Types of Organizational Culture and HR’s Role in Shaping It

 

The Latin term 'colere', which means to cultivate or tend, is the root of the term 'culture.' It may be said that the way a company's executives treat its organization, customers, and workers is a reflection of its organizational culture. Employees and leaders' regular behavior can be termed as "culture."

 

The right people are attracted to a business because of its culture, while employees who don't match that culture standoff. Customers and important stakeholders are also marketed to. The principles and leadership of an organization are frequently reflected in the culture of that company.

 

The culture may be seen in the way decisions are being made – from the top down or from the bottom-up approach; and whether or not employees feel free to express their own opinions and sentiments without the worry of being criticized. It manifests itself in its benefits schemes and whether or not employees are acknowledged and rewarded for exceeding expectations.

 

Organizational culture may be divided into four distinct categories.

 

Organizational cultures may be divided into three broad categories: the Balance Scorecard Theory. University of Washington researchers Kim Campbell and Robert Quinn identified four distinct forms of workplace culture.

 

With one of these four organizational cultures dominating, every organization has a unique blend. As a company grows in size, the likelihood of having more than one type of culture grows as well. Even though this might be useful for the company, it can also be problematic if the goal is to create a coherent culture throughout a wide geographic area.

 

According to Cameron and Quinn, there are four distinct types of corporate cultures:

 

Adhocracy culture

 

By adding bureaucracy to the phrase 'ad hoc,' we've come up with the term adhocracy. Adhocracy-based organizations, on the other hand, don't become bogged down in bureaucratic rules and regulations. Continuous improvement and innovation are emphasized, and the status quo, even if it's working, will be questioned.

 

Adhocratic cultures are prevalent in most start-ups and tech firms, such as Apple, Google, and Facebook, since they allow for greater room for creativity. In a continuously changing competitive market, this is essential to their identity and success.

 

If a start-up becomes a major tech giant like these firms, an adhocratic environment will be less viable throughout all of it. Certain company operations or divisions may necessitate a more structured approach, in which case, slowing down may actually be beneficial to the corporation. As a result, the adhocracy culture may be restricted to certain departments in order to keep the company creative and competitive in the market (Findley and Mossholder, 2000).

 

Developing an adhocracy culture

 

A real adhocracy culture and a slightly elevated business strategy may not be possible in all industries. Implementing strategies and holding brainstorming, on the other hand, encourages staff to come up with huge ideas that can spur productivity. It encourages organizations to think creatively by rewarding effective ideas.

 

Clan culture

 

A clan refers to a group of individuals who share a strong bond and a shared interest, such as a collection of interconnected families. Businesses that don't have a hierarchical structure tend to have clan cultures. All employees are treated with respect and encouragement, regardless of their position.

 

All employees are treated as equals in this culture, which encourages teamwork. They are able to openly express their thoughts and feelings. If they're looking for an alternative to cooperation, they might want to look into apprenticeships or mentoring programs. This type of culture is known for its high levels of staff involvement, which results in exceptional customer service. It's indeed, however, difficult to sustain this sort of culture as the company expands. Operations may become disjointed and sluggish as the company expands.

 

Developing a clan culture

 

The best place to start building a clan culture at your firm is with the people who already work there. If they want their clan to thrive, they need to communicate openly with their members. Inquire as to their priorities and aspirations, as well as their suggestions for improving the organisation (Gardner and Moynihan 2011). The second step is to take into consideration their ideas and implement them.

 

Hierarchy culture

 

In the United States, there is a strong hierarchical culture in the workplace. Structure, protocols, and authority levels characterize it. People who work in this culture have a clear sense of who is responsible for them, to whom they answer, and what the ground rules are. In our society, doing the correct thing is really essential.

 

References

 

Findley, H. M., & Mossholder, K. W. (2000). Performance appraisal process and

system facets: Relationships with contextual performance. Journal of Applied Psychology,

85, 634-640. doi:10.1037//0021-9010.85.4.634

 

Gardner, T. M., & Moynihan, L. M. (2011). The impact of motivation, empowerment,and skill-enhancing practices on aggregate voluntary turnover: The mediating effect of collective affective commitment. Personnel Psychology, 64, 315-350. doi:10.1111/

j.1744-6570.2011.01212.x