employees having fun in an airport terminal, which can be a frustrating experience for passengers. Do you think these employees can lighten the spirit of the travelers in the background?<\/p>\n

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Function 3: Culture Promotes Social System Stability<\/strong><\/span>Social system stability reflects the extent to which the work environment is perceived as positive and reinforcing, and the extent to which conflict and change are effectively managed. Southwest is noted for its philosophy of having fun, having parties, and celebrating. For example, each city in which the firm operates is given a budget for parties. Southwest also uses a variety of performance-based awards and service awards to reinforce employees. The company\u2019s positive and enriching environment is supported by the lowest turnover rates in the airline industry and the employment of 1,355 married couples. In 2013 Southwest was recognized with the Employee Choice Awards Best Place to Work, by\u00a0Glassdoor.com<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Function 4: Culture Shapes Behaviors by Helping Members Make Sense of Their Surroundings<\/strong><\/span>This function of culture helps employees understand why the organization does what it does and how it intends to accomplish its long-term goals. Keeping in mind that Southwest\u2019s leadership originally viewed ground transportation as their main competitor in 1971, employees come to understand why the airline\u2019s primary vision is to be the best primarily short-haul, low-fare, high-frequency, point-to-point carrier in the United States. Employees understand they must achieve exceptional performance, such as turning a plane around in 20 minutes, because they must keep costs down in order to compete against Greyhound and the use of automobiles. In turn, the company reinforces the importance of outstanding customer service and high-performance expectations by using performance-based awards and profit sharing. Employees own about 13 percent of the company stock.23<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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TAKE-AWAY APPLICATION\u2014TAAP<\/span>\u00a0Assessing the Levels of Culture at My Current Employer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Answer the following questions by considering your current or a past employer. (If you do not have experience yet as an employee, substitute your current school\/university or a company you are researching as an employer of choice.)<\/p>\n

1.What artifacts can you see at work? What do these artifacts tell you about your employer?<\/p>\n

2.What are the company\u2019s espoused values? Do you think management\u2019s enacted behaviors are consistent with the espoused values?<\/p>\n

3.Identify three key beliefs you have about your employer: You may want to ask a colleague the same question. Are these beliefs consistent with the meaning of the artifacts you described in question 1?<\/p>\n

4.How does your employer\u2019s culture compare to that of Southwest?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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14.2THE IMPACT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE TYPES ON OUTCOMES<\/span><\/h3>\n
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MAJOR QUESTION<\/p>\n

To what extent are the different types of organizational culture related to important outcomes?<\/p>\n

THE BIGGER PICTURE<\/p>\n

Do you think that companies rated on\u00a0Fortune<\/em>\u2019s List of 100 Best Places to Work have unique cultures? How do we know what type of culture exists at these companies or your current employer? You will learn about the four types of culture that are defined by the competing values framework. You also will discover the extent to which these four culture types are related to important outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

To address the above Major Question, we need to provide a taxonomy of culture types. You can imagine that it is hard to get agreement on a common set of organizational culture types given culture\u2019s complexity. While consultants tend to invent their own proprietary assessments, academics have proposed and scientifically tested three different frameworks. This section discusses the\u00a0competing values framework<\/em>\u00a0because it is the most widely used approach for classifying organizational culture. It also was named as one of the 40 most important frameworks in the study of organizations and has been shown to be a valid approach for classifying organizational culture.24<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0We then discuss relationships among culture types and outcomes.<\/p>\n

Identifying Culture Types with the Competing Values Framework<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0competing values framework<\/em>\u00a0(CVF)<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0provides a practical way for managers to understand, measure, and change organizational culture.<\/span>\u00a0It identifies four fundamental types of organizational culture as shown in\u00a0Figure 14.3<\/a>.25<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The CVF was originally developed by a team of researchers who were trying to classify different ways to assess organizational effectiveness. This research showed that measures of organizational effectiveness varied along two fundamental dimensions or axes. One axis pertained to whether an organization focuses its attention and efforts on internal dynamics and employees or outward toward its external environment and its customers and shareholders. The second was concerned with an organization\u2019s preference for flexibility and discretion or control and stability. Combining these two axes creates four types of organizational culture that are based on different core values and different sets of criteria for assessing organizational effectiveness.<\/p>\n

Figure 14.3<\/a>\u00a0shows the strategic thrust associated with each cultural type along with the means used to accomplish this thrust and the resulting ends or goals pursued by each cultural type. Before beginning our exploration of the CVF, it is important to note that organizations can possess characteristics associated with each culture type. That said, however, organizations tend to have one type of culture that is more dominant than the others. Let us begin our discussion of culture types by starting in the upper-left-hand quadrant of the CVF.<\/p>\n

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FIGURE 14.3<\/strong>THE COMPETING VALUES FRAMEWORK<\/p>\n

Culture varies along two continua of competing values: flexibility and discretion vs. stability and control, and internal focus and integration vs. external focus and differentiation. This leads to four categories of organizations, each with its own unique thrust.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Adapted from K. S. Cameron, R. E. Quinn, J. Degraff, and A. V. Thakor,\u00a0Competing Values Leadership<\/em>\u00a0(Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 2006), 32.<\/p>\n

Clan Culture<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Companies with a\u00a0clan culture<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0have\u00a0an internal focus and value flexibility rather than stability and control.<\/span>\u00a0These resemble a family-type organization in which effectiveness is achieved by encouraging collaboration, trust, and support among employees. This type of culture is very \u201cemployee-focused\u201d and strives to instill cohesion through consensus and job satisfaction and commitment through employee involvement. Clan organizations devote considerable resources to hiring and developing their employees, and they view customers as partners. Collaborating is the strategic thrust of this culture.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Google is the number 1 company to work for in 2014.26<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Larry Page, Google\u2019s co-founder and CEO, describes the culture as a \u201cfamily\u201d environment. He said, \u201cmy job in the company is to make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, and that they feel they\u2019re having a meaningful impact and are contributing to the good of society. . . . It\u2019s important that the company be a family, that people feel that they\u2019re part of the company, and that the company is like a family to them. When you treat people that way, you get better productivity.\u201d27<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Google also holds weekly all-hands (\u201cTGIF\u201d) meetings so that employees can ask Larry, Sergey Brin\u2014a Google co-founder\u2014and other executives questions about anything involving the company. This practice enhances employee communication and morale, two aspects of a clan culture.<\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Edward Jones, the privately held financial services firm, was ranked as the 4th best company to work for in 2014. Edward Jones has over 11,000 small offices and 7 million clients worldwide. The company maintains a close-knit culture by using a variety of celebratory events. Its 8% turnover rate is one of the lowest in the industry and more than 33% of its financial advisors are more than 50 years old.28<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Adhocracy Culture<\/strong><\/span>Companies with an\u00a0adhocracy culture<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0have an external focus and value flexibility.<\/span>\u00a0Creation of new products and services is the strategic thrust of this culture, which is accomplished by being adaptable, creative, and fast to respond to changes in the marketplace. Adhocracy cultures do not rely on the type of centralized power and authority relationships that are part of market and hierarchical cultures. They empower and encourage employees to take risks, think outside the box, and experiment with new ways of getting things done.<\/p>\n

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\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Edward Jones launched a program that provides tablet PCs to its financial advisors. As shown, advisors take tablets on the road as they make personal visits to existing and potential clients. The goal is to reduce the amount of time advisors spend on administrative tasks, leaving them more time to build strong relationships with clients.<\/p>\n

A recent article in\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u00a0noted that adhocracy-type cultures are decreasing in the United States as many companies are becoming risk averse. The downside of this trend is that \u201creasonable\u201d risk taking is needed to create new businesses, products, and ultimately jobs. On the positive side, however, pockets of risk taking are taking place in different industries such as technology and energy and different regions like the coastal cities of San Francisco and Boston and college towns like Boulder, Colorado, and Austin, Texas.29<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Biopharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca \u201cis experimenting with new ways to organize research to improve productivity. Scientists now are responsible for candidate drugs until they begin the final human trials, ending a culture of handing off early-stage products to other researchers as if on an assembly line.\u201d30<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>The Tata group, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai, India, has 100 operating companies in more than 80 countries. Tata takes innovation so seriously that it developed an \u201cInnometer.\u201d The conglomerate measures creative goals and accomplishments vs. domestic or global benchmarks while instilling a sense of urgency among employees.31<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Market Culture<\/strong><\/span>Companies with a\u00a0market culture<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0have a strong external focus and value stability and control.<\/span>\u00a0Competition is the strategic thrust of these organizations. They have a strong desire to deliver results and accomplish goals. Because this type of culture is focused on the external environment, customers and profits take precedence over employee development and satisfaction. The major goal of managers is to drive toward productivity, profits, and customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Grupo Bimbo is the world\u2019s largest bakery company. Bimbo managers operate in a low-margin business and thus focus heavily on execution. \u201cProfits depend heavily on getting the right amount of highly perishable products to stores at the right moment and at a reasonable cost. . . . For instance, it uses tricycle delivery bikes in urban areas of China where streets are too narrow for trucks, a practice it first implemented in Latin America.\u201d32<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0The company operates 171 plants and delivers over 10,000 products across 22 countries.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Canada\u2019s Bombardier is the largest train manufacturer in the world. Bombardier\u2019s culture focuses on the importance of setting and achieving goals. CEO Pierre Beaudoin said, \u201cConnecting goals to each person\u2019s day-to-day work is important. . . . What I like most, though, is that we now have an organization that wants to get better. And that\u2019s the key. We always talk about why we\u2019re not there yet; we\u2019re on a journey\u2014how close are we to those world-class metrics. We used to make excuses for why our performance was good enough. Today we say, \u2018what will it take to get to world class?\u2019\u201d Can you see the cultural focus on productivity, goal achievement, and competitiveness?33<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Imagine having to deliver over 10,000 products across 22 countries. Do you think this takes a lot of planning and detailed execution? Bimbo\u2019s market-based culture contributes to this effort.<\/p>\n

