...ASSESSING CORPORATE CULTURE 1. Scheins approach to assessing organizational culture a. Strengths of scheins approach to assessing organizational culture Schein defines and describes culture as any one of many elements of organizational culture. The culture of an organization can be viewed and treated like other structures within an organization. Certain organizations such as by-laws, committees, and chain of command flow charts, may serve to answer basic questions such as “how do we interact with the external environment?” and “how do we order ourselves internally?” As an organization responds to these questions, the responses become core assumptions. These core assumptions become the frames through which the organization interprets the world round it. In place of questionnaire or instrument that utilizes typologies, Schein prefers clinical research model of assessing organizational culture. In this model of organizational culture investigation, the researcher gets much more directly involved within the organization by acting as participant observer or ethnographer. He suggests that members of the organization will more openly respond to the researcher and the investigation because the members of the organization think they have something to gain by collaborating with the researcher. Schein believes that valid data on the culture of the organization will only be collected when the researcher is perceived as the consultant who is seeking to help the organization and...
Words: 781 - Pages: 4
...Running head: ASSESSING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE 1 Assessing Organizational Culture Aaron L. Bedingfield Southern Nazarene University - T-51 Master in Business Administration T 51 BADM 6123 Organizational Communications Professor, Rebecca Marks-Jimerson (Ruth) ASSESSING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Assessing Organizational Culture In the life of any healthy organization there are always times that the culture must be examined and pronounced healthy, or correctly diagnosed for change. Typically the first 2 assessment a potential employee goes through is the general culture check, to see if they are a fit for the culture of the organization. Most often where this can go awry is when the organizational culture is unclear, incorrectly defined, or has no real stability. These types of cultures tend to morph constantly based on moods or fads. What most organizations do is attempt to capture the culture and describe it in written details. Organizations do this by distilling their beliefs and ideals into corporate policies and procedure manuals, which are commonly referred to as employee handbooks. The “Employee Handbook” now becomes the main purveyor of the company culture to the new employee, and the mentoring and journeyman apprenticing roles that once dominated our workforces has all but disappeared. Transfer of the culture really only happens when humans interact with one another. Yes, it is good to have some written guidelines and informational understanding, but the real...
Words: 1254 - Pages: 6
...forward that culture is one of the basic institution of society, thus, every member of a given society must internalize its value, beliefs and norms. Culture therefore causes and affects human activities. Every organisation has a culture which focuses on social integration, motivation and commitment, to help them achieve and innovate, thereby increasing productivity and competitive advantage. The complex nature of organisations, makes one have the feeling of asking questions about some actions in an organisation which have been embrace by the employees and have eventually become a habit. According to Alan Adler, organisational culture is civilization in a workplace, therefore, there is need for every organisation to understand its culture in order to implement strategic decisions. A better understanding of the organisational culture can be through organisational assessment, which helps identify the need for cultural change, ease acquisition and strategic alliance, enhance team leaders and mangers’ understanding of the corporate culture, and sustains programs for behavioral change. The differentiation perspective according to George Cheney, Lars Thoger Christensen, Theodore E. Zorn and Shiv Ganesh (2011) presents organisational culture as a collection of coexisting subcultures having stable, shared and consistent values. The Organisational Cultural Assessment Instrument (OCAI) The OCAI was developed by Cameron and Quinn (2006) to help organisations assess their culture and walk...
Words: 336 - Pages: 2
...Multicultural Competency, Self-Analysis When assessing the consideration that one may hold a biased belief about a particular group of individuals based solely on their culture or ethnicity it is easy to say we as humans don’t judge individuals based on ethnicity, race, or cultural beliefs. In fact, this is a false statement as every human is shaped and influenced by their cultural heritage, ethnic and racial identity development, and other dimensions of identity that may cause a biased predisposition towards individuals who are outside of their own cultural perspectives. Individual Reflections When assessing guidelines one and two, I’m inclined to think I am a pretty non-judgmental individual in regards to culturally different groups. In my opinion this is possible because I have lived in many locations with many different cultural beliefs because of the military. When I was growing up, there really were not many individuals who were culturally or racially different. This lack of diversity caused a false perception that everyone was the same. After moving to Florida I learned that there are many different cultures, races and beliefs outside what I knew. At first it was different therefore I was a very judgmental individual but as years passed and I continued on life’s journey through Guam, Louisiana and now North Dakota I have a better understanding of how the cultural differences are vital in defining what makes America the country it is. Perception of Cultural Differences ...
Words: 1043 - Pages: 5
...personal biases, and treating every person with respect. Simply recognizing and accepting different cultures is not enough, one must be able to consistently recognize and understand the differences in order to be culturally competent. Knowledge and culturally competent practices are a must for nurses to deliver quality care in our rapidly changing multicultural world (Edelman, 2014 p. 25). The heritage assessment tool is a set of questions that can be used to determine a patient’s ethnic, cultural, and religious heritage. The tool is helpful in assessing how deeply a person is tied to their traditions, and can help nurses become culturally competent. The greater the number of positive responses reflects how closely one is tied to their particular heritage. Once the history is learned and the degree which one identifies with the tradition is discovered, the focus is placed on discovering the role that the tradition plays in the situation (Culture Guide, 2014). Family Interviews I interviewed three families from different cultures to see how closely they were bound to their heritage. The families originally were from China, Vietnam, and England. The families all moved to the United States when the adults were middle age and the children were young adults. While the children seemed to adapt and accept medical values from the United States, the parents stayed true to the cultures and traditions from their own country. Health Maintenance Health maintenance refers to what the...
