The impact that organizational culture

‘Critically evaluate the impact that organizational culture has on both internal corporate communication and team dynamics’. Use the case study to develop your answer. Use academic theory to support your discussion.

Introduction

An organizational culture is described as the way an organization shares its activities and values among employees in the company. This includes the lifestyles and behaviors of the people in that particular organization including lifestyles and characters. It includes all the rules, regulations and responsibilities all employees are supposed to fulfill in a given organization. It is the guidelines that enable all employees realize their duties in the organization and ways of handling themselves as well as other people in the organization. It entails employees’ relations in the company. Employees’ relations can be described as the various processes laid down by a given company in order to make sure that there is good working environment for employees. Employees must be committed to their jobs. Employers should also respect rights of employees. This is done in order to avoid conflicts in the organizations as a way of promoting unity and good interaction between employees and employers. An organizational culture involves ways of achieving the set goals and objectives in the organization. It involves various measures and standards used by various people especially managers for the well being of the organization. It involves methods and guidelines given to employees by employers and ways of following them. An organizational culture maintains a good organizational behavior and is able to ensure that high standards are maintained in that organization. It entails use of motivation in order for employees to work harder and achieve the set goals and objectives. It involves various methods used by employers in order to ensure that employees remain motivated and are qualified to carry out the given duties and responsibilities in an organization.

Impact that organizational culture has on communication

The culture of most organizations is dynamic and keeps changing depending on the type of management employed in the company. Organizational culture is important since it ensures that employees are able to meet the set standards where every employee is entitled to a single responsibility which they should achieve. Organizational culture affects the organization by impacting on the environment employees are exposed to (Schein, 2010, P.164). For example in Carmarthen Building Supplies Ltd, the working environment is not good enough for employees to work hard and achieve the set rules. There are no clear guidelines and policies employees followed unlike in other companies where managers for employees to follow lay down rules and regulations. Employees are few in this company and are not motivated thereby absenteeism and boredom is seen in this company. The organizational culture in this company is negative and contributes to poor performance of both managers and other staffs in the company. It does not maintain good relationship between managers and employees whereby managers make decisions without including employees. This means failure to the company since decisions are well made when other junior employees are involved since they know many problems at the root level. Such a company with a negative organizational culture, unqualified and unmotivated staff and where rules and guidelines are laid down is an example of a company experiencing failure (Senior & Swailes, 2010, P.117).

Good communication is needed for an organizational culture to remain positive and lead to good performance (Morschett et al, 2010, p.116). In the Carmarthen Building Supplies Ltd, communication is not appropriate since employees are not aware of their rights and duties. Employees are not aware that they should report to managers when sick and ask for permission to remain absent. Employees are not aware that they remain answerable to managers. Proper communication is necessary in organization in order for information to flow easily from managers to employees and vice versa. Good communication entails use of strategies by the top managers in order to ensure good performance. Top managers in the company are skilled people who work towards success of the company drawing their effort from their CEO. The corporate governance strategies are useful in ensuring good relationship between stockholders and the managers (Morschett et al, 2010, p.116). Managers use their skills in ensuring success is achieved and respect is maintained among all staffs in the company. Top managers work at ensuring long term success and sustainable growth and development. Top managers are keen to observe the environmental laws as a way of following government policies. The top manager in Carmarthen Building Supplies Ltd, Gareth, noticed that this company lacked many important features which other companies had. The company operates on a relatively tall structure. From the CEO, we have the general manager who is followed by other regional managers. Other employees follow regional managers. This is a simple structure of management. The company uses centralized mode of decision making. This unlike centralization does involve several procedures in making vital decisions of the company since decision making determines failure or success of a company. The mode of decision making has led to failure of the company. The company should employ modern technology order to fasten the process of decision making. It should promote people in accordance with skills and experience and qualifications (Senior & Swailes, 2010, P.117).

Sources of distinctive competences include customers’ relations, market relations and technological influences. The company designs its structure such that it is not favorable to customers who are the most important people in the company. It should ensure that customers’ satisfaction and efficiency is maintained and provision of quality service is possible. The company uses a matrix structure in its management. It should use its control systems to provide quality services to its customers (Morschett et al, 2010, p.116). The structure of the company does not support business strategies and models in the company under leadership of the top management. The company does not respect its employees, customers and other stakeholders. It does not motivate its employees as well as providing affordable services to the clients. The company does not motivate its employees as one way of promoting success. Motivated employees work hard in order to achieve success (Smith et al, 2013, p.65). Management should ensure that resources are available and staff employed is qualified. Organizations should ensure that skilled staff is there in order to maintain success of the businesses. Managers should be flexible in order to change with the changing strategies and technological changes. Managers should ensure that its competitors do not outdo the company (Huczynski, et al, 2010, p.245). Managers should identify the problems faced by the company and come up with reliable and efficient solution to ensure success of the company. The objectives and aims the company should be achieved by managers applying their management skills. Managers should make sure that the plans are well implemented and that the set goals and objectives are maintained. This makes the company remain strategically fit thus ensuring success in that company.