Hierarchy Culture<\/strong><\/span>Control is the strategic thrust within a hierarchy culture. The\u00a0hierarchy culture<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0has an internal focus, which produces a more formalized and structured work environment, and values stability and control over flexibility.<\/span>\u00a0This orientation leads to the development of reliable internal processes, extensive measurement, and the implementation of a variety of control mechanisms. Effectiveness in a company with this type of culture is likely to be assessed with measures of efficiency, timeliness, quality, safety, and reliability of producing and delivering products and services.34<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Hierarchical cultures have been found to have both negative and positive effects.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Consider the positive example of Mumbai\u2019s\u00a0dabbawalas<\/em>, individuals who deliver prepared meals to customers\u2019 homes or offices and then return empty\u00a0dabbas<\/em>\u2014metal lunch boxes\u2014later in the day. To do their jobs effectively, dabbawalas rely on a hierarchical culture (see the Problem-Solving Application).<\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Consider the negative impact at General Motors. Mary Barra, GM\u2019s former product officer and current CEO, has been \u201cattacking GM\u2019s bureaucracy, slashing the number of required HR reports by 90 percent and shrinking the company\u2019s employee policy manual by 80 percent. But loosening the dress code drew a flood of calls and e-mails from employees asking if they could, in fact, wear jeans.\u201d The answer was yes. \u201cBarra saw the dress code, along with other changes, as an opportunity to have a conversation about responsibility. \u2018There was a culture in the past where the rule was the rule and when you weren\u2019t empowered to make the decision you could all just complain about the rule. Well, now we were really empowering virtually every single person,\u2019 Barra says.\u201d One of her major goals is to reduce the complexity associated with producing cars.35<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This means that she wants more flexibility, which is a component of either a clan or adhocracy culture. Bara was promoted to the CEO position at GM in January 2014.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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solving application<\/p>\n

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The Dabbawalas Rely on a Hierarchical Culture to Effectively Deliver Food<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over 5,000 dabbawalas in Mumbai deliver more than 130,000 lunchboxes every day. The need for this service grew from the strong cultural reliance by the working population on a hot meal for lunch. The dabbawalas pick up the prepared lunchboxes in late morning and return the empty containers after lunch. Vendors also use the delivery service for getting their commercial hot lunches to customers. Workers are willing to pay for the service and the illiterate dabbawalas are so skilled in execution that the service remains affordable for many workers.<\/p>\n

Each dabbawala belongs to a group, and the groups manage themselves \u201cwith respect to hiring, logistics, customer acquisition and retention, and conflict resolution.\u201d Within each group individuals have a very clear hierarchical role to play. Despite a high degree of selfmanagement, the independent groups must collaborate and coordinate to deliver lunch within the fourth-largest city in the world. Mistakes are rare even though these employees complete over 260,000 transactions during a day, and they do it six days a week, 52 weeks a year.<\/p>\n

How Does a Hierarchical Culture Help?<\/strong>\u00a0First off, the dabbawalas don\u2019t use any IT system or cell phones. These workers have integrated organization, management, process, and culture to achieve their goals. It all begins with using the Mumbai Suburban Railway. A workday starts with a worker picking up a dabba from a customer\u2014customers prepare their own lunch and dabbawalas pick them up and transport them. The dabba is then taken to \u201cthe nearest train station, where it is sorted and put onto a wooden crate according to its destination. It is then taken by train to the station closest to its destination. There it is sorted again and assigned to another worker, who delivers it to the right office before lunchtime.\u201d The process reverses in the afternoon when the dabbas are picked up and returned to the customer\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

The railway system\u2019s schedule effectively sets the timing of what needs to be done. For example, \u201cworkers have 40 seconds to load the crates of dabbas onto a train at major stations and just 20 seconds at interim stops.\u201d This requires the workers to determine the most efficient way to get these key tasks completed.<\/p>\n

Workers also build some slack into the system. Each group has 2 or 3 extra workers who help out wherever they are needed. This works because employees are cross-trained in the major tasks of collecting, sorting, transporting, and customer relations.<\/p>\n

How Do the Independent Workers Communicate?<\/strong>\u00a0The dabbawalas use a very basic system of symbols to communicate. Three key markings are included on the lid of a dabba. The first indicates where the dabba must be delivered. The second is a series of characters: a number is used to indicate which employee is making the delivery, \u201can alphabetical code (two or three letters) for the office building, and a number indicating the floor. The third\u2014a combination of color and shape, and in some instances, a motif\u2014indicates the station of origin.\u201d Customers also provide their own unique small bags for carrying dabbas, which helps workers remember who gets which dabba.<\/p>\n

Does It Work?<\/strong>\u00a0Yes. Not only does this work system result in the reliable distribution of lunches, but the dabbawalas tend to stay in the same work group their entire working lives. Employees genuinely care about each other.36<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

YOUR CALL<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Stop 1:<\/strong><\/span><\/a>What is the major problem dabbawalas want to avoid?<\/p>\n

Stop 2:<\/strong><\/span><\/a>What OB concepts help explain why the dabbawalas are effective?<\/p>\n

Stop 3:<\/strong><\/span><\/a>Would you recommend a similar system for a comparable firm in the United States? Explain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cultural Types Represent Competing Values<\/strong><\/span>It is important to note that certain cultural types reflect opposing core values. These contradicting cultures are found along the two diagonals in\u00a0Figure 14.3<\/a>. For example, the clan culture\u2014upper-left quadrant\u2014is represented by values that emphasize an internal focus and flexibility, whereas the market culture\u2014bottom-right quadrant\u2014has an external focus and concern for stability and control. You can see the same conflict between an adhocracy culture that values flexibility and an external focus and a hierarchy culture that endorses stability and control along with an internal focus. Why are these contradictions important?<\/p>\n

They are important because an organization\u2019s success may depend on its ability to possess core values that are associated with competing cultural types. While this is difficult to pull off, it can be done. 3M is a good example.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>3M is a global innovation company that is structured around five business groups. 3M tried to merge competing cultural characteristics from an adhocracy with those from a hierarchy. Reflecting an adhocracy culture, 3M released 1,000 new products in 2009, and it awards annual Genesis Grants, \u201cworth as much as $100,000, to company scientists for research. The money is allocated by their peers and is spent on projects for which \u2018no sensible, conventional person in the company would give money,\u2019\u201d says Chris Holmes, a 3M division vice president. The company has a goal to generate 30 percent of its revenue from products developed in the last five years. In contrast, 3M pursued a hierarchical culture by implementing quality management techniques to reduce waste and defects and increase efficiency. Although 3M achieved better efficiency and earnings in the short run, new product revenue decreased and scientists complained that the quality initiatives were choking off innovation. One engineer quipped that \u201cit\u2019s really tough to schedule invention.\u201d 3M\u2019s CEO, George Buckley, was made aware of these cultural conflicts and decided to reduce the conflict within company labs by decreasing hierarchical policies\/procedures while simultaneously increasing those related to adhocracy. The company continues to emphasize quality and reliability in its factories. To date, results indicate a successful transition as the company achieved both its efficiency and new product revenue goals in 2010.37<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Are you curious about the type of culture that exists in a current or past employer? Do you wonder if you possess person\u2013organization fit? The following Self-Assessment allows you to consider these questions.<\/p>\n

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\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

SELF-ASSESSMENT 14.1<\/span>\u00a0What Is the Organizational Culture at My Current Employer?<\/p>\n

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Go to\u00a0connect.mheducation.com<\/a>\u00a0and complete\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.1<\/a>. Then answer the following questions.<\/p>\n

1.How would you describe the organizational culture?<\/p>\n

2.Do you think that this type of culture is best suited to help the company achieve its strategic goals? Explain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Outcomes Associated with Organizational Culture<\/h3>\n

Both managers and academic researchers believe that organizational culture can drive employee attitudes, performance, and organizational effectiveness, thereby leading to competitive advantage. To test this possibility, various measures of organizational culture have been correlated with a variety of individual and organizational outcomes. So what have we learned? A meta-analysis involving over 1,100 companies uncovered the results shown in\u00a0Figure 14.4<\/a>.38<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 14.4<\/a>\u00a0illustrates the strength of relationships among eight different organizational outcomes and the culture types of clan, adhocracy, and market: Hierarchy was not included due to a lack of research on this type. Results reveal that the eight types of organizational outcomes had significant and positive relationships with clan, adhocracy, and market cultures. The majority of these relationships were of moderate strength, indicating that they are important to today\u2019s managers. Closer examination of\u00a0Figure 14.4<\/a>\u00a0leads to the following five conclusions:<\/p>\n

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FIGURE 14.4<\/strong>CORRELATES OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE<\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong>\u00a0The category of organizational commitment was associated with only clan and market structures, and not adhocracy, and therefore shows only two bars.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Data supplied from C. A. Hartnell, A. Y. Ou, and A. J. Kinicki, \u201cOrganzational Culture and Organizational Effectiveness: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of the Competing Values Framework\u2019s Theoretical Suppositions,\u201d\u00a0Journal of Applied Psychology<\/em>, July 2011, 677\u2013694.<\/p>\n

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1.Organizational culture is related to measures of organizational effectiveness.<\/strong>\u00a0This means that an organization\u2019s culture can be a source of competitive advantage.<\/p>\n

2.Employees are more satisfied and committed to organizations with clan cultures.<\/strong>\u00a0These results suggest that employees prefer to work in organizations that value flexibility over stability and control and those that are more concerned with satisfying employees\u2019 needs than customer or shareholder desires.<\/p>\n

3.Innovation and quality can be increased by building characteristics associated with clan, adhocracy, and market cultures into the organization.<\/strong>\u00a0Managers may want to use a combination of all three types of culture to produce these outcomes.<\/p>\n

4.An organization\u2019s financial performance (growth in profit and growth in revenue) is not strongly related to organizational culture.<\/strong>\u00a0Managers should not expect to increase financial performance immediately by trying to change their organization\u2019s culture. (This is not an argument against all cultural change. Some changes in culture can improve competitive advantage, which then results in financial benefits, as we will see.)<\/p>\n

5.Companies with market cultures tend to have more positive organizational outcomes.<\/strong>\u00a0Managers are encouraged to consider how they might make their cultures more market oriented.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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14.3THE PROCESS OF CULTURE CHANGE<\/span><\/h3>\n
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MAJOR QUESTION<\/p>\n

What are the mechanisms I can use to implement culture change?<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE BIGGER PICTURE<\/p>\n

