Cultural Approach to Organisations Theory

Cultural approaching to Organisations TheoryThe Theory Of Cultural Approach To OrganisationsAbstractThis base will revisit the shade surmisal proposed by Clifford Geertz how Michael Pacanowsky claims the concept is applicable to an nerve. It will use Whitireia Polytechnic as an illustration for an organistain market-gardening.When you examine the word culture you often associate it with a persons background, ethnic heritage and race. However, culture is a fashion of living in an organisation. It is as well not interpretericular(a) to a country or city either, level off corporate organisations cast off culture which contain stories, symbols rituals and within it contain submarine cultures.You may not even know that this is a part of your every(prenominal)day life without realising it. This report will assistance you understand what your organisations culture is like, how this applys to you, whether it can be permuted.IntroductionPurposeThis report is based on the Organisational culture and what I have learned about this theory. The foundations of this theory were created by Clifford in which Michael applied Greetz work into his organisational culture theory.This will help explain (in accordance to the theorists work) what the definition of culture is, what the makings of a culture be and what standards techniques ethnographers use to pick up a culture.ScopeMy first insight into this topic was a first look at communication theory make up which gave me an idea of what the topic would be about. I then utilised the re pedigrees provided by Whitireia polytechnic which was depository library databases in which I found little success formation. After trying a variety of databases such as Proquest, Gale proquest and so forthI found that I could arrest more than bloods utilising internet websites.LimitationsThe only limitations I found was the little use the databases were to me. I also found it difficult to find data by Michael E Paconows ky who is the co creator of the organisational culture theory. I could only find one obtain which elaborated more on the organisation culture limiting me to victimization Geertz as a essential source. I did not know whether to attribute this to my searching methods or whether the availability of information was insufficient.Research MethodsThe databases were of little use to me my primary sources of information came from Articles Internet websites using Google. At first finding information was difficult as I apply the library database as my primary source for Information. Although I did find some sources, my primary source of information came from a website which contained a large quantity of articles. In regards to my topic this site contained more information then my other internet book sources.Structure Of ReportTitle page Followed by an abstractTable of contentsIntroduction Includes purpose, scope, research methods, social organisation of report limitationsLiterature review A summary of 6 sources which I used to use for my reportFindings What I have discovered about the theoryConclusion Includes Summary critique of theoryLiterature ReviewDoing organizational Culture in the Saturn Corporation Retrieved August 10th, 2009 from http//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/SummaryThis includes an in sagacity look into the organisational culture in the Saturn Corporation. The Authors who researched this topic discovered how they came to their conclusions by poststructural analysis of the video advertisements, examining metaphors along with fundamental interaction exposition of the organisations culture.. It also gives a chronological description of the significant events concerning the study of organisational culture. It also briefly covers the importance of image metaphors. However its primary focus is on the symbolic convey of storytelling and the effects it has Saturn on its organisation culture consumer cultureAccurac y ValidityAll three Authors Terry L. Mills, Craig A. Boylstein, Sandra Lorean are experts in the field of Sociology. Terry L. Mills earned his PHD in Sociology in 1996 at the University of Southern Carolina. He has received some(prenominal) honours awards and specialises in umpteen topics concerning the age of sociology organisational organisation. He has conducted a lot of research and has published many a(prenominal) of his works in articles, books journals. Terry L. Mills is currently a Professor in the University of Florida and is also a dean for associate affairs. The combined know takege of these authors is unornamented when they outline the history of the study of organisational using it as a base for their evidence in this subject. The concepts in this article are not new, they are barely a tool to back up their research and explain the organisational culture of the Saturn Corporation.Turner, L..H., West, R ., (2007) Introducing Communication Theory (3rd Edition) sa ssy York McGraw-Hill Higher gentilitySummaryThis book covers a number of theories including the Organisational Culture Theory covering its main points. It also delves more into the organisational side of culture by providing examples and elaborating on concepts created by Michael Pacanowsky including different examples of assumptions, rituals, performances symbols etc. It also includes information on Clifford Geertz work and provides an explanation on Thick description, a technique primal in Ethnography.AccuracyThis information is accurate be engender it draws from sources which pass to be some of Geertz Pacanowsky most prominent work. It gives clear cut examples and all the examples provided are cited from reliable sources.Geertz, C. (1973) The Interpretation of Culture (2nd ed).New York Basic BooksSummaryThis source of information elaborates on the interpretation of culture theory from the perspective of an ethnographer. Greetz who is an ethnographer himself fall upons his work as being a thick description, which can be described as Intertwined layers of