CULTURE AND INNOVATION

Culture and Innovation in Organisations

Abstract

The research intends to describe organisational culture through perspectives of different studies, researches, and findings. The concept that organisational culture impact on the innovation is has been analysed using relevant theories. The success factors for the organisational culture and the issues that can impact the problem solving approaches have been highlighted. The innovation is the key to success, and the organisational culture should constituent the behaviour and factors that encourage the innovation are proposed. The role of the leaders and senior management within organisation affects the culture of the organisation has been assessed.



Culture and Innovation in Organisations

Introduction

The term 'Organisational Culture' refers to the broad array of definitions, most of these researches define it as interpretations, values, traditions and norms governed within the organisations. Where as, some studies propose that Organisational culture is better described by the human qualities and organisational structure. However, theorist also suggests that the origin of organisational culture is the result of ideas, values and beliefs of individuals or groups that root from their languages, rituals, and societal cultures. Nevertheless, there are few common characteristics in these definitions (Hofstede et al. 1990).

It is holistic and can not be restricted to an individual rather it refers to the group of individuals.

Culture is related to historical traditions and customs.

Organisational culture is difficult to change as the people tends to keep on holding their values, ideas, and traditions.

It is socially constructed product and shared by different groups of people. So, different group can construct different cultures.

It is qualitative, difficult to catch, soft, and vague.

Culture is also characterized as ritual, myth, symbols and other anthropological terms.

It also refers to values, ideas and the ways of thinking rather than the objective, and concrete parts of the organisation.

Types of Organisational Culture

The researches, suggest that the organizations have different types of cultures with respect to the human qualities, organisation's structure and design features that enables the managers and other employees to behave according to restrictions of the organisation's environment (Handy, 1989; Harrison, 1972). This theory encompasses of completely different concept of organisational culture as, when implying it brings out the concept that the culture of an organisation only depends on the individuals or the group of individual who may take part in the structuring and designing the bases of the organisation or who may have some desired qualities. Where as other theories consider the role of all individuals within organisation who contribute in the values, beliefs, languages, traditions, and societal factors forming the organisational culture. However, Handy and Harrison suggest the following four types of cultures.

Power Culture

The power culture posses the central power, which is found in small organizations with informal communication. The increasing size of the organization may break the web like structure, which forms the tight relationship between the owner and employees.

Role Culture

In contrast to power culture, senior managers of the organisation have the power in the role culture. They are responsible to control and develop coordination amongst different entities ...