Some people suggest that culture change takes years. Do you agree? Others contend that the culture evolves and that managers should not attempt to manage it. Do you agree? We believe that culture can and should be nurtured and developed so that it is aligned with a company\u2019s vision and strategic plan. You will learn about 12 mechanisms you can use to implement culture change. Our discussion is in the context of the managerial role, but knowledge of these techniques helps you at any level in the organization.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Edgar Schein, the most prolific academic writer about organizational culture, believes that the creation and management of culture is the most important role of a leader.39<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0We agree with Schein because culture can be a source of competitive advantage. Consider companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook. As suggested by\u00a0Figure 14.1<\/a>, the cultures at these companies initially were affected by the founders\u2014Steve Jobs at Apple, Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Google, and Mark Zuckerberg at Facebook. Over time, these founders embedded or reinforced their desired cultures by adopting specific types of organizational structure and implementing a host of human resource practices, policies, and procedures. Although it is not an easy task to change an organization\u2019s culture, this section provides an overview of how to create cultural change.<\/p>\n

Before describing the specific ways in which managers can change organizational culture, let\u2019s review four truths about culture change.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Sergey Brin (on the left) and Larry Page started Google in 1998. They met as Ph.D. students at Stanford. Today, Sergey directs special projects and Larry is the CEO. The company runs more than 1 million servers and processes over 1 billion searches per day.<\/p>\n

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1.Leaders are the architects and developers of organizational culture.<\/strong>\u00a0This suggests that culture is not determined by fate. It is formed and shaped by the ongoing behavior of everyone who works at a company. Herb Kelleher, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, noted that culture change is not formulaic. \u201cIt\u2019s not a job that you do for six months and then you just say, \u2018Well that\u2019s behind us.\u2019 It\u2019s something you do every day.\u201d40<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

2.Changing culture starts with targeting one of the three levels of organizational culture\u2014observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions.<\/strong>\u00a0The fastest way to start a culture change project is through the use of observable artifacts. For example, if you wanted to foster a market culture, you could post graphs of performance metrics around the office. These charts would reinforce the importance of high performance. That said, culture will not change in a significant way unless managers are able to change basic underlying assumptions.41<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0It takes time to change this deep-seated aspect of culture.<\/p>\n

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3.Consider how closely the current culture aligns with the organization\u2019s vision and strategic plan.<\/strong>\u00a0Remember the quote \u201cculture eats strategy for breakfast\u201d whenever you pursue culture change. It is essential that an organization\u2019s culture is consistent with its vision and strategic goals.\u00a0A\u00a0vision<\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represents a long-term goal that describes \u201cwhat\u201d an organization wants to become. A\u00a0strategic plan<\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0outlines an organization\u2019s long-term goals and the actions necessary to achieve those goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Walt Disney\u2019s original\u00a0vision<\/em>\u00a0for Disneyland included the following components: Disneyland will be something of a fair, an exhibition, a playground, a community center, a museum of living facts, and a showplace of beauty and magic. It will be filled with the accomplishments, the joys and hopes of the world we live in. And it will remind and show us how to make those wonders part of our lives.42<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Failing to align vision, strategic goals, and organizational goals will likely result in \u201cculture eating strategy for breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

4.Use a structured approach when implementing culture change.<\/strong>\u00a0Chapter 16<\/a>\u00a0can help you in this regard as it presents several models that provide specific steps to follow when implementing any type of organizational change. Our experience as consultants tells us that culture change is frequently met with resistance. This happens because people become accustomed to the culture and they prefer to leave things as they are.\u00a0Chapter 16<\/a>\u00a0outlines several techniques you can use to overcome such resistance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Let\u2019s now consider the specific methods or techniques that managers can use to change an organization\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n

Twelve Mechanisms for Creating Culture Change<\/h3>\n

Schein notes that changing organizational culture involves a teaching process. That is, organizational members teach each other about the organization\u2019s preferred values, beliefs, norms, expectations, and behaviors. He further articulates specific mechanisms for changing organizational culture, and from his writing we identify 12 of the most potent, summarized in\u00a0Table 14.1<\/a>.43<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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1. Formal Statements<\/strong><\/span>This method for embedding culture relies on using formal statements of organizational philosophy, mission, vision, values, and materials used for recruiting, selection, and socialization: They represent observable artifacts.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, established three basic beliefs or values that represent the core of the organization\u2019s culture. They are (a) respect for the individual, (b) service to our customer, and (c) striving for excellence.<\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Nucor Corporation attempts to emphasize the value it places on its people by including every employee\u2019s name on the cover of the annual report. This practice also reinforces the clan type of culture the company wants to encourage.44<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

2. The Design of Physical Space, Work Environments, and Buildings<\/strong><\/span>Physical spacing among people and buildings and the location of office furniture are different ways to send messages about culture. For example, an open office environment is more appropriate for an organization that wants to foster collaboration.<\/p>\n

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TABLE 14.1<\/strong>TWELVE MECHANISMS FOR CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Novartis AG in Basel, Switzerland, did it by using \u201ccommon workspaces, sofas, soft lighting and cappuccino machines to encourage people to talk, share ideas and build relationships.\u201d They also invested in laptops for employees so that they would not be tied down to cubicles.45<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

3. Slogans, Language, Acronyms, and Sayings<\/strong><\/span>These elements of corporate culture often have a profound effect on the organization over time because they are easy to remember and repeat.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Aetna was losing money and customers in the 2000s, and culture was partly the cause. The company had a dysfunctional reverence for its 150-year history. \u201cOnce openly known among workers as \u2018Mother Aetna,\u2019 the culture encouraged employees to be steadfast to the point that they\u2019d become risk-averse, tolerant of mediocrity, and suspicious of outsiders. The prevailing executive mind-set was \u2018We take care of our people for life, as long as they show up every day and don\u2019t cause trouble.\u2019\u201d46<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Obviously, the \u201cMother Aetna\u201d tag was not good for the company.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

4. Deliberate Role Modeling, Training Programs, Teaching, and Coaching by Others<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Many companies structure training to provide an in-depth introduction about their organizational values\u2019 basic underlying assumptions.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>EMC Corporation, a global information technology company with over 60,000 employees, devotes much effort and resources to embed cultural characteristics associated with clan, market, and hierarchy cultures. All new employees begin by completing an online program called \u201cFastStart\u201d that informs them about the company\u2019s history, vision, values, and expectations. In turn, specific hiring departments use job-specific orientations. For example, \u201csales education conducts a five-day, intensive case study\u2013driven program culminating in sales presentations, and our Global Services organization delivers a two-week orientation to introduce organizational goals, measurements, contributions, and roles.\u201d47<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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5. Explicit Rewards, Status Symbols, and Promotion Criteria<\/strong><\/span>This mechanism has a strong impact on employees due to its highly visible and meaningful nature. Reward systems are one of the strongest ways to embed organizational culture. It is important to remember what you learned about motivation in\u00a0Chapter 5<\/a>\u00a0when attempting to change culture via rewards. It is essential to consider the various forms of justice.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>At Triage Consulting Group, employees at the same level of their career earn the same pay, but employees are eligible for merit bonuses, reinforcing a culture of achievement\u2014market culture. The merit bonuses are partly based on coworkers\u2019 votes for who contributed most to the company\u2019s success\u2014clan culture. The employees who receive the most votes are recognized each year at the company\u2019s \u201cState of Triage\u201d meeting\u2014market culture.48<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

6. Stories, Legends, or Myths About Key People and Events<\/strong><\/span>Storytelling is a powerful way to send messages to others about the values and behaviors that are desired by the organization.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Jeff Bezos, Amazon\u2019s CEO, told an interviewer from the\u00a0Harvard Business Review<\/em>\u00a0that \u201cthere are stories we tell ourselves internally about persistence and patience, long-term thinking, staying focused on the customer.\u201d49<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This would reinforce a market culture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Stories of heroism frequently follow plane crashes. While these individuals are not pulling people from a burning plane, they are heroes in the sense of determining the cause of the crash. Such information helps airlines and the aviation industry to design safer planes, which benefits all of us.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>At the Olive Garden, \u201cleaders share with staff members letters from customers describing how they chose to celebrate meaningful events at the company\u2019s restaurants.\u201d The company believes that sharing these stories \u201cis a powerful reminder of the value of continued quality improvements and innovation,\u201d which promotes beliefs and behaviors associated with hierarchy and adhocracy cultures.50<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Allianz Life Insurance encourages employees to share stories about their work experiences with coworkers. \u201cFavorite\u201d stories are then considered for a reward of up to $500.51<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Such stories might be used to support any of the four cultural types.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

7. Organizational Activities, Processes, or Outcomes<\/strong><\/span>Leaders pay special attention to those activities, processes, and outcomes that they can measure and control. This in turn sends strong messages to employees about acceptable norms and behavior.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>When Ron Sargent took over as chief executive of Staples, he wanted to increase the focus on customer service. He started by investigating what values the office supply retailer\u2019s employees already held, and they told him they cared about helping others. Sargent used that value as the basis for developing their skill in serving customers. Staples began teaching employees more about the products they sell and now offers bonuses for team performance. Sargent also pays frequent visits to stores so he can talk directly to employees about what customers like and dislike.52<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Sargent\u2019s actions would clearly promote an adhocracy and market-based culture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

8. Leader Reactions to Critical Incidents and Organizational Crises<\/strong><\/span>Neuroscience research shows that people learn and pay attention to the emotions exhibited by leaders. Positive emotions spread, but negative emotions travel faster and farther.53<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>BP\u2019s new CEO after the Gulf oil spill\u2014Bob Dudley\u2014responded quickly to criticism that the company valued profit and efficiency more than safety\u2014a focus on a market rather than hierarchy culture. In order to foster more of a hierarchical culture, he sent a memo to all employees indicating \u201cthat safety would be the sole criterion for rewarding employee performance in its operating business for the fourth quarter.\u201d54<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0These types of rewards will need to be offered long term if the company truly wants to change employees\u2019 basic underlying assumptions regarding safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

9. Rites and Rituals<\/strong><\/span>The power of this dimension of organizational culture is seen again and again.\u00a0Rites and rituals<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represent the planned and unplanned activities and ceremonies that are used to celebrate important events or achievements.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Employees at Boston advertising agency Arnold Worldwide like to meet at a beer vending machine in the office, nicknamed Arnie, after completing the day\u2019s meetings with clients. \u201cAs they sip bottles of home-brewed beer, employees exchange ideas and chitchat, often sticking around the office instead of heading to a nearby bar.\u201d While this ritual can surely facilitate clan, adhocracy, and market cultures, organizations need to be careful about encouraging drinking at work. Employment lawyers caution that drinking at work \u201ccan lead to driving intoxicated, assault, sexual harassment or rape. Plus, it may make some employees uncomfortable while excluding others, such as those who don\u2019t drink for health or religious reasons.\u201d55<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Financial and human resources staffing firm Salo LLC, located in Minneapolis, uses a \u201csafer\u201d set of rites and rituals to reinforce a clan and market-based culture (see Example box).<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/small><\/span>Salo LLC Uses Rites and Rituals to Embed a Clan and Market Culture<\/p>\n