common heart that underlie what people say or do. In this chapter Greetz describes his experience of a different culture of a foreign landscape. Often amaze at the events that occur in this culture, his stance on his interpretive approach is not to only simply document what is happens in the culture. It is to reduce the puzzlement and to have a greater understanding of why it happens in the culture.AccuracyClifford Geertz is a champion of symbolic anthropology. He has made several major publications with his most germinal being Deep Play Notes on the Balinese Cockfight. His work on interpretive theory has had a major impact in the field of anthropology and his extensive amount ethnographical work in Indonesia Morocco highlands only solidify the validity of his work. He is also the co creator of the ethnic approach of organizations theory.Geertz, C. (1973) Deep Play Notes on the Balinese Cockfight Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http//www.si.umich.edu/rfrost/courses/MatCult/content/Geertz.pdfSummaryIn this source of information Clifford Geertz gives an insight into the balinise cockfighting culture. This does more than what happens in these cockfights he explains the deeper meaning behind the culture. He stresses that it is much more than about money or entertainment it is about social status The Cocks are simply there to stand in for men who are zesty in these matches. Clifford also describes the social networking and ins outs of this cockfighting culture.Accuracy ValidityThis is Clifford Greetz more known works and is essentially one of the core concepts of this topic Culture. This work is simply an interpretation of a culture and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why Cultural approach to organisations theory is here today. It is interesting to note that the cockfighting metaphor is applicable to many cultures and everyday life occurrences.Fafaeli, A., Worline, M. S ymbols in Organizational Culture. August 22, 2009, from http//iew3.technion.ac.il/Home/Users/anatr/symbol.htmlSummaryThis source goes into detail about what symbols are and how they apply to organisational culture. It briefly provides four functions that symbols officiate in an organisation and how the use of symbols can provide a deeper understanding in a n organisations culture.Accuracy ValidityThis has also been referenced in a first look at communication. It has also been published in a number of books and draws some of its concepts from Clifford Geertz work. I can also see the similarities how it relates to the ideas of cultural approach to organisation theory. Both authors have PhDs in their respective fields and have done extensive research on this topic.Ardichvili, A.,Basten, F.,Daley, B.,Kraemer, T.J.,Kuchinke, K.P.,Morgan, G.,Shindell, T.,Short, D.C.,Willis, V. The Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture. August 3, 2009, from http//www.orleon.nl/public aties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdfSummaryThis source discusses metaphors and provides a storyline about the NBS organisation. It talks about how metaphors can describe the NBS organisation in a six part storyline written by employees. The author also provides analysis on the metaphors that were used and what they mean.Accuracy ValidityThese sources concepts are very similar to those created by Geertz Pacanowsky. Although this source does not reference them there is a clear connection between Pacanowskys idea of metaphorical analysis and this source.FindingsBackground Of TheoristsClifford Geertz was born in San Francisco, California on August 23, 1926. For two years (194345) he served time in the U.S Navy during World War II. He would later att termination Antioch College receive his B.A in philosophy. He later studied social anthropology received his PHD from Harvard University. After he taught a number of schools he would join the anthropology staff of the University of Chicago. Subsequ ently he became a professor in social science at Harvard University in whicch he would receive several honory doctorate degrees from numerous colleges including Cambridge, Harvard Chicago University. After his divorce with Hilderd Greetz he would end up marrying Karren Blu who was also an anthropologist. In his later years his decline in health due to heart complications would eventually catch up to him, he died on October 30, 2006.Outline Of Theories/key IssuesWhat Culture Is What Culture Is NotClifford Geertz, a champion in anthropology found through his research that culture is a shared out meaning, shared understanding shared sensemaking in a web of significance that he (man) has spun. The foundation of this theory especially from an anthropological perspective can be attributed Clifford Greetz who primarily focused on culture itself. In Clifford Geertz eyes no culture is inferior/superior and no culture can be changed.Thick exposition An Ethnographers OccupationIn order t o understand a culture one must become an ethnographer. Ethnographers are researchers who immerse themselves within a culture also meaning they are in it for the long term. Clifford Geertz spent a number of years in Southeast Asia North Africa studying various cultures which eventually led him to call his extensive material in his journals to be known as thick descriptions. Thin descriptions would simply describe an event thick descriptions however would describe an event within a context. His primary example in The Interpretation of Cultures theory describes the puzzlement when something simple as a wink can cause when it is not described within a context.Culture As A Metaphor Of Organisational LifeMichael Pacanowsky found Clifford Geertz work helpful and would use work to give a better understanding of organisational culture. This in turn would help give us a better understanding the behaviour of organisations by understanding the way how groups live and interact with one another (prenominal). Michael Pacanowsky discovered that not only materials such as paperwork were