BUS272 TB

354 Part 4 Sharing the Organizational Vision
If organizations were composed only of a variety of subcultures, organizational
culture as an independent variable would be significantly less powerful. It is the “shared
meaning” aspect of culture that makes it such a potent device for guiding and shaping
behaviour. This is what allows us to say that the Zappos culture values customer
care and dedication over speed and efficiency, and to use that information to better
understand the behaviour of Zappos executives and employees. 29 But subcultures can
influence members’ behaviour too.
Strong vs. Weak Cultures
It is possible to differentiate between strong and weak cultures. 30 If most employees
(responding to management surveys) have the same opinions about the organization’s
mission and values, the culture is strong; if opinions vary widely, the culture is weak.
In a strong culture , the organization’s core values are both intensely held and
widely shared. 31 The more members who accept the core values and the greater their
commitment, the stronger the culture and the greater its influence on member behaviour.
This is because the high degree of shared values and intensity create a climate
of high behavioural control. American retailer Nordstrom has developed one of the
strongest service cultures in the retailing industry. Nordstrom employees know what
is expected of them, and these expectations go a long way in shaping their behaviour.
Google and Procter & Gamble also have strong innovative cultures, and they are trying
to learn how to be even better innovators from each other, as Case Incident—Google and
P&G Swap Employees on page 374 shows.
A strong culture builds cohesiveness, loyalty, and organizational commitment. These
qualities, in turn, lessen employees’ tendency to leave the organization. 32 One study
found that the more employees agreed on customer orientation in a service organization,
the higher the profitability of the business unit. 33 Another study found that when
team managers and team members disagreed about perceptions of organizational
support, team members experienced more negative moods, and the performance of
teams was lower. 34 These negative effects are especially strong when managers believe
the organization provides more support than employees think it does.
R e a d i n g a n O r g a n i z a t i o n ’s C u l t u r e
strong culture A culture in which
the core values are intensely held and
widely shared.
The Calgary Stampede reinforces its culture of being “Great Together” in many ways. 35 It offers
visitors specialized social media sites and GPS-enabled mobile applications that make it easy to
invite and then locate friends, even in crowds of thousands. In addition, over 2300 community
volunteers from all walks of life support the Stampede. Volunteers include high school students,
seniors, and everyone in-between. There are 47 different volunteer committees, which offer a
broad range of opportunities for people from a variety of backgrounds. A large number of volunteers
return every year, helping to maintain some cultural continuity within the organization’s
open and welcoming environment.
The spirit of inclusiveness permeates right up the board level. Unlike many Canadian
organizations, the Calgary Stampede has a significant number of female board members: 5
of 20 board members (or 25 percent) are women. This commitment to diversity at the most
senior levels sets the tone for the rest of the organization,
reinforcing the inclusive culture sought by Stampede organizers.
Why does culture have such a strong influence on
people’s behaviour?
As we noted in Exhibit 10-2 , the artifacts of culture inform
outsiders and employees about the underlying values and
beliefs of the organization’s culture. These artifacts, or
physical manifestations of culture, include stories, rituals,
What kind of
organizational
culture would
work best
for you?