When customer requests come in to a particular office, \u201cthey are posted on a wall-sized whiteboard, and can only be recorded, altered or erased by the salesperson who landed the client.\u201d<\/p>\n

A WHITEBOARD AND GONG ARE USED AS KEY ARTIFACTS<\/strong><\/span>The whiteboards are visible to everyone and they have become \u201ca center hub of activity,\u201d according to Adam Sprecher, a managing director at the firm. When a new client name goes up on the board, Sprecher says, \u201cthere\u2019s a little anxiety of \u2018OK, here we go! Now it\u2019s time to perform.\u2019 It\u2019s an adrenaline rush.\u201d<\/p>\n

Colored pens are used to indicate the status of a project. Initial clients are listed in black, and then updated in \u201cblue or orange as candidates are added or eliminated. A red check mark means it is time to start thinking about new ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another artifact, a big brass gong, is used to reinforce a market orientation. When a deal is completed, the salesperson rings the gong. \u201cPeople get up and cheer and clap.\u201d Other teams in the company replace the gong with chest bumps or victory dances.<\/p>\n

RITUALS ALSO USED TO AVOID JINXING A DEAL<\/strong><\/span>Salo employees have developed rituals aimed at increasing sales. Managing director Gwen Martin said, \u201cWhen we are about to lock a deal down, it\u2019s bad luck to high-five each other, because you might jinx it.\u201d But some acknowledgment seemed appropriate. \u201cSo you do a \u2018pinkie-five\u2019 instead.\u201d56<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

YOUR THOUGHTS?<\/span><\/h3>\n

1.How are clan and market cultures being reinforced by Salo?<\/p>\n

2.How comfortable would you be working at a company like Salo that so overtly organizes culture around rites, rituals, and even the need to avoid jinxes?<\/p>\n

3.Which industries are the best fit for Salo\u2019s cultural approach, and why?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

10. The Workflow and Organizational Structure<\/strong><\/span>Hierarchical structures are more likely to embed an orientation toward control and authority than a flatter organization. This partly explains why leaders from many organizations are increasingly reducing the number of organizational layers in an attempt to empower employees and increase employee involvement.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Novartis AG changed its organizational structure to foster the creativity and productivity associated with adhocracy and market cultures. \u201cLeaders are seeing results from cross-functional product development teams. Job rotation and cross-training are also successful. Creating informal networking opportunities sounds trivial, but the evidence is strong that relationships heavily impact productivity and creativity.\u201d57<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In contrast, both pharmaceutical maker Pfizer Inc. and water technology system provider Xylem Inc. added organizational layers\u2014more hierarchy\u2014in order to comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and to keep accurate records. The law prohibits US-based companies from bribing foreign officials in exchange for business.58<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Pfizer consolidated its compliance systems by combining \u201cseparate departments around the world into one office, based in New York, which reports to the company\u2019s chief executive.\u201d<\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Xylem created a global anticorruption program. \u201cIt placed \u2018oversight committees\u2019 in each of the company\u2019s three divisions to help implement the program. The groups report to a broader oversight committee at the company\u2019s headquarters in White Plains, N.Y.\u201d59<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

11. Organizational Systems and Procedures<\/strong><\/span>Companies are increasingly using electronic networks as a tool to promote different types of cultures. Disney, for example, has invested over $1 billion in big data technology in order to determine the best way to provide customer service, a characteristic of market cultures.60<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Employees of Canada-based International Fitness Holdings, a health club group, use a Facebook-like application to \u201crecognize peers by posting messages to a public \u2018team wall\u2019 as well as through private e-mails. . . . Each employee receives an annual bank of 300 Kudos points to award to coworkers. Once awarded, these points may be traded for prizes such as paid time off, gas cards or restaurant gift certificates.\u201d Employees can allocate points in 5-to-50-point increments depending on the importance of the behavior.61<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0What type of culture would this system promote?<\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>In San Francisco, Hearsay Social Inc., a social-media software company, uses online technology to collect peer performance feedback, which can promote any of the four culture types in the CVF. The feedback in turn is used to determine employees\u2019 performance evaluation. Managers feel that the performance evaluations are more accurate because they are based on input from multiple people.62<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>LifeSize Communications, a video conferencing company in Austin, Texas, uses an internal online network to promote collaboration (clan) and increased sales (market). A salesperson recently used the system to close a deal. The person wanted \u201cadvice about how to sell a product against a competitor.\u201d To get ideas, the salesperson logged onto the network \u201cto access content posted by a LifeSize partner in South Africa. It describes an approach he used to win business against that competitor.\u201d63<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

12. Organizational Goals and Criteria throughout the Employee Cycle<\/strong><\/span>How a company handles basic HR duties\u2014for recruitment, selection, development, promotion, layoffs, and retirement of people\u2014defines and perpetuates a company culture. Zappos, ranked as the 38th best place to work by\u00a0Fortune<\/em>\u00a0in 2014, spends a great deal of time trying to hire people who fit into its clan-based culture (see Example box).<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/small><\/span>Zappos Works Hard to Recruit and Select People Who Fit Its Culture<\/p>\n

Here is what Rebecca Ratner, Zappos\u2019s HR director, had to say about the company\u2019s approach to recruitment and selection. \u201cWe spend seven to 10 hours over four occasions at happy hours, team building events, or other things outside the office. We can see them, and they can us.\u201d The process seems to be good for retention. \u201cIn 2009, we had a 20 percent turnover rate,\u201d says Ratner. That is impressive for call centers. What keeps people at Zappos? \u201cWe pay 100 percent of employee benefits,\u201d . . . and then there\u2019s the wow factor.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t ask people to wow a customer if they haven\u2019t been wowed by us,\u201d says Ratner. Zappos is so eager to wow employees and make sure who they hire is committed that they offer people $3,000 after they\u2019ve been trained to walk away if they feel they and Zappos aren\u2019t a good fit. Almost no one takes the $3,000 walk-away money. But many trainees return for more Zappos training to become managers.64<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

YOUR THOUGHTS?<\/span><\/h3>\n

1.Why would Zappos\u2019s approach to recruiting result in greater person\u2013organization fit?<\/p>\n

2.As a potential employee, what would your concerns be attending a happy hour as part of your employer\u2019s selection process?<\/p>\n

3.Identify one of the unique things that Zappos does in its recruitment, and explain how that one thing adds to culture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Don\u2019t Forget about Person\u2013Organization Fit<\/strong><\/span>Now that we have described the four key types of organizational culture and the mechanisms managers can use to change culture, it\u2019s time to reflect on your person\u2013organization (PO) fit. Recall that PO fit reflects the extent to which your personality and values match the climate and culture in an organization. Your PO fit matters because it links to positive work attitudes and performance.65<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

We have two activities for you to complete to determine your level of fit and what you can do about it. The first is to take\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.2<\/a>. It measures your preference for the four types of culture in the CVF. The second is a Take-Away Application that asks you to compute the gap between your organization\u2019s current culture and your preferred culture. These gaps will then be used to make a plan of action for improving your PO fit.<\/p>\n

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\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

SELF-ASSESSMENT 14.2<\/span>\u00a0What Type of Organizational Culture Do I Prefer?<\/p>\n

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Go to\u00a0connect.mheducation.com<\/a>\u00a0and complete\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.2<\/a>. It measures your preferred type of organizational culture. After answering the following questions, results from this assessment will be used in the associated Take-Away Application.<\/p>\n

1.What is the rank order of your preferred culture types?<\/p>\n

2.To what extent does your preferred culture type affect your job satisfaction?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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TAKE-AWAY APPLICATION\u2014TAAP<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0What Is My Level of Person\u2013Organization Fit?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Use results from Self-Assessments 14.1 and 14.2 to answer the following questions.<\/p>\n

\n

1.First, compute the gap between your preferred and actual culture types for clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy. Do this by subtracting the actual culture type score (Self-Assessment 14.1<\/a>) from the preferred type score (Self-Assessment 14.2<\/a>). Where are your largest gaps?<\/p>\n

2.Make a plan to improve your person\u2013organization fit. Focusing on your two largest culture type gaps, determine what is causing the gaps. You will find it helpful to look at the survey items that measure these types to determine the cause of the gaps.<\/p>\n

3.Now use the 12 embedding mechanisms just discussed and suggest at least two things you can do and two things your manager might do to improve your level of fit.<\/p>\n

4.How would you assess whether or not the changes you identified in question 3 are working? Be specific.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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14.4THE ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIALIZATION PROCESS<\/span><\/h3>\n
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MAJOR QUESTION<\/p>\n

How can the practical lessons of socialization research be integrated within the three phases of socialization?<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE BIGGER PICTURE<\/p>\n

Take a moment and think back to the last time you started a new job. Were you nervous and confused about what to do? Did someone help guide you through the transition? If not, you probably had an uncomfortable few days. If someone did help, then you experienced a form of proactive socialization. All of us have been socialized at one time or another. It\u2019s a natural aspect of starting a new job at any company. It\u2019s important to understand the socialization process because it ultimately affects your work attitudes and performance. You will learn about a three-phase model of organizational socialization and practical lessons based on socialization research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Organizational socialization<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0is defined as \u201cthe process by which a person learns the values, norms, and required behaviors which permit him to participate as a member of the organization.\u201d<\/span>66<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This definition highlights that organizational socialization is a key mechanism used by organizations to embed their organizational cultures, particularly for new employees. In short, organizational socialization turns outsiders into fully functioning insiders by promoting and reinforcing the organization\u2019s core values and beliefs. This section introduces a three-phase model of organizational socialization and examines the practical application of socialization research.<\/p>\n

A Three-Phase Model of Organizational Socialization<\/h3>\n

One\u2019s first year in a complex organization can be confusing. There is a constant swirl of new faces, strange jargon, conflicting expectations, and apparently unrelated events. Some organizations treat new members in a rather haphazard, sink-or-swim manner. More typically, though, the socialization process is characterized by a sequence of identifiable steps.<\/p>\n