crucial but also analysing the behaviour of how groups operated was equally as important to understanding an organisations culture. As part of his work he used three components to better understand a culture which were metaphors, stories and rituals.MetaphorsTo understand a shared meaning of a culture Michael Pacanowsky used metaphors to describe the W.L Gore organisation. He used three metaphors to describe this unique culture the first being that Gore was a cluster of peasant villages because of its decentralised environment and focused use of oral communication. This could be attributed to the fact that Gore has an all in this together attitude and though a differential status exists amongst workers, there is a lack of hierarchical authority everyone checks with other associates before making significant decisions.Other metaphors Michael Pacanowsky used to describe Gore was that he saw it as being an improvisational Jazz band because of its like minded workers who liked to try new things and and compared the workers as being factions in Colonial America because of its innovative approach to work. Using metaphors to describe a culture is a valuable tool for ethnography.Stories A Window Through Which To consume bodied Webs Of SignificanceStories are used in to corporate organisations to guide employees to how to function within an organisation. It can also be used as a motivational tool to draw inspiration or to simply give a historical account so that employees may find themselves and become a part of something much bigger than bonny the corporation. Stories also give ethnographers a way to understand a cultureThere are three types of stories Corporate stories, Personal Stories Collegial stories.Corporate StoriesCorporate stories are ones that can be seen in pamphlets, advertisements etc. This is the vision of the upper level and management that they want to bee f up sometimes to the public eye. An example of this would be how a corporate boss who would spend his Christmas Eve working with his employees and would be the last to leave.Personal StoriesPersonal stories are something that an employee may tell about himself to help identify with other workers or how he would like to be perceived within an organisation. An example of this would be how an immemorial worker describing his experience in the workplace prior to the technological dependency and how a pre robot like environment developed more personal interaction and a sense of community amongst workers.Collegial StoriesCollegial stories can be positive or negative and are used to describe others in an organisation. An example of this would be how a new manager who has taken has a cut throat approach to his employees and that his technological happy approach would result in a loss of jobs in the organisation.Rather than describe what each story means (doing so is to be done with great caution) it is not the proper way for the ethnographer to break apart each piece and explain every intricate detail, it is to interpret everything as a whole and see the bigger picture.Rituals The Rites Of A CultureRituals are substantial in all forms of culture the Balinese Cockfight written by Clifford Geertz shows this. Without looking at it without an open mind Balinise cockfighting could be percieved as nothing more than a ill-bred shallow form of entertainment. However Clifford Geertz insight into the topic shows it is much more then that it is the Men who are fighting for status and the cocks are simply just a representation of that.An example of this in a corporate organisation would be casual Fridays where formal clothing is optional. Or Free lunch Wednesdays where nutrition is catered and provides an opportunity for staff to interact with one another. Where a ritual such Balinese cockfighting would be considered sacred (although it is illegal) changing or removing i t completely would meet much opposition. In a corporate environment with a free spirited approach and lack of formality, changes to rituals would in most cases see little opposition.Application Of TheoryI will use a real life example when applying the cultural approach to organisations. My example is about Whitireia Polytechnic. Clifford Geertz talks about Cultures having subcultures and there are many examples of this in Whitireia.A broad example would that every sector of Whitireia e.g BIT, CIT, has itsLocation can affect cultures an example would be Computer Services the BIT branch of Whitireia. Although in an ideal world twain would work together in a fluid manner an observation I made was that many of the service provided by Computer services are not known to BIT. When working for my evaluation procurement assignment I noticed that somethings were not communicated to one another effectively this is because of the difference between subcultures. Another example I think appli es to this theory is the subculture created by Teachers. Although BIT culture as a whole is relatively the same, the subcultures are different. George Tongariro has a relatively informal style of teaching which is very much alive vibrant. This in turn influences the disciples especially the ones with who share similar attributes. This type of sub culture would likely clash with another teachers sub culture that has a very reserved formal approach to teaching. Even students have sub cultures which result in people having different social circles because tend to socialise with people who have similar values.Stories are told amongst students and teachers, corporate stories I have memorize are from pamphlets and websites. However the personal collegial accounts were told to me orally from both teachers students. Personal stories I have heard about Whitireia is a students experience with a received teacher, paper, row etc. A collegial story I have heard students express is their dislike of how work intensive a certain class is. An example of a collegial story I was told in class from a staff member was how they disapproved with how BIT section