Corporate culture influences behaviors in the workplace.
The corporate world is full of systems. There are network and computer systems, financial systems and contracting systems. However, when it comes to a workplace's environment, another system exists: corporate culture. Whether we intend it or not, organizations have a culture system that exists within them.
Defining Corporate Culture
According to the March 2008 issue of "T+D" journal, corporate culture is defined as a type of social system that is comprised of groups who share similar interests, values and norms. Values and norms can be based on professional similarities, religious similarities or philosophical similarities.
Identifying Culture
According to a 2000 article in "Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision," a person can tell the culture of a company by looking at the type of furniture, the furniture arrangement, what the company brags about and what employees wear. This is similar to the way you can get a feeling about someone's personality. However, the February 2010 issue of "Entrepreneur" explains that corporate cultures can be visibly undetectable. By getting to know people through conversations about goals, family backgrounds, history, beliefs, stories and experiences, signs of a corporate culture may emerge.
Effects
Corporate culture can impact many features of an organization, such as organizational behaviors. By having a cultural system that supports likeminded employees, it is possible for the behaviors and conduct of those employees to run the show at the company, or spread their culture out among the organization. Eventually, this can affect the company's appearance, image, professionalism and performance.
Types
Many have experienced cliques in high school. Corporate cultures are not too far removed from that same mentality. Corporate cultures form because of likeminded individuals ganging up together to embrace their similarities. According to the "Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision," some corporate cultures give off an air of success and achievement. The culture represents people who want to work their way up the corporate ladder. On the other hand, there may be cultures where employees feel like they are better than everyone and everything at work. These are not team players with the corporation, but may be loyal to their cultural buddies. Other cultures may be focused on popularity and status.
Considerations
According to a publication by Corporate Management Developers, culture has the potential to stand in the way, obstruct or challenge organizational change. Leadership changes, technology changes or other types of structural changes can be hindered if the corporate culture is not on board. The reason for this negative impact is because corporate culture is a powerful system, and can have a lot of influence over a company. Once a power or control is established by the culture, it is difficult to make changes.
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