Organizational behavior researcher Daniel Feldman has proposed a three-phase model of organizational socialization that promotes deeper understanding of this important process. As illustrated in\u00a0Figure 14.5<\/a>, the three phases are:<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Imagine the feelings that this new employee might have about starting a job. What emotions might he be experiencing? Excitement? Worry? Challenge? How can companies help new employees to \u201cfit in\u201d during the first few weeks of employment?<\/p>\n

\n

1.Anticipatory socialization<\/p>\n

2.Encounter<\/p>\n

3.Change and acquisition<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Each phase has its associated perceptual and social processes. Feldman\u2019s model also specifies behavioral and affective outcomes that can be used to judge how well an individual has been socialized. The entire three-phase sequence may take from a few weeks to a year to complete, depending on individual differences and the complexity of the situation.<\/p>\n

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FIGURE 14.5<\/strong>A MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL SOCIALIZATION<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Adapted from D. C. Feldman, \u201cThe Multiple Socialization of Organization Members,\u201d\u00a0Academy of Management Review<\/em>, April 1981, 309\u2013381. Copyright \u00a9 1981 by Academy of Management. Reprinted with permission of Academy of Management, via Copyright Clearance Center.<\/p>\n

Phase 1: Anticipatory Socialization<\/strong><\/span>The\u00a0anticipatory socialization phase<\/em><\/span><\/a>\u00a0occurs before an individual actually joins an organization.<\/span>\u00a0It is represented by the information people have learned about different careers, occupations, professions, and organizations. Anticipatory socialization information comes from many sources. An organization\u2019s current employees are a powerful source of anticipatory socialization. So are the Internet and social media. For example, a recent survey of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the largest professional services firm in the world, uses several web-based sources to attract potential employees. \u201cPwC\u2019s early identification strategy is supported by the pwc.tv website,\u00a0Feed Your Future<\/em>\u00a0magazine (downloadable through pwc.tv; it showcases the lives\/careers of PwC professionals), and Leadership Adventure (face-to-face learning programs that emphasize the PwC Behaviors).67<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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Unrealistic expectations about the nature of the work, pay, and promotions are often formulated during Phase 1. Because employees with unrealistic expectations are more likely to quit their jobs in the future, organizations may want to use realistic job previews.\u00a0A\u00a0realistic job preview<\/em>\u00a0(RJP<\/em>)<\/span><\/a>\u00a0involves giving recruits a realistic idea of what lies ahead by presenting both positive and negative aspects of the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>The Hilton Baltimore demonstrates to housekeeping job applicants how to make a bed. The company then asks the applicant to do it him\/herself. Tishuana Hodge, regional director of HR, said, \u201cWe can see who is genuinely interested and physically up to the challenge\u201d after the RJP.68<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>\u201cApplicants of the Idaho State Police are introduced to the sights and sounds of a law enforcement environment, bringing them into immediate contact with future colleagues\u2014and unsavory characters that create a need for police.\u201d69<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>AT&T, which has used RJPs for over 20 years, uses face-to-face meetings and videos to provide applicants RJPs. \u201cOne of its newer live realistic job previews gives insight to potential technicians responsible for installing AT&T\u2019s fiber optic technology and computer networking. Technicians also teach customers how to use the merchandise.\u201d AT&T does this because it needs \u201csomeone who has the technical knowledge to install the product and who can also deliver premier customer service.\u201d70<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Research revealed that RJPs were related to higher performance and to lower attrition from the recruitment process. Results also demonstrated that RJPs lowered job applicants\u2019 initial expectations and led to lower turnover among those applicants who were hired.71<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Phase 2: Encounter<\/strong><\/span>This second phase begins when the employment contract has been signed. During the\u00a0encounter phase<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0employees come to learn what the organization is really like.<\/span>\u00a0It is a time for reconciling unmet expectations and making sense of a new work environment. Many companies use a combination of orientation and training programs to socialize employees during the encounter phase. Onboarding is one such technique.\u00a0Onboarding<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0programs help employees to integrate, assimilate, and transition to new jobs by making them familiar with corporate policies, procedures, culture, and politics and by clarifying work-role expectations and responsibilities.<\/span>72<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0A recent corporate survey revealed that roughly 73 percent of organizations rely on onboarding programs, but only 51 percent of the respondents believed they were effective.73<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

There is no set way to onboard a new employee. The Example box illustrates a variety of methods used at different organizations.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/small><\/span>Companies Use Different Approaches to Onboard Employees<\/p>\n

The first day on the job can be filled with completing boring paperwork regarding benefits and dull presentations about the company\u2019s history, mission, and values. While these activities are important, other companies try to find more creative ways for employees to spend their first few days and weeks at work.<\/p>\n

FACEBOOK USES A BOOTCAMP<\/strong><\/span>Facebook asks new hires to complete all necessary paperwork prior to starting work. This enables the company to send new employees right into its \u201cBootcamp\u201d program. This six-week program is used for new engineering recruits. Bootcampers are first given a computer and desk and then are asked to open their laptops. They generally find six e-mails. \u201cOne welcomes them to the company; the other five describe tasks they\u2019re supposed to perform, including fixing bugs on the Facebook site.\u201d The program has multiple goals. One is to establish the belief that employees \u201chave the power to push changes directly onto the Facebook site. . . . Another is to foster independence and creativity. At Facebook there isn\u2019t one way to solve problems; there are many\u2014and everyone is encouraged to come up with his own approach.\u201d Bootcampers also are paired up with mentors who coach employees on how to best get through the first few weeks.74<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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ROVER.COM<\/a>, RACKSPACE INC., AND BAZAARVOICE USE NOVEL METHODS<\/span><\/p>\n

Dog-boarding site\u00a0Rover.com<\/a><\/em>\u00a0asks new developers to create live updates on the company\u2019s website on their first day at work. Web-hosting firm Rackspace uses a four-day orientation complete with \u201cgames, skits, costumes, thumping music, and a limbo bar\u201d to onboard its new employees. Bazaarvoice, a company that markets social commerce solutions to business problems, \u201csends incoming employees on a weeklong scavenger hunt designed to bring them up to speed on company culture and lingo.\u201d75<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

These individuals are playing a game at an onboarding session. How can playing games help someone adjust during the encounter phase?<\/p>\n

APPLE FOCUSES ON SECRECY<\/span><\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s onboarding is a combination of a standard orientation, challenges, secrecy threats, and peer coaching. \u201cMany employees are hired into so-called dummy positions, roles that aren\u2019t explained in detail until after they join the company.\u201d New employees are given very limited information outside of the half-day orientation that includes a welcome package containing all the paperwork to be completed. For example, employees are not taught how to connect their newly issued computers to the network. It is assumed that this complicated endeavor is no big deal for tech-savvy individuals. Employees also are given a \u201csecrecy briefing,\u201d which is referred to as Scared Silent. Employees are warned about the importance of secrecy and security and are told that swift termination comes to anyone who talks about Apple\u2019s secrets outside of work. Apple does help hew employees in one important way. They are assigned an \u201ciBuddy,\u201d a peer outside the primary work team \u201cwho can serve as a sounding board, someone for the bewildered new employee to ask questions.\u201d76<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKES THE BUDDY SYSTEM<\/span><\/p>\n

This civil construction, mining, and manufacturing company assigns new employees an onboarding \u201cbuddy.\u201d The buddy is supposed to help the recruit learn about the corporate culture \u201cand to provide them with the opportunity to ask questions, gain clarification, and share best practices from their previous organizations.\u201d All new employees also are required \u201cto wear a \u2018green\u2019 hard hat on all of their job locations for the first 90 days in order to signal to their fellow employees that they are new to the organization.\u201d This enables new employees to be treated with special care and concern at active jobsites.77<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

YOUR THOUGHTS?<\/span><\/h3>\n

1.Which of these onboarding methods is most appealing to you? Why?<\/p>\n

2.Which of these onboarding methods is least appealing to you? Why?<\/p>\n

3.What are the drawbacks of Apple\u2019s approach of hiring employees into dummy positions (for reasons of secrecy)? What are the trade-offs?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Phase 3: Change and Acquisition<\/strong><\/span>The\u00a0change and acquisition phase<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0requires employees to master important tasks and roles and to adjust to their work group\u2019s values and norms.<\/span>This will occur only when employees have a clear understanding about their roles and they are effectively integrated within the work unit. Being successful in Phase 3 also necessitates that employees have a clear understanding regarding the use of social media. It is easy for you to create problems for yourself by not being aware of expectations regarding surfing, texting during meetings, and sending personal messages on company equipment. Experts suggest setting ground rules on the first day of employment, coaching employees on norms, and discussing how guidelines have changed over time.78<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Finally, success during this phase is enhanced when companies take a long-term approach toward socialization. Miami Children\u2019s Hospital (MCH) is a great example in that it uses goal setting, continued support, employee feedback, incentives, and a graduation ceremony to help employees through this final phase of socialization.<\/p>\n

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EXAMPLE<\/strong><\/span>Socialization at Miami Children\u2019s Hospital (MCH) is driven by the need to reduce turnover among new employees. The goal is to reduce new employee turnover by 50 percent. Support is provided in two ways. First, all new employees are assigned an MCH \u201cbuddy\u201d who is trained in communication, coaching, and mentoring skills. New recruits shadow their buddy for the first 40 hours at work and then meet weekly to discuss any issues that come up. New employees also are supported by their direct supervision through this phase. This is facilitated by mandatory lunch meetings at 30- and 60-day milestones to discuss the onboarding experience. For feedback on the newcomer\u2019s transition, the hospital uses an online survey that employees complete at 30, 60, and 90 days. Results are reviewed monthly by management and further actions are taken whenever the socialization process appears to be failing. These results also are used to motivate the buddies, who are rewarded when the new hire rates the onboarding experience as effective. Finally, \u201cnew employees reunite at 90 days for a two-day culture-shaping retreat where they get to engage with their peers and experience the \u2018MCH Way.\u2019 This includes a graduation celebration that is attended by senior leaders and managers.\u201d79<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Table 14.2<\/a>\u00a0presents a list of socialization processes or tactics used by organizations to help employees through this adjustment process. Turning to\u00a0Table 14.2<\/a>, can you identify the socialization tactics used by MCH?<\/p>\n