of Whitireia was run and how it ran without order and how disorganize it was.If I was to document every story in a journal I could create a thick description that would effectively help an alien understand whitireia polytechnic culture.A Ritual in this context would be performing a practical lab I get given every Tuesdays and Wednesdays in which I must complete within a designated time. Another example would be students playing table tennis or pool at the student centre on their break on a regular basis.You may also notice I used metaphors to help understand the culture present in Whitireia. I have also been at Whitireia Polytechnic for a nearly two years in which (despite the lack of a PHD) adds credibility to how I can apply this organisational culture to this industry. I also tend to hear more positive things a bout polytechnic and with an increase of students have changed the student sub culture.Evaluation Of TheoryI will be using the standards from the book A Look Into Coomunication Theory book by Em riffimNew Understanding Of PeopleInterpretive scholarship is good when it offers fresh insight into the valet de chambre condition. Geertz Pacanowsky do this by interpreting their recitals and using techniques to describe a culture within a context. To have an insight human culture is to have a insight to teh human condition.Clarification Of ValuesA good theory brings peoples values into the open. Both Greetz Pacanowsky where able to define an organisations culture by using thick descriptions, metaphors, stories rituals.Aesthetic AppealThe appeal of Greetz Pacanowsky theorie is that it used real examples in which they both experienced. The way they convey their research through narratives, stories metaphors also provides an artistic interesting insight and makes their material appeali ng to read. Especially through the use of metaphors which help decorate capture the essence of an organisations culture.A community Of AgreementClifford Geertz is considered to be a champion symbolic anthropology and some of his most famous works such as the Balinise cockfight were innovative lastly allowed Pacanowsky to apply his ideas into the theory. Although there is some criticism towards organisational culture theory the support is much more apparent within the community.Reform Of ball clubChange in organisational culture is sometimes considered to be ethically challenging. Understanding an organisational culture is becoming more apparent and is now used for a matched advantage.ConclusionSummaryIn summary Clifford Geertz work e.g description of culture, pioneer of ethnography inventor of thick descriptions, combined with Michael Pacanowsys interpretation of organisations through use of stories, metaphors and rituals ultimately lead to a theory that is applicable to many organisational cultures. Stories, metaphors rituals are all practical ways of describing and interpreting a culture. I have also shown a real life example of how applicable it is and though it may not anywhere near the level of Geertz or Pacanowskys work, it should show how this can be used in different types of organisations.Critique Of The TheoryAs you should know by now Clifford Geertz stance on Culture isnt to change it, it is to understand it. Nor did he wish well to interfere or influence culture. Critical theorists however criticise this approach and see a moral obligation to make changes rather then to just describe interpret it. This is not how a researcher who uses the cultural approach to organisation sees it. An ethnographer does not use his research as a tool for change nor does he use it to pass judgement or criticise the morality of a culture. Ethnography is about providing a better understanding and how to function in a culture through symbolic analysis. It is ult imately up an organisation and its staff to make a change.Cultural approach is also not as popular as it used to be. Some say that it is because few people if any can match Clifford Geertz writing style. People have described reading his work is like reading an engrossing novel. This in turn may have affected the aesthetic appeal and until someone who can write as well as he can, resurgence in this theory is questionable.Glossary Of TermsEthnography a methodological strategy used to provide descriptions of human societiesRitual Performaces that reoccur on a regular basisSub Culture A Culture within a culture.Thick Description Explanation of the meaning of layers in a cultureReferencesArticlesDeep Play Notes on the Balinise Cockfight Retrieved August 13th, 2009 fromwww.si.umich.edu/rfrost/courses/MatCult/content/Geertz.pdfDoing Organizational Culture in the Saturn Corporation Retrieved August 10th, 2009 fromhttp//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/http//findarti cles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/?tag=contentcol1linise CockfightBooksGeertz, C. (1973) The Interpretation of Culture (2nd ed).New York Basic BooksGriffim, E. (2006). A First Look at Communication Theory (6th ed.)New York McGraw-Hill Higher EducationTurner, L..H., West, R ., (2007) Introducing Communication Theory (3rd Edition)New York McGraw-Hill Higher EducationInternet SourcesThe Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture Retrieved August 13th, 2009 fromhttp//docs.google.com/gview?a=vq=cacheMH7Ir3IC9LAJwww.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdf+http//www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdfhl=engl=nzFafaeli, A., Worline, M. Symbols in Organizational Culture. Retrieved August 22, 2009,from http//iew3.technion.ac.il/Home/Users/anatr/symbol.htmlORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Retrieved August 13th, 2009 fromhttp//www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch36.htmlArdichvili, A.,Basten, F.,Daley, B.,Kraemer, T.J.,Kuchinke, K.P.,Morgan, G.,Shindell , T.,Short, D.C.,Willis, V. The Role of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture. August 3, 2009, from http//www.orleon.nl/publicaties/metaphor_in_hrd.pdf