Ex.4 Read the text and be ready to discuss each point of cultural values with their meanings

ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

Although the concept of organizational climate is somewhat nebulous, it is valuable in understanding several aspects of organizational behavior. Organizational climate is the overall favourability of member attitudes and perceptions with reference to specific activities and featuresof an organization. Organizations tend to have their specific culture: a peculiar mix of values, attitudes, norms, habits, traditions, behaviors and rituals. Some organizations are well aware of their culture and regard it as a powerful strategic tool, used to orient all units and individuals toward common goals, mobilize employee initiative, ensure loyalty, and facilitate communication. They aim at creating a culture of their own and making sure that all employees understand it and adhere to it. The specific cultural values of an organization may concern, for example:

1. the organization’s mission and image-e

2. seniority and authority-j

3. the treatment of people-a

4. the importance of different management positions and functions-f

5. work organization and discipline-k

6. decision making process-b

7. circulation and sharing of information-g

8. communication pattern-l

9. ways of handling the conflicts-c

10. performance evaluation-h

11. socialization patterns-m

12. management and leadership style-d

13. identification with the organization-i

a) concern for people and their needs, equitable treatment or favouritism,

privileges, respect for individual rights, training and developing opportunities, how

people are motivated

b) who decides; who has to be consulted; individual or collective decision

making; need to reach consensus

c) desire to avoid conflict; preference for informal or formal ways; involvement

of higher management

d) paternalism; authoritative, consultative or participative style; flexibility and

adaptability

e) high technologies, innovative spirit, superior quality

f) authority of personnel department; importance of different vice-presidents’

positions; respective role and authority of research and development

g) employees amply or poorly informed; information readily shared or not

h) confidential or public; by whom carried out; how results are used

i) manager and stuff adherence to company objectives and policies; enjoying

working with organization

j) respect for seniority; seniority as a criterion of authority

k) voluntary versus imposed discipline; punctuality; use of time clocks; flexibility

in changing roles at work; use of new forms of work organization

l) preference for oral or written communication; rigidity or flexibility in using

established channels, use of meetings; who is invited to what meeting; established

behaviour in the conduct of meeting

m) who socializes with whom during and after work; facilities such as separate

dining rooms or reserved clubs