To what extent have you been adequately socialized? If it is high, then all is well. If your socialization is medium to low, you may need to find a mentor: Mentoring is discussed in the next section. Take a moment to complete\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.3<\/a>. It measures the extent to which you have been socialized into your current work organization.<\/p>\n

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\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

SELF-ASSESSMENT 14.3<\/span>\u00a0Have You Been Adequately Socialized?<\/p>\n

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Go to\u00a0connect.mheducation.com<\/a>\u00a0and complete\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.3<\/a>. Then answer the following questions:<\/p>\n

\n

1.What is your level of socialization? Are you surprised by the results?<\/p>\n

2.Based on your results and what you have learned about socialization, what advice would you provide to your organization to improve its socialization process?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Practical Application of Socialization Research<\/h3>\n

Past research suggests five practical guidelines for managing organizational socialization.<\/p>\n

\n

1.Effective onboarding programs result in increased retention, productivity, and rates of task completion for new hires.80<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This reinforces the conclusion that managers should avoid a haphazard, sink-or-swim approach to organizational socialization because formalized and proactive socialization tactics positively affect new hires.81<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

2.More and more organizations use socialization tactics to reinforce a culture that promotes ethical behavior. Managers are encouraged to consider how they might best set expectations regarding ethical behavior during all three phases of the socialization process.82<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

3.Managers need to help new hires integrate within the organizational culture and overcome the stress associated with working in a new environment. The type of orientation program used to socialize employees affects their expectations and behavior. A study of 72 new Asian international graduate students revealed that they had more accurate expectations, felt less stress, reported better adjustment, and had higher retention rates when the orientation program focused on coping with new-entry stress.83<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Consider the approach used by John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems: \u201cHe meets with groups of new hires to welcome them soon after they start, and at monthly breakfast meetings workers are encouraged to ask him tough questions.\u201d84<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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TABLE 14.2<\/strong>SOCIALIZATION TACTICS<\/p>\n

Examples in each row illustrate one or the other of the alternatives. Which one?<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: Descriptions adapted from B. E. Ashforth,\u00a0Role Transitions in Organizational Life: An Identity-Based Perspective<\/em>\u00a0(Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2001), 149\u2013183.<\/p>\n

4.Support for stage models is mixed. Although there are different stages of socialization, they are not identical in order, length, or content for all people or jobs.85<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Managers are advised to use a contingency approach toward organizational socialization. In other words, different techniques are appropriate for different people at different times.<\/p>\n

5.Managers should pay attention to the socialization of\u00a0diverse<\/em>\u00a0employees. Research has demonstrated that diverse employees, particularly those with disabilities, experienced different socialization activities than other newcomers. In turn, these different experiences affected their long-term success and job satisfaction.86<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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14.5EMBEDDING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE THROUGH MENTORING<\/span><\/h3>\n
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MAJOR QUESTION<\/p>\n

What are the four developmental networks and how can I use them to advance my career?<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE BIGGER PICTURE<\/p>\n

Everyone can benefit from mentoring. We have! This section can help you to improve your development networks underlying mentoring, which ultimately should help you obtain career satisfaction and promotions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The modern word\u00a0mentor<\/em>\u00a0derives from Mentor, the name of a wise and trusted counselor in Greek mythology. Terms typically used in connection with mentoring are\u00a0teacher, coach, sponsor<\/em>, and\u00a0peer<\/em>.\u00a0Mentoring<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0is defined as the process of forming and maintaining intensive and lasting developmental relationships between a variety of developers (i.e., people who provide career and psychosocial support) and a junior person (the prot\u00e9g\u00e9, if male; or prot\u00e9g\u00e9e, if female).<\/span>87<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Mentoring can serve to embed an organization\u2019s culture when developers and the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\/prot\u00e9g\u00e9e work in the same organization for two reasons. First, mentoring contributes to creating a sense of oneness by promoting the acceptance of the organization\u2019s core values throughout the organization. Second, the socialization aspect of mentoring also promotes a sense of membership.<\/p>\n

Not only is mentoring important as a tactic for embedding organizational culture, but research suggests it can significantly influence the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\/prot\u00e9g\u00e9e\u2019s future career.88<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This section reviews the functions of mentoring, the developmental networks underlying mentoring, and the personal and organizational implications of mentoring.<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the largest volunteer mentoring network in the United States. The organization has paired adults with children for over 100 years. A survey of former children in the progam revealed that 83 percent obtained values and principles that influenced them throughout their lives.<\/p>\n

Functions of Mentoring<\/h3>\n

Kathy Kram, a Boston University researcher, conducted in-depth interviews with both members of 18 pairs of senior and junior managers. As a by-product of this study, Kram identified two general functions\u2014career and psychosocial\u2014of the mentoring process.<\/p>\n

Five\u00a0career functions<\/em>\u00a0that enhanced career development were:<\/p>\n

\n

1.Sponsorship<\/p>\n

2.Exposure and visibility<\/p>\n

3.Coaching<\/p>\n

4.Protection<\/p>\n

5.Challenging assignments<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

Four\u00a0psychosocial functions<\/em>\u00a0were:<\/p>\n

\n

1.Role modeling<\/p>\n

2.Acceptance and confirmation<\/p>\n

3.Counseling<\/p>\n

4.Friendship<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The psychosocial functions clarified the participants\u2019 identities and enhanced their feelings of competence.89<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Developmental Networks Underlying Mentoring<\/h3>\n

Mentoring is currently viewed as a process in which prot\u00e9g\u00e9s and prot\u00e9g\u00e9es seek developmental guidance from a network of people, who are referred to as\u00a0developers<\/em>. McKinsey & Company tells its associates, \u201cBuild your own McKinsey.\u201d This slogan means the consulting firm expects its people to identify partners, colleagues, and subordinates who have related goals and interests so that they can help one another develop their expertise. Each McKinsey associate is thus responsible for his or her own career development\u2014and for mentoring others. As McKinsey\u2019s approach recognizes, the diversity and strength of a person\u2019s network of relationships are instrumental in obtaining the type of career assistance needed to manage his or her career.90<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 14.6<\/a>\u00a0presents a developmental network typology based on integrating the diversity and strength of developmental relationships.91<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Diversity of Developmental Relationships<\/strong><\/span>Diversity of developmental relationships<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0reflects the variety of people within the network an individual uses for developmental assistance.<\/span>There are two subcomponents associated with network diversity: (1) the number of different people the person is networked with and (2) the various social systems from which the networked relationships stem (e.g., employer, school, family, community, professional associations, and religious affiliations). As shown in\u00a0Figure 14.6<\/a>, developmental relationship diversity ranges from low (few people or social systems) to high (multiple people or social systems).<\/p>\n

FIGURE 14.6<\/strong>DEVELOPMENTAL NETWORKS ASSOCIATED WITH MENTORING<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

SOURCE: From M. Higgins and K. Kram, \u201cReconceptualizing Mentoring at Work: A Developmental Network Perspective,\u201d\u00a0Academy of Management Review<\/em>, April 2001, 270. Copyright \u00a9 2001 by Academy of Management. Reprinted with permission of Academy of Management, via Copyright Clearance Center.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n

Developmental Relationship Strength<\/strong><\/span>Developmental relationship strength<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0represents the quality of relationships among the individual and those involved in his or her developmental network.<\/span>\u00a0For example, strong ties are reflective of relationships based on frequent interactions, reciprocity, and positive affect. Weak ties, in contrast, are based more on superficial relationships. Together, the diversity and strength of developmental relationships result in four types of developmental networks (see\u00a0Figure 14.6<\/a>): receptive, traditional, entrepreneurial, and opportunistic. It is important that you do not ignore weak ties because they very frequently lead to job opportunities.92<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

A\u00a0receptive<\/em>\u00a0developmental network is composed of a few weak ties from one social system such as an employer or a professional association. The single oval around D1 and D2 in\u00a0Figure 14.6<\/a>\u00a0indicates two developers who come from one social system. In contrast, a\u00a0traditional<\/em>\u00a0network contains a few strong ties between an employee and developers that all come from one social system. An example would be your creating a strong developmental relationship with your boss and one colleague at work. An entrepreneurial network, which is the strongest type of developmental network, is made up of strong ties among several developers (D1\u2013D4) who come from four different social systems. In this case, you would develop strong ties with your boss and one internal colleague, but you also would develop a good network with people from other organizations. Finally, an opportunistic network is associated with having weak ties with multiple developers from different social systems.<\/p>\n

Personal and Organizational Implications<\/h3>\n

There are six key implications to consider:<\/p>\n

\n

1.You should foster a broad developmental network because the number and quality of your contacts will influence your career success.<\/strong>\u00a0In doing this, keep in mind the comments of two networking experts: \u201cRelationships are living, breathing things. Feed, nurture, and care about them; they grow. Neglect them; they die.93<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0It\u2019s very important to invest time in your developmental relationships.<\/p>\n

2.Look to the consistency or congruence between your career goals and the type of developmental network at your disposal.<\/strong>\u00a0This alignment has a big influence on job and career satisfaction. For example, if you are interested in a job in finance, then try to develop relationships with people with a finance background. If you want to start your own business one day, try to network with a diverse group of people. This should help broaden your understanding of what it takes to start a business.<\/p>\n

3.A developer\u2019s willingness to provide career and psychosocial assistance depends on the prot\u00e9g\u00e9\/prot\u00e9g\u00e9e\u2019s ability and potential and the quality of the interpersonal relationship.<\/strong>94<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Research also shows that the quality of the mentoring relationship is likely to be higher when the parties have common values and personality characteristics.95<\/sup><\/a>This implies that you must take ownership for enhancing your skills, abilities, and developmental networks as well as your interpersonal relationships if you desire to experience career advancement throughout your life. You will find that you get what you give. Don\u2019t just contact mentors when you want something. Build and maintain relationships by continuing to have regular contact with people in your developmental network.<\/p>\n

4.Become proficient at using social networking tools such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.<\/strong>\u00a0Data from Jobvite and LinkedIn reveal that the majority of US companies use social networking sites to help recruit employees.96<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0It\u2019s also important to stay active on these sites. For example, when you learn from a LinkedIn note that someone is celebrating a birthday or work anniversary, send them a note. People like to feel appreciated for who they are rather than for what they can do for you.<\/p>\n

