Organizational culture has an effect on the entire organization and is like the powerful undercurrent of ocean tides or the hidden iceberg which can destroy a ship. Identifying the culture prevalent in an organization is just the beginning. The coalescing of cultures might throw up a new culture that might be better or worse. Judging it is an uphill, but critical task.
"A company is only as great as the people who work for it." Consciously, or unconsciously, organizations develop their own style of operations which are based on a cognitive framework consisting of attitudes, values, behavioral norms and expectations shared by organizational members. This then becomes the organization's hallmark as perceived by business leaders and the public at large. Thus, a corporate image, good or bad, is the label attached to an organization for its "culture". Culture is an intangible force, albeit with far reaching consequences. Some view culture as implicit while others as explicit.
Expectations, thoughts, views and personality of a founder in the early years of the organization give birth to a culture which later can be influenced by the managers and leaders with vision. Members of the organization also bring with them their dominant values which they cherish into the firm and thus influence culture. Due to external adaptation and internal integration, members in an organization exchange ideas, values, aspirations and assumptions and discover ways to cope with the issue in hand and adjust to the demands. This too gives rise to a culture unique to itself. |