Words: 1714 - Pages: 7
...of being stressed from everyday life, including their busy jobs, and personal activities find the healthy balance and attain complete relaxation. This paper will describe how a company conducts a SWOTT analysis. The internal and external analysis of Scents & Things in relation to the organizations forces and trends such as; Economic, Technological, Strategy, Legal/Regulatory, Innovation, Structure, Resources, and Culture. This paper will also classify one primary strength, weakness, opportunity, threat and trend if possible for each of the factors. Following the end of this paper, a SWOTT Analysis Table will sum up the findings of the forces and factors relative to Scents & Things. SWOTT Analysis For Scents & Things to perform a SWOTT Analysis, the company has to answer the following questions about the company’s strengths; the advantages, resources, strengths in the market, and what does the organization do better than the competition. When the organization reviews its strengths this should be done from an internal and external perspective, assessing the customer’s views and incorporating the competitions. Once the strengths are found for the...
Words: 1692 - Pages: 7
...judgment and attitudes. Importance of values Types of values Values loyalty and ethical behavior Value across cultures The globe framework Implications for ob3. Values Values represent basic convictions that- A specific mode of conduct or end-state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end-state of existence. Value is a judgmental element of what is right, good, or desirable. 4. Importance of Values Values lay the foundation for the understanding of attitudes and motivation because they influence our perceptions. 1 2 Individuals enter organizations with notions of what is right and wrong with which they interpret behaviors or outcomes 3 Values generally influence attitudes and behavior . 5. Types of Values Terminal Values VALUES Instrumental Values Rokeach Value Survey… 6. Terminal Values Desirable end-states of existence; the goals that a person would like to achieve during his or her lifetime. 7. Instrumental Values Preferable modes of behavior or means of achieving one’s terminal values. 8. Values Across Culture Hofstede’s A framework for assessing cultures; five value dimensions of national culture… Power distance Individualism versus collectivism Quantity of life versus quality of life Uncertainty avoidance Long-term versus short-term orientation A B C D E 9. Values Across Culture GLOBE Framework for Assessing Cultures: - Power distance - Individualism/Collectivism - In-group collectivism - Performance orientation - Humane...
Words: 476 - Pages: 2
...into consideration the client’s culture and how that may potentially affect how the client learns. The client is African-American and in this culture, the elderly are highly respected because aging represents respect, authority, and wisdom (Purnell, 2012). By including the clients “aging” mother may help influence the patient to follow the interventions. Work orientation is essential for African American culture. The client displays importance of going to work when ignoring the doctors’ orders to stay off feet. Work orientation may interrelate to poverty and explains why the client puts work above health issues. Poverty impacts education, self-esteem, quality of life, and lifestyle. The nurse should...
Words: 979 - Pages: 4
...When assessing a patient for the very first time, it’s important to look at every single detail of the patient. These details include subjective and objective findings, as well as the cultural background of the patient. Education of different cultures allows the nurse to make critical judgments in evaluating a patient, for example a nurse will have more awareness in identifying any predisposing factors a cultural group may have. While there are a variety of cultures that each has their own specific nursing care characteristics, I’ll be focusing on the Native American culture. Native Americans enjoy a rich culture filled with elaborate traditions and spiritual ceremonies that make this particular culture stand out from the rest of the North...
Words: 987 - Pages: 4
...building a culture, that supports the new mission, goals, strategies and practices, increases the probability of success exponentially. This necessarily involves a large cross section of the organization in assessing the current system of norms and beliefs, determining what changes are needed, and designing an implementation plan. These new beliefs and resulting behaviors needed to be elevated to a conscious level so that the company could choose how it needed to modify its practices. New assumptions and values should be articulated and systematically communicated through every channel and should be reinforced at every opportunity. It is true that changes in organizational culture are brought about through employees, so the employees play a major role. But role of the leader cannot be overruled because they influence the organizational culture very deeply. Culture is deep seated and difficult to change, but they can influence or manage an organization's culture. It isn't easy, and it cannot be done rapidly, but leaders can have an effect on culture. Productive cultural change will occur if leaders correctly analyze the organization's existing culture, and evaluate it against the cultural attributes needed to achieve strategic objectives. Consequently, they must first possess a clear understanding of the strategic objectives for their organization and identify the actions needed to reach those objectives. They need to create the conditions for the transformation of a culture. Leaders...
