Managing Culture

Interview: Talk to someone in an organization about what you read about. Ask them whether their experiences are consistent with the ideas presented in the readings, how the ideas might be useful in their work, etc.

I interviewed a friend, who runs a successful sports website. His website attracts a lot daily traffic from a specific demographic of men. I chose him because I wanted to gauge how website managers develop and execute their organizational culture. Further, I wanted to learn how he handles internal and external cultural problems (Sorenson, 2009).

Beforehand, I explained this week’s readings.

Interviewer: Sorenson (2009) states that a manager or the employee can influence culture. How has your organization’s culture been created? Did you establish it, or did it naturally develop from your employees?

Participant: I like to think that I established the culture, but I also feel it naturally developed over time with the help of my team members. I put together a group of like-minded individuals. Collectively the company culture organically found its identity.

Interviewer: A strong culture exists when employees of an organization share the same values and beliefs (Sorenson, 2009). Would you consider your culture strong? Why?

Participant: I would consider our culture strong because it is a flat structure. As long as everyone handles their duties, the less bureaucratic it has to be.

Interviewer: Sorenson (2009) also states that organizations with strong cultures have a hard time adjusting to external change. Do you agree with that statement? And, is your organization or staff affected by external pressure from your users, competition, and environment?

Participant: That's tough to answer because we haven't really had to face external change yet. I would like to think we would handle it ok.

Interviewer: Consistent organizations harness strong cultures (Denison & Mishra, 1995). However, there is a downside to consistency because it “is that highly consistent cultures are often the most resistant to change and adaptation” (Denison & Mishra, 1995, p. 215). Do you find yourself constantly changing the landscape of your organization’s culture to fit the demands of being relevant? Or do you remain consistent and true to your original culture?

Participant: We remain consistent and true to our culture because that's what sets us apart from our competitors. We have no constraints with our culture.

Interviewer: Adapting to external pressure for the betterment of your internal structure is a characteristic for effectiveness (Denison & Mishra, 1995). Do you find it hard to adapt to pressure? When do you decide to adapt to external change?

Participant: No, I do not find it hard to adapt to pressure.

Interviewer: Hofstede (2006) has said that masculinity values differ from femininity values. Since your site’s demographics draw a majority of males, do you think your organization’s culture is stronger due to your staff being all male? Do you change your language and verbiage to be more sensitive to your few female users?

Participant: Being that our whole staff is male we find it very easy to relate to our male-heavy demographic. We understand what they want to see.

Interviewer: Overall, please sum up your organization’s culture in one sentence.

Participant: Our culture is the ideal habitat for the nurturing of ideas and exercising imagination.

During the interview, I learned that an organization does not have to be open to adapting to change. Yet, having an open mind about adapting can make a culture stronger. I also learned that an organization should be sensitive to other cultures. Plus, the manager or the employee can shape the culture. I think a culture is best when the employees have an invested interest in the organizational structure and culture.

The participant confirmed that he created his organization’s culture, but that the employees also helped shape it. He hired individuals who already shared the same values and beliefs (Sorenson, 2009). The organization is said to possess a strong culture and has not faced external pressures thus far.

Two characteristics are responsible for his strong culture. Consistency and adaptability, as stated by the individual, allow the organization to run smoothly without any visible hitches (Denison & Mishra, 1995). The organization is resistant to change. Further, he does not have a problem with offending external cultures like femininity because his demographic is male.

His response to the final question summed up his whole organization’s culture. “Nurturing of ideas and exercising imagination” (Interview) is a powerful statement. The statement verifies that he listens to his employees and that his employees’ opinions matter. When employees feel understood by the management, then they work harder for the organization (Sorenson, 2009).

Denison, D.R. & Mishra, A.K. (1995). Toward a theory of organizational culture and effectiveness. Organization Science, 6, 204- 223.

Hofstede, G. (2006). Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede model in context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture.

Sorenson, J. (2009). Note on organizational culture. Harvard Business School, 1-6.