Organizational
Behavior
Chapter 16 15th Ed
Robbins and Judge
Organizational Culture
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall 16-1
Define organizational culture and
LO 1 describe its common characteristics
Organizational culture refers to a system of
shared meaning held by members that
distinguishes the organization from other
organizations.
16-2
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
Compare the functional and
LO 2 dysfunctional effects of organizational
culture on people and the organization
Culture’s Functions
Boundary-defining role
Conveys a sense of identity for members
Facilitates the generation of commitment
Enhances the stability of the social system
Serves as a sense-making and control mechanism
Guides and shapes attitudes and behavior of
employees
16-3
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
Compare the functional and
LO 2 dysfunctional effects of organizational
culture on people and the organization
Organizational climate is shared perceptions about the
organization and work environment.
The same appears true for organizations.
Factors of climate has been studied, including safety,
justice, diversity, and customer service.
Climates can interact with one another to produce
behavior.
Climate also influences the habits people adopt.
16-4
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
Identify the factors that create
LO 3 and sustain an organization’s culture
How a Culture Begins
Ultimate source of an organization’s culture is its
founders.
Founders have vision of what the organization should
be.
Unconstrained by previous ideologies or customs.
New organizations are typically small; facilitates the
founders’ imparting of their vision on all organizational
members.
16-5
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
Identify the factors that create
LO 3 and sustain an organization’s culture
Sustain Through Selection
The explicit goal of the selection process is to
identify and hire individuals with the knowledge,
skills, and abilities to perform successfully.
Top Management
The actions of top management also have a
major impact on the organization’s culture.
16-6
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
Show how culture is
LO 4 transmitted to employees
Culture is transmitted to employees through
Stories,
Rituals,
Material symbols, and
Language.
16-7
Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