Words: 474 - Pages: 2
...well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an example. Nurses are exposed daily to different cultures and beliefs working in the healthcare field. On top of the diversity, we should be aware of their level of education along with their style of learning, this way it will allow the nurse to formulate the best teaching method possible for the patient. Patients with cultural differences may not be willing to participate in the education or even incorporate it into their lifestyle. There must be a form of trust to initiate any formal teaching. Assessing their ideas and values related to their health and illness, medication being taken, treatments rendered, and expectations are a good platform for an effective teaching/learning to begin. Healthcare professionals should learn about the cultural background of our patients paying attention to their body language and expressions. Cultural stereotyping must definitely be avoided and be sensitive to their needs. Teaching should be a multidisciplinary team effort that includes the therapy department, dietician, and social worker incorporating all needs of their culture. Teaching...
Words: 297 - Pages: 2
...as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an example. Nurses are exposed daily to different cultures and beliefs working in the healthcare field. On top of the diversity, we should be aware of their level of education along with their style of learning, this way it will allow the nurse to formulate the best teaching method possible for the patient. Patients with cultural differences may not be willing to participate in the education or even incorporate it into their lifestyle. There must be a form of trust to initiate any formal teaching. Assessing their ideas and values related to their health and illness, medication being taken, treatments rendered, and expectations are a good platform for an effective teaching/learning to begin. Healthcare professionals should learn about the cultural background of our patients paying attention to their body language and expressions. Cultural stereotyping must definitely be avoided and be sensitive to their needs. Teaching should be a multidisciplinary team effort that includes the therapy department, dietician, and social worker incorporating all needs of their culture. ...
Words: 297 - Pages: 2
...CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE Two types of Cultural Knowledge * FACTUAL KNOWLEDGE * About a culture; it is usually obvious and must be learned. * INTERPRETIVE KNOWLEDGE * An ability to understand and to appreciate fully the nuances of different cultural traits and pattern. ELEMENTS OF CULTURE 1.) MATERIAL CULTURE a.) Technology b.) Economics 2.) SOCIAL INSTITUTION a.) Social Organization b.) Education c.) Political Structures 3.) HUMANS AND THE UNIVERSE a.) Belief System 4.) AESTHETICS a.) Graphic and Plastic Arts b.) Folklore c.) Music, Drama and Dance 5.) LANGUAGE CULTURAL CHANGE * CULTURAL BORROWING * Is a responsible effort to borrow those cultural ways seen as helpful in the quest for better solutions to a society’s particular problems. * RESISTANCE TO CHANGE * Cultural growth/change does not occur without some resistance; new methods, ideas and products are held to be suspect before they are accepted. * SIMILARITIES: AN ILLUSION * Several nationalities can speak the same language or have similar race and heritage, but it does not follow that similarities exist in other respects. * PLANNED CULTURAL CHANGE • Cultures that are resistant to change represent a major hurdle in marketing products Cultural change can be accomplished by: • First, determine which cultural factors conflict with an innovation, thus creating resistance to...
Words: 273 - Pages: 2
...cultural values should be consider. Individuals here in United States came from different cultures, however they still sustained their deep culture, believes and tradition. To deliver high quality health care services to a wide diverse population, it is important to be culturally competent. In the United States where a big part of the population are immigrants coming from all over the world (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle, 2014). This is where the Heritage Assessment Tool (HAT) becomes very appropriate. Heritage assessment is the most useful tool in the health care. It can provide better understanding of our patient’s culture. It help assessing one’s religious, ethnic and cultural heritage along with health traditions. With adequate knowledge, the health care provider will know how best to balance medical practice with the traditions patients holds (Spector, 2009).This will ensure that there is a balance and understanding between traditional and modern culture. Health care providers should respect the traditions and values of their patient and make sure to consider patient preferences and their needs. PAKISTANI HEALTH CULTURE: The writer is Asian American Pakistani by descent belongs to an extended family with 7 members. In writer’s culture, Parents are the most important decision makers in every aspects of life including health. Like many other cultures, Pakistani has their own culture, values, tradition and beliefs. These cultural practices affect their lifestyle and health...
Words: 1335 - Pages: 6
...In order to deliver nursing care to different cultures, nurses are expected to understand and provide culturally competent health care to diverse individuals. Culturally competent care is tailored to the specific needs of each client, while incorporating the individual’s beliefs and values (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2006, p. 90). By being culturally competent, nurses are able to help improve health outcomes by using cultural knowledge and specific skills in selecting interventions that are specific to each client (Stanhope & Lancaster). Therefore, nurses “should perform a cultural assessment on every client with whom they interact with” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2006, p. 90) to help understand client’s perspectives of health and illness and discuss culturally appropriate interventions. In this paper, the author will demonstrate how nurses can utilize a cultural heritage assessment tool to help develop a cultural competent nursing care plan, which can be referred to in Appendix A and B. By culturally assessing client, nurses will be able to identify the needs of culturally diverse individuals and find out if what's important to the culture is really important to the person in terms of specific health needs. Introduction In order to deliver nursing care to different cultures, nurses are expected to understand and provide culturally competent health care to diverse individuals. Nurses must find out about people’s traditions, ways of life, and beliefs about health care so that the appropriate...
Words: 277 - Pages: 2
