Chapter

3 Organizational Culture, Socialization

& Mentoring

Organizational Culture, Socialization

& Mentoring

Organizational Culture

Organizational Organizational Culture Culture is “The 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.”

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3 Organizational Cultures

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The Complete Book of Rules

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Monitors on telephone books

Understanding Organizational Culture

Antecedents

• Founder’s values

• Industry & business environment• National culture• Senior leaders’ vision and behavior

Organizational Structure &

Practices

• Reward systems

• Organizational

design

Organizational Culture

• Observable artifacts

• Espoused values

• Basic assumptions

Group & Social Processes

• Socialization

• Mentoring• Decision making

• Group dynamics• Communication

• Influence & empowerment• Leadership

Organizational Outcomes

• Effectiveness

• Innovation & stress

Collective Attitudes &

Behavior

• Work attitudes

• Job satisfaction

• Motivation

3-3Figure 3-1

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Layers of Organizational Culture

Observable Artifacts physical manifestations of an organization’s culture

Values enduring belief in a mode of conduct or end-state Espoused Values stated values and norms that are

preferred by an organization Enacted Values values and norms exhibited by

employees

Basic Assumptions unobservable—represent the core of organizational culture

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Manifestations of Culture

Shared things (objects)Shared sayings (talk)

LanguageStories

Shared doings (behavior)RitualsCeremonies

Shared feelings (emotions)

Four Functions of Organizational Culture

Organizationalculture

Sense-makingdevice

Organizationalidentity

Social systemstability

Collectivecommitment

3-4Figure 3-2

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Constructive Culture

Constructive Culture employees are encouraged to interact with others and to work on tasks and projects that will assist in satisfying their needs to grow and develop

High priority on constructive interpersonal relationships, and focus on work group satisfaction

Affiliative

Participative, employeecentered, and supportive

Humanistic-encouraging

Value self-development and creativity

Self-actualizing

Goal and achievement oriented

Achievement

Organizational Characteristics

Normative Beliefs

3-5Table 3-1

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Passive Defensive Culture

Passive Defensive Culture overriding belief that employees must interact with others in ways that do not threaten their job security

Negative reward system and Defensive avoid accountability

Avoidance

Nonparticipative, centralized decision making, and employees do what they are told

Dependent

Conservative, bureaucratic, and people follow the rules

Conventional

Avoid conflict, strive to be liked by others, and approval orientedApproval

Organizational Characteristics

Normative Beliefs

3-6Table 3-1 cont.

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Aggressive-Defensive Culture

Aggressive-Defensive Culture encourage employees to approach tasks in forceful ways in order to protect their status and job security

Perfectionistic, persistent, and hard working

Perfectionistic

Winning is values and a win-lose approach is used

Competitive

Nonparticipative, take charge of Defensive subordinates, and responsive to superiors

Power

Confrontation and negativism rewarded

Oppositional

Organizational Characteristics

Normative Beliefs

3-7Table 3-1 cont.

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Evidence from Organizational Culture Research

1) Organizational culture was significantly correlated with employee attitudes and behavior

2) Congruence between an individual’s values and the organization’s values was associated with organizational commitment, job satisfaction, intentions to quit, and turnover

3) Organizational culture did not predict a company’s financial performance

4) Mergers frequently failed due to incompatible cultures

5) Strong cultures have a stronger impact on employee behavior than do weaker cultures

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Specific types of cultures

Control culture – values role of senior executives to lead the organization

Performance culture – values individual and organizational performance

Relationship culture – values nurturing and well-being

Responsiveness culture – values ability to keep in tune with external environment

Culture and Financial Performance

Strength perspective – strong culture creates goal alignment, motivation, needed structure & controls

Fit perspective – culture must align with business or strategic context

Adaptive perspective – good cultures help firms adapt to environmental changes

Organizational Socialization

Phases Perceptual and Social Processes

1) Anticipatory socialization learning that occurs prior to joining the organization

Anticipating realities about the organization and the new job

Anticipating organization’s needs for one’s skills and abilities

Anticipating organization’s sensitivity to one’s needs and values

3-12Figure 3-4

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Organizational Socialization

Phases Perceptual and Social Processes

2) Encounter values, skills, and attitudes start to shift as new recruit discovers what the organization is truly like

Managing lifestyle-versus-work conflicts

Managing intergroup role conflicts

Seeking role definition and clarity

Becoming familiar with task and group dynamics

3-13Figure 3-4 cont.

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Organizational Socialization

Phases Perceptual and Social Processes

3) Change and acquisition recruit masters skills and roles and adjusts to work group’s values and norms

Competing role demands are resolved

Critical tasks are mastered

Group norms and values are internalized

3-14Figure 3-4 cont.

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Organizational Socialization

Phases

1) Anticipatory socialization2) Encounter

3) Change and acquisition

Outsider

Behavioral Outcomes

Performs role assignments

Remains with organization

Spontaneously innovates and

cooperates

Socialized Insider Affective Outcomes

Generally satisfied

Internally motivated to work

High job involvement

3-15Figure 3-4 cont.

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Socialization Tactics

Not clearly distinguishing a newcomer from more experienced members

Informal

Practice of segregating a newcomer from regular organization members during a defined socialization period

Formal

Treating each newcomer individually and exposing him or her to more less unique experiences

Individual

Consists of grouping newcomers & exposing them to a common set of experiences

Collective

DescriptionTactic

3-16Table 3-2

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Socialization Tactics

Does not provide a timetable for the assumption of the role

Variable

Provides a timetable for the assumption of the role

Fixed

Ambiguous or dynamic progression of steps that culminate in the new role

Random

Refers to a fixed progression of steps that culminate in the new role

Sequential

DescriptionTactic

3-17Table 3-2 cont.

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Socialization Tactics

Denial and stripping away of the newcomer’s existing sense of self and the reconstruction of the organization’s image

Divestiture

Affirmation of newcomer’s incoming global and specific role identities and attributes

Investiture

Does not use a role modelDisjunctive

Newcomer is socialized by an experienced member

Serial

DescriptionTactic

3-18Table 3-2 cont.

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Mentoring

MentoringMentoring is the process of forming and maintaining intensive and lasting developmental relationships between a variety of developers and a junior person

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Functions of Mentoring

Career Functions Sponsorship Exposure-and-Visibility Coaching Protection Challenging

Assignments Psychological

Functions Role Modeling Acceptance-and-

Confirmation Counseling Friendship

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