Page 511<\/p>\n

5.Develop a mentoring plan.<\/strong>\u00a0Experts suggest that this plan should include the following components:97<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022Identify and prioritize your mentoring goals. These goals should be based on a determination of what you want to learn.<\/p>\n

\u2022Identify people who are skilled or experienced in areas you want to improve. Don\u2019t overlook your peers as they are a good source of functional, technical, and organizational knowledge.<\/p>\n

\u2022Determine how best to build a relationship with these \u201ctargeted\u201d individuals.<\/p>\n

\u2022Determine how you can provide value to your mentor. Because mentoring is a two-way street, others are more likely to help you if they see some value in assisting you in the pursuit of your career goals.<\/p>\n

\u2022Determine when it is time to move on. Mentors are not forever. If you believe that your mentor is ineffective, or worse yet, causing more harm than benefit, find a new mentor. It\u2019s easy to become stuck with one mentor. Expanding your horizons will not only benefit you, but it can help the mentor to develop his or her mentoring skills as well.<\/p>\n

6.Incorporate mentoring into the organization\u2019s leadership development programs.<\/strong>\u00a0Disney, Walsh Construction, and LMA Consulting all obtained long-lasting positive benefits by formally including mentoring into employees\u2019 personal development plans.98<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Are you being adequately mentored? If not, you are more likely to experience adverse work attitudes, performance, and career outcomes.\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.4<\/a>\u00a0was created so that you can take stock of your level of mentoring.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

SELF-ASSESSMENT 14.4<\/span>\u00a0Assessing My Level of Mentoring<\/p>\n

\n

Go to\u00a0connect.mheducation.com<\/a>\u00a0and complete\u00a0Self-Assessment 14.4<\/a>. Then answer the following questions:<\/p>\n

\n

1.What is your level of mentoring?<\/p>\n

2.After identifying your three lowest scoring items in the survey, propose things you can do to improve your level of mentoring?<\/p>\n

3.How would you evaluate the success of these ideas?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In conclusion, mentoring can help you and the organizations in which you may work. For example, mentoring enhances the effectiveness of organizational communication. Specifically, mentoring increases the amount of vertical communication both up and down an organization. It also provides a mechanism for modifying or reinforcing organizational culture. Benefits such as these are leading more and more companies to set up formal mentoring programs.<\/p>\n

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\n

what did i learn?<\/h2>\n

You learned that organizational culture helps managers to create competitive advantage. You examined the function and types of culture and considered how managers can change culture. Finally, you now know that socialization and mentoring are two processes that organizations use to embed organizational culture. As an employee this same knowledge helps you understand your employer\u2019s culture and how to best to fit in. Reinforce what you learned with the Key Points below. Then consolidate your learning using the Integrative Framework. Finally, Challenge your mastery of this chapter by answering the Major Questions in your own words.<\/p>\n

Key Points for Understanding\u00a0Chapter 14<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

You learned the following key points.<\/p>\n

\u2022Culture is a shared concept that is learned over time. It also influences our behavior at work and outcomes at multiple levels.<\/p>\n

\u2022The three levels of organizational culture are observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions.<\/p>\n

\u2022Espoused values represent the explicitly stated values and norms that are preferred by an organization. Enacted values, in contrast, reflect the values and norms that actually are exhibited or converted into employee behavior.<\/p>\n

\u2022Four functions of organizational culture are organizational identity, collective commitment, social system stability, and a device for sense-making.<\/p>\n

\u2022The competing values framework identifies four different types of organizational culture. A clan culture has an employee focus. Adhocracy and market cultures have external foci that emphasize innovation\/growth and market share\/profitability, respectively. Hierarchical cultures are internally focused on efficiency and smooth functioning.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are five conclusions about outcomes associated with organizational culture: (1) culture is related to measures of organizational effectiveness; (2) employees are more satisfied and committed to companies with clan cultures; (3) innovation and quality can be increased by building characteristics associated with clan, adhocracy, and market cultures; (4) an organization\u2019s financial performance is not strongly related to culture; and (5) companies with market cultures tend to have more positive organizational outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are four caveats about culture change. First, leaders are the architects and developers of organizational culture. Second, the process of culture change begins with targeting the three layers of culture. Third, culture needs to be aligned with a company\u2019s vision and strategic plan. Finally, it is important to use a structured approach when implementing culture change.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are 12 key ways that managers can change organizational culture.<\/p>\n

\u2022Person\u2013organization fit is important because it is associated with positive work attitudes and performance.<\/p>\n

\u2022Organization socialization is a key mechanism used by organizations to embed their organizational cultures. It turns outsiders into fully functioning insiders.<\/p>\n

\u2022Daniel Feldman proposed a three-phase model of socialization. The three phases are anticipatory socialization, encounter, and change and acquisition.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are six socialization tactics. They are collective versus individual, formal versus informal, sequential versus random, fixed versus variable, serial versus disjunctive, and investiture versus divestiture.<\/p>\n

\u2022Research supports a number of practical applications of socialization tactics.<\/p>\n

\u2022Mentoring serves to embed organizational culture for two reasons. First, mentoring contributes to creating a sense of oneness by promoting the acceptance of the organization\u2019s values. Second, the socialization aspect of mentoring promotes a sense of membership.<\/p>\n

\u2022Mentoring has two general functions: career and psychosocial.<\/p>\n

Page 513<\/p>\n

\u2022Current models of mentoring view it as a developmental network of relationships that help people to learn and develop.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are four key developmental networks underlying effective mentoring. A receptive network is composed of a few weak ties from one social system. Having a few strong ties with developers from one social system is referred to as a traditional network. An entrepreneurial network is made up of strong ties among several developers. An opportunistic network is associated with having weak ties from different social systems.<\/p>\n

\u2022There are six important personal and organizational implications of effective mentoring.<\/p>\n

The Integrative Framework for\u00a0Chapter 14<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

As shown in\u00a0Figure 14.7<\/a>, you learned that the input of national and corporate culture as an environmental characteristic drives organizational-level processes of culture, socialization, and mentoring. These processes affect five outcomes across the individual, group\/team, and organizational levels.<\/p>\n

Challenge: Major Questions for\u00a0Chapter 14<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

At the start of the chapter, we told you that after reading the chapter you should be able to answer the following questions. Unless you can, have you really processed and internalized the lessons in the chapter? Refer to the Key Points,\u00a0Figure 14.7<\/a>, the chapter itself, and your notes to revisit and answer the following major questions:<\/p>\n

1.What is culture and why is it important to understand its layers and functions?<\/p>\n

2.To what extent are the different types of organizational culture related to important outcomes?<\/p>\n

3.What are the mechanisms I can use to implement culture change?<\/p>\n

4.How can the practical lessons of socialization research be integrated within the three phases of socialization?<\/p>\n

5.What are the four developmental networks and how can I use them to advance my career?<\/p>\n

FIGURE 14.7<\/strong>INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING OB<\/p>\n

\"figure\"\/<\/p>\n

\u00a9 2014 Angelo Kinicki and Mel Fugate. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited without permission of the authors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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PROBLEM-SOLVING APPLICATION CASE (PSAC)<\/h2>\n

Changing the Culture at Yahoo! Inc.<\/h3>\n

You might call Yahoo! the original Internet company. Starting in the mid-1990s by almost accidentally discovering the need for good search engines, Yahoo! became a wildly popular web portal whose valuation shot high during the creation of the dot-com bubble.<\/p>\n

But over the years Yahoo! lost its way\u2014trying to be too many things to too many people. After a string of CEOs and failed attempts to halt a steady loss in value, Yahoo! tapped Marissa Mayer, somewhat famous as one of Google\u2019s early hires, in July 2012. Her task? To lead the charge and help Yahoo! regain and fulfill its promise as a major player in Internet and mobile.<\/p>\n

For this case we will focus on Mayer\u2019s challenges in transforming Yahoo! culture and business performance.<\/p>\n

Wall Street: Happy<\/h4>\n

Response on the street has continued to be positive. As of this writing, Yahoo! has seen its stock price rise by over 100 percent. Investors applaud Mayer and her plans\u2014and they drove the stock even higher after revenue reports for the third quarter of 2013 exceeded expectation.99<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Industry Watchers: Hopeful<\/h4>\n

When Yahoo! announced Mayer\u2019s appointment, many industry watchers immediately had high hopes that she would help Yahoo! gain some Google mojo to drive netizen traffic. Rafe Needleman at CNET is representative of such opinion, when he set out what he saw as the top five issues at Yahoo!. Google and culture make his list several times in comparison to Yahoo!:<\/p>\n

\u2022Engineering Culture.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cThe best Google services are fast, functional, and continually tested and improved as time goes on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022Organizational Culture.<\/strong>\u00a0Needleman quotes Salim Ismael, one critic of Yahoo!\u2019s organizational structure: \u201cOn the Internet you need speed and you need to take risks. Yahoo! accidentally adopted a matrix organization structure that\u2019s antithetical to both.\u201d (Authors\u2019 note: We discuss matrix organizational design in\u00a0Chapter 15<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

\u2022Killing Projects.<\/strong>\u00a0Google \u201cmaintains an optimism about its direction even as it chops down its underperformers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022Long-Term Visions.<\/strong>\u00a0Needleman suggests that Google can weather setbacks (as with Google\u2019s attempts in social media) because it commits to a long-term vision.<\/p>\n

\u2022Culture of Experimentation.<\/strong>\u00a0Google tries many things, from self-driving cars to eyeglasses that augment reality. Such pure research can pay off in unexpected ways. However, he notes Yahoo! doesn\u2019t have Google\u2019s fat wallet to fund such R&D.100<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Yahoo!\u2019s Long Problems with Focus<\/h4>\n

From one point of view, all of Yahoo!\u2019s challenges can be linked to a well-discussed lack of focus. In 2006\u00a0The New York Times<\/em>\u00a0published an article critical of Yahoo!,101<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0and in response Brad Garlinghouse, then a Yahoo! senior vice president, wrote an internal memo published by\u00a0The Wall Street Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n

We lack a focused, cohesive vision for our company. We want to do everything and be everything\u2014to everyone. We\u2019ve known this for years, talk about it incessantly, but do nothing to fundamentally address it. . . . I\u2019ve heard our strategy described as spreading peanut butter across the myriad opportunities that continue to evolve in the online world. The result: a thin layer of investment spread across everything we do and thus we focus on nothing in particular.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Garlinghouse also notes the organizational result of this cultural dilemma:<\/p>\n

