Select an organization and analyze its culture (using concepts from Chapter 16).
The organization could be one where you have worked, or where you currently work. Or, it could be an organization that you are familiar with. You could do some research to familiarize yourself with an organization, if needed.
The objective of this assignment is to focus on this organization and describe its culture and the impact of its culture on its performance, its ability to change, and its promotion of a functional or dysfunctional work environment. After picking your organization, use the following questions as a springboard for analyzing its culture.
What are some of the organization’s dominant values, norms, rituals, beliefs, language and ideology?
How do these cultural elements listed in the previous question reveal the shared meanings and understandings that contextualize organizational life?
Where do these shared meanings come from? Charismatic founder? The organization’s origin or early history?
Are their competing subcultures within the organization?
Does the dominant culture impede or facilitate organizational change?
To what extent have recent or current leaders shaped the organization’s culture?
Why would a new employee in this organization fail if he or she did not understand the organization’s culture?
You do not necessarily have to use all of these questions in your write-up. Use these questions to get you thinking about this organization’s culture and how you can structure your ideas. In your submission, be sure to identify the organization you are focusing on. Length should be around two-three pages, double-spaced.