Impact that an organizational culture has on internal corporate culture

An organizations culture is important since it ensures that the internal corporate culture is well maintained and followed. Gareth was able to bring changes to the company since he had knowledge and was highly qualified unlike the previous manager. Internal corporate culture ensures that employees relate well with the employers and with each other. Success is only achieved when employees work towards achievement of the set goals with help and motivation from employers (Huczynski, et al, 2010, p.245). Managers should come up with various corporate strategies in order to achieve and maintain high performance. Managers come up with international corporate strategies like motivation and especially promoting deserving employees. Managers should have leadership skills and decentralize the process of decision making since employees should be involved in making important decisions in a business. Employees are the key shareholders of the company and customers as well. In this building company, Gareth noted that the staff did not treat customers, as they deserve which kept many customers away. Employees should treat the customers in a friendly manner since customers are pleased by good services. The company failed initially since employees handled clients in an irresponsible way which Gareth solved as a good and qualified manager (Hayes, 2010, p.321). The employees were not qualified in the company which also affected the company’s success. Success is only achieved if employees are skilled and properly trained. The new manager impressed the owner as part of the internal environment since performance started shooting positively. The kind of staff employed in part of the internal corporate showing that unqualified staff will definitely lead to poor performance.

Managers are important people in the company. They ensure that information flows right from the senior employee to the juniors. They supervise the juniors and guide them on ways of achieving success. They also train new employees and initiate them in to the organizations culture. Respect is necessary between employees and the manager. They should all stand to be corrected (Hayes, 2010, p.321). Managers should ensure that the given resources such as finances are well maintained and efficiently utilized in order to achieve the set goals. Plans should be achieved effectively in order for the organization to achieve. The building company did not have prior plans and set goals thus employees did not work in order to achieve much. Plans should be laid down and resources allocated for them to be completed in time. Without planning, an organization cannot remain successful. In the company there were no clear set guidelines and rules thus employees did whatever they felt like. Lacking plans lead to failure of the company since there are no standards and rules to guide the entire company (Hayes, 2010, p.321). Good managers are able to come up with strategies and rules which govern the entire company. This clearly outlines responsibilities of each individual and ways of carrying out themselves when performing those responsibilities in the company. Organizations should therefore employ skillful managers since managers as the overall head can either direct a company to failure or achievement.

Impact that organizational culture has on team work

Team work in an organization is important since it leads to cooperation between employees in the organization. Good managers are able to poses team work skills and are able to bring employees together regardless of the different cultures and background. Tuck man’s theory is used to show various stages of team working. Tuckman uses a four process model in order to show the importance of team work in a particular organization which is not seen in Carmarthen Building Supplies Ltd. the four processes include forming, norming, storming and performing.

Forming as stage one process

Here, the leader is responsible for providing guiding and counseling to the junior employees. Responsibilities of each individual should be made clear (French, 2011, p.119). The leader is able to answer many questions asked by the individuals in a comprehensive way. Individuals focus on the daily responsibilities and are able to learn more about each other. Different feelings on certain issues are avoided in this stage as individuals learn from one another and enhance cooperation. Individuals are able to learn the importance of tasks given to them, scope the task should take, and ways of solving that particular task (French, 2011, p.119). Conflicts must be avoided in order to maintain cooperation in this comfortable stage. The team is able to meet and discuss on ways of achieving the set goals of that organization in the best way possible. Team members are able to learn the challenges ahead and are able to come up with ways of solving such threats to the organization. The members of the team remain motivated and are able to focus towards success of the organization and members are independent in this stage. The members of the team are focused on maintaining success but often focus more on themselves. Some team members are able to behave well and mature even at this first stage of team working which shows they are well prepared (French, 2011, p.119). This stage is important in an organization since it ensures different individuals are able to learn and understand each other better. Members exchange ideas and knowledge and are able to learn different things and this promotes socialization and making of new friends. In these stage managers learn how different employees can handle issues even when faced with challenges and are able to know how each employee work even under given pressures.

