CASE ANSWERS

Case Answers

Case Answers

Case 1

Question 1

The personality of the characters in this case is according to the organizational culture that is the personality of the whole organization. Culture is made up of the assumptions, values and norms of organization members and their behaviors. Members of an organization soon realize the particular culture of an organization shortly after being hired. Culture is one of those terms that are difficult to express distinctly, but everyone knows it when they see it. For example, the culture of a large, for-profit corporation is quite different than that of a hospital which is quite different that that of a university. You can tell the culture of an organization by looking at the arrangement of furniture, what they brag about, what members wear, etc., similar to what you can use to get a feeling about someone's personality.

The culture of an organization operates at both a conscious and unconscious level. Often the people who see an organizations culture more clearly are those from the outside, the new hires, the consultants or vendors (Havel 2006 47-95). Those not living inside the culture can often see it more objectively. Better to ask a New Yorker to tell you what Californians are like than ask a Californian.

Question 2

The concept of being nice is very important when attempting to manage an organization-wide change. Organizations are realizing that, despite the best-laid out plans, organizational change must include not only changing structures and processes, but also changing the corporate culture as well. There has been a great deal of literature written over the years about the concept of organizational culture, particularly in regards to learning how to change organizational culture. Mass organizational change efforts have failed the majority of the time. Usually, this failure is due to the lack of understanding that culture plays a strong role in an organization and its functions. That's one of the reasons that many strategic planners for organizations now place more emphasis on culture as they do mission and vision (O'Reilly Chatman & Caldwell 2001 487-516).

Question 3

Employees are highly skilled and tend to stay in the organization, while working their way up the ranks. The organization provides a stable environment in which employees can development and exercises their skills. Examples are universities, hospitals, large corporations, etc. Employees are "free agents" who have highly prized skills. They are in high demand and can rather easily get jobs elsewhere. This type of culture exists in fast-paced, high-risk organizations, such as investment banking, advertising, etc.

The most important requirement for employees in this culture is to fit into the group. Usually employees start at the bottom and stay with the organization. The organization promotes from within and highly values seniority. Examples are the military, some law firms, etc. Employees don't know if they'll be laid off or not. These organizations often undergo massive reorganization. There are many opportunities for those with timely, specialized skills (Cooper 2007 320-328). Examples are savings and loans, large car companies, ...