\n

We are separated into silos that far too frequently don\u2019t talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn\u2019t to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics.102<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A succession of Yahoo! CEOs have tried to fix Yahoo! in this regard. How has Mayer fared?<\/p>\n

Mayer\u2019s First-Year Report Card<\/h4>\n

After her first year at Yahoo!,\u00a0Forbes<\/em>\u00a0graded Mayer\u2019s performance across its own set of categories:<\/p>\n

\u2022Advertising [Revenue]: D.<\/strong>\u00a0Yahoo! was still struggling with reversing declines in ad revenue while its competitors were increasing revenue.<\/p>\n

\u2022Earnings: C.<\/strong>\u00a0Revenues were flat in 2012 and declined in the first part of 2013. (This was prior to a bump in the third quarter of 2013.)<\/p>\n

\u2022Products: B\u2212.<\/strong>\u00a0Forbes<\/em>\u00a0liked the increase in decisions to kill old products (like Altavista) and bring new products to market.<\/p>\n

\u2022Acquisitions: B.<\/strong>\u00a0Forbes<\/em>\u00a0called out the acquisition of Tumblr, among others.<\/p>\n

\u2022Morale: B+.<\/strong>\u00a0Forbes<\/em>\u00a0noted that former employees were returning and job applications were way up.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

An OB View of Mayer\u2019s Performance<\/h4>\n

From an OB perspective, looking at Mayer\u2019s first 16 months, we can note the following achievements. Mayer has:<\/p>\n

\u2022Opened up communications and transparency including frequent internal and public announcements, bolstered internally with a Friday FYI \u201cask anything\u201d session with employees.103<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022Used PR to leverage her (perhaps enhanced) legend of achievement at Google to inspire investors and the troops at Yahoo!.<\/p>\n

\u2022Removed some business-only executives and replaced them with tech- and product-savvy employees.<\/p>\n

\u2022Restored Yahoo! as an employer of choice.104<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022Energized Yahoo! engineers into optimism about the future.105<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022Made the tough change in telecommuting policy to help make Yahoo! more productive. (See discussion below.)<\/p>\n

\u2022Addressed Yahoo!\u2019s lack of a social community (and outflanked Google) by purchasing Tumblr.106<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

About That Telecommuting Decision, Other Bumps in the Road<\/h4>\n

You have already read about Mayer\u2019s decision to ban telecommuting for most employees in\u00a0Chapter 2<\/a>\u2019s Problem-Solving Application on Yahoo! (see page 77). We can now reconsider this controversial decision in the context of the need to change Yahoo!\u2019s comfortable and staid culture. Here\u2019s\u00a0Forbes<\/em>\u00a0magazine on the topic:<\/p>\n

\n

Whether you agree with Mayer\u2019s decision or not, she needed to do something. She is facing what some would say are significant challenges at Yahoo!, which is considered stodgy and lethargic in comparison to its competitors. To combat that perception, she is searching for innovative ways to make magic happen\u2014always a tough spot for leaders under siege.107<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Mayer\u2019s decisions will continue to generate controversy, from a fashion shoot in\u00a0Vogue<\/em>\u00a0magazine to the teleconferencing decision to reengineering the e-mail structure.108<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Early in 2014 Mayer fired her hand-picked COO based on lackluster sales.109<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0While bumps in the road are to be expected, the true test will be how well Yahoo! stays on course and makes corrections. As an example, following the decision on telecommuting, Mayer reclaimed some lost support among employees when she significantly expanded parental leave benefits.110<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0The decision was announced in May 2013, the month before the telecommuting policy took effect.<\/p>\n

Apply the 3-Stop Problem-Solving Approach to OB<\/h4>\n

Stop 1:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0What is the problem?<\/p>\n

\u2022Use the Integrative Framework of OB (see\u00a0Figure 14.7<\/a>) to help identify the outcomes that are important in this case.<\/p>\n

\u2022Which of these outcomes are not being achieved in the case?<\/p>\n

\u2022Based on considering the above two questions, what is the most important problem in this case?<\/p>\n

Stop 2:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Use the Integrative Model of OB shown at the start of this chapter to help identify the OB concepts or theories that help you to understand the problem in this case.<\/p>\n

\u2022What person factors are most relevant?<\/p>\n

\u2022What environmental characteristics are most important to consider?<\/p>\n

\u2022Do you need to consider any processes? Which ones?<\/p>\n

\u2022What concepts or theories discussed in this chapter are most relevant for solving the key problem in this case?<\/p>\n

Stop 3:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0What are your recommendations for solving the problem?<\/p>\n

\u2022Review the material in the chapter that most pertains to your proposed solution and look for practical recommendations.<\/p>\n

\u2022Use any past OB knowledge or experience to generate recommendations.<\/p>\n

\u2022Outline your plan for solving the problem in this case.<\/p>\n

LEGAL\/ETHICAL CHALLENGE<\/h2>\n

Is an Apology Enough?<\/h3>\n

The dilemma in this case pertains to a scandal at the University of North Carolina (UNC). Organizational culture is at the core of the case because the events that occurred indirectly involve the values and beliefs about the role of athletics within a university.<\/p>\n

The scandal revolved around whether or not the school\u2019s Department of African and Afro-American Studies offered courses that never met and sponsored hundreds of independent study classes of limited value to student athletes. The university did an internal review and, as reported in\u00a0Bloomberg Businessweek<\/em>, determined the department \u201coffered more than 200 lecture courses that never met. The department also sponsored hundreds of independent study classes of dubious value. Internal reviews have identified forged faculty signatures and more than 500 grades changed without authorization. The students affected were disproportionately football and basketball players.\u201d111<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Page 516<\/p>\n

College athletics is a $16 billion industry, and schools enjoy the related revenues in light of their nonprofit, tax- exempt status as organizations dedicated to education and research. This means that it is important for the \u201cstars\u201d to keep playing and win games.<\/p>\n

Management at UNC took action and eight employees either resigned or were fired, including the chancellor. The new chancellor, Carol Foyt, initially resisted calls for further investigation, but changed her mind in January 2014. An investigation is currently taking place.<\/p>\n

The scandal was exposed by Mary Willingham, a campus reading specialist. Mary told reporters that she and other academic advisers \u201cknowingly steered some of their charges into the fake classes to keep the sports stars eligible.\u201d She said that \u201c18 out of about 180 athletes whose records she assessed could be considered to read at a grammar school level.\u201d112<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Willingham\u2019s comments resulted in her being demoted and stripped of her supervisory title and public condemnation by some school officials. For example, James Dean Jr., the executive vice chancellor and provost, said that \u201cMary Willingham has done our students a great disservice.\u201d He initially declared that Willingham was a liar, but later apologized stating that he had misspoken. Head basketball coach Roy Williams said that \u201cWillingham had impugned the moral character of his players.\u201d He claimed that \u201cevery one of the kids that we\u2019ve recruited in 10 years you\u2019d take home and let guard your grandchildren.\u201d Sadly, Willingham has in turn received e-mails containing death threats, and recent reports in\u00a0Businessweek<\/em>\u00a0reveal that Dean continues to attack Willingham in internal meetings.113<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Solving the Dilemma<\/h3>\n

Assume that you are the chancellor; what would you do at this point in the case?<\/p>\n

1.Acknowledge wrongdoing, reinstate Mary Willingham to her former position, and continue the internal investigation.<\/p>\n

2.Acknowledge wrongdoing, but Mary stays where she is. She should not have blown the whistle to local reporters without first going to upper management at the university.<\/p>\n

3.Reprimand both James Dean and the basketball coach for their comments, and continue the internal investigation.<\/p>\n

4.Invent other options.<\/p>\n

GROUP EXERCISE<\/h2>\n

Assessing the Organizational Culture at Your School<\/h3>\n

Objectives<\/h4>\n
\n

1.To provide you with a framework for assessing organizational culture.<\/p>\n

2.To conduct an evaluation of the organizational culture at your school.<\/p>\n

3.To consider the relationship between organizational culture and organizational effectiveness.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Introduction<\/h4>\n

Academics and consultants do not agree about the best way to measure an organization\u2019s culture. Some people measure culture with surveys, while others use direct observation or information obtained in interviews\/workshops with employees. This exercise uses an informal group-based approach to assess the three levels of organizational culture discussed in this chapter. This approach has successfully been used to measure organizational culture at a variety of organizations.<\/p>\n

Instructions<\/h4>\n

Your instructor will divide the class into groups of four to six people. Each group member should then complete the Cultural Assessment Worksheet by him- or herself. It asks you to identify the artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions that are present at your current school. You may find it useful to reread the material on layers of organizational culture discussed earlier. When everyone is done, meet as a group and share the information contained on your individual worksheets. Create a summary worksheet based on a consensus of the cultural characteristics present at each level of culture. Next, compare the information contained on the summary worksheet with the cultural descriptions shown in\u00a0Figure 14.3<\/a>\u00a0and discuss what type of culture your school possesses. Again, strive to obtain a consensus opinion. Finally, the group should answer the discussion questions that follow the Cultural Assessment Worksheet.<\/p>\n

Page 517<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Cultural Assessment Worksheet<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Artifacts (physical or visible manifestations of culture; they include jargon, heroes, stories, language, ritual, dress, material objects, mascots, physical arrangements, symbols, traditions, and so forth)<\/td>\nEspoused Values (the stated values and norms preferred by the organization)<\/td>\nBasic Assumptions (taken-for-granted beliefs about the organization that exist on an unconscious level)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n\u00a0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Questions for Discussion<\/h4>\n

1.What are the group\u2019s consensus artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions? Are you surprised by anything on this list? Explain.<\/p>\n

2.What type of culture does your school possess? Do you like this organizational culture? Discuss why or why not.<\/p>\n

3.Do you think the organizational culture identified in question 2 is best suited for maximizing your learning? Explain your rationale.<\/p>\n

4.Is your school in need of any cultural change? If yes, discuss why and recommend how the school\u2019s<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Create\u00a0a 525-word paper that explains how human resource functions relate to organizational development. Format\u00a0your paper consistent with APA guidelines. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 14 ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE, SOCIALIZATION, AND MENTORING How Can I Use These Concepts for Competitive Advantage? \u00a9 2014 Angelo Kinicki and Mel Fugate. All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited without permission of the authors. INTEGRATIVE […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47854"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47854\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/assignmenttutors.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}