Storming as stage two process

This stage is important since it ensures that the team grows positively. This stage is unpleasant to members who are prone to conflicts. Members in this stage remain tolerant and put their differences aside. Failure for members to remain tolerant means failure for the organization. In this building company members are not tolerant thus leading to conflicts between employees and managers (Burnes, 2009, p.231). This stage should be well controlled in order for success to be achieved. Patience and motivation should be well seen in order for members to remain united as a team. Most teams fail at this stage and fail to develop since members fail to remain tolerance and exercise patience. Supervisors in this stage are accessible to other members of the group but are more concerned with achieving the set goals instead of developing the group. Team members are therefore given chance to settle the disputes and differences more easily and comfortably. They are able to do so since they are not supervised and are free to share their views, ideas and opinions. At times arguments and tension are experienced as members share their different opinions and this can be upsetting. Members should control themselves in order to pass through this stage to the next phase if team work is to remain prosperous. This stage is important since it shows the patience of members and methods of solving their differences in the best way (Burnes, 2009, p.231). Team work is made possible through tolerance of the members since everyone is subjected to their different views and opinions. Respect is the key factor which ensures that team work is made possible. People should learn to respect other people’s views and opinions in order for conflicts to be avoided.

Norming as stage three

In this stage, the team is able to settle at achieving one goal as a team. Some members are able to give up their views and ideas and settle for one main objective and goal (Brooks, 2008, p.211). Team members take up their duties, responsibilities, and work hard in order to achieve the set goals. Members here work towards preventing further conflicts and different but remain reluctant in sharing ideas that could contribute towards achieving success of the group. Some members fear that sharing their opinions could lead to further conflicts. The group is entitled to sharing social activities. The group members respect each other and the leader in order to work towards achievement of the set goals (Brooks, 2008, p.211). The group members agree and are working toward achieving the agreed goals. This stage is important in an organization since it shows how different people are able to handle responsibilities and methods of achieving the already set goals. Carmarthen Building Supplies Ltd did not introduce team work in its organization thus one factor leading to poor performance. Team work ensures that employees are able to relate well, handle responsibilities and challenges as a group and in a good manner. This stage ensures that people remain focused and can solve their differences on time and contribute positive ideas in the group.

Performing as the fourth stage

Most groups do not reach this stage. Only the high performing groups are able to reach this stage. The members are able to work with minimal supervision and are able to remain successful. The members are able to solve their differences appropriately without supervision. The members are motivated and have the appropriate knowledge. The members in this stage are able to make decisions without seeking help and remain competent towards achieving the already set goals. Members are faced with dissent but are allowed since it is well channeled so that it will not lead to failure of the group (Burnes, 2009, p.231). Supervisors participate in this stage since the group is making important and effective decisions. Members are able to look at the previous made decisions and can decide to change them if need be. Most organizations go through the four different stages in team making. The team building process is altered through change of leadership. For example in this building company, the leadership was changed. Gareth as a new manager would have ensured that he makes team work possible since the previous manager had not made it possible. Good managers should have good team work skills in order to ensure teams reach the performing face where most groups do not reach (Bloisi, 2006 p. 112). Managers should work towards achievement of goals and ensure the working environment is appropriate for employees. Leaders should supervise high performing member in a minimum manner in order to motivate them and ensure they are left free to make important decisions. Performing groups are usually motivated. Motivated members work towards success of the group unlike those unmotivated members. Managers should ensure that the employees remain motivated for success to be achieved (French, 2011, p.119).

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is clearly discovered that communication, internal corporate culture and team work are the key factors towards achievement of success. In this company, Gareth as the manager tries to maintain success through coming up with strategies that lacked earlier and setting goals that employee should work hard in order to achieve. As a good and qualified manager, he discovered that many things lacked in this company and thus changed the company’s way of carrying out things. Under his management, the owner is impressed since the performance starts to become positive. Thus, an important lesson to organizations is that managers should be skillful and qualified in order to guide and act as role models for other junior employees to follow. Good management leads to success of the company while poor management with skillful employees leads to poor performance. Employees should respect clients, which was different in this company. Clients are important since without them an organization cannot operate. Thus clients should be provided with the best services as a way of maintaining them and attracting many more. Organizations should therefore employ skilled and qualified staff right from the senior most to the junior if success is to be achieved.

 

 

 

 

References

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Brooks, I. 2008. Organisational Behaviour: Individuals, Groups and Organisation Organisation.  4th edn. Harlow: FT Prentice Hall.

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French, R. 2011. Organizational behaviour. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley.

Hayes, J. 2010. The theory and practice of change management. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D. 2010 Organizational Behaviour Behaviour. 7th edn. New York; Harlow: Prentice Hall.

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