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Artifacts and Organizations

Artifacts and Organizations. Professor Anat Rafaeli Industrial Engineering and Management Technion ISRAEL. What is an organization ? (Rafaeli, 1996). Formal Definition : A set of contracts. Actually ==> A set of people ==> A set of emotions ==> A set of artifacts

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Artifacts and Organizations

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  1. Artifacts and Organizations Professor Anat Rafaeli Industrial Engineering and Management Technion ISRAEL (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  2. What is an organization? (Rafaeli, 1996) Formal Definition: A set of contracts Actually==> A set of people ==> A set of emotions ==> A set of artifacts (not always physical, not always conscious) (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  3. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  4. Organizations are full of artifacts (dress, logos, service stations, queues) (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  5. Artifacts can be a Nightmare! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  6. Artifacts Can be a Resource (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  7. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  8. Theoretical Background Independent bodies of literature: Marketing … Organization Behavior … Design Art, …Engineering …Human Factors Multiple disciplines view physical artifacts VERYdifferently (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  9. Marketing, Organizational Behavior Symbolism (Schein) How is artifact interpreted? (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  10. Art, Design, Architecture Aesthetics, reactions of the senses, How is it perceived? (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  11. Engineering, Human Factors Instrumentality, functionality, usability: How well does it work? (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  12. Managerial Problem: • Artifacts can have Different Implications for Different People Danger of Artifact Myopia ! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  13. Artifact Errors in Organizations Miss Whitney cancel the memo requiring that personal appearance should reflect our corporate culture (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  14. “The Tale of the Green Colored Busses” Rafaeli and Vilnai-Yavetz (2004) A study of sensemakingof a key organizational artifact (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  15. Context “At the end of 1999 The Company decided to paint its buses green, as an indication of adopting “green” values …..Toward this end The Company spent 7.5 Million NIS (2 Million Dollars), more than half on advertising. …[but] the color was not tested with focus groups or surveys …[or] from a safety standpoint. (National Comptrollerhttp://www.mevaker.gov.il, 2002) (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  16. Study Sensemaking and Perceptions by Multiple Stakeholders • Employees (managers, drivers) • Users (passengers) • Experts (engineers, technicians, designers, marketing, PR) • General media (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  17. For Who is Artifact Relevant? Constituents Other drivers Bus drivers General public Organizationand management Other Companies Environmentalists Passengers Pedestrians Artifact (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  18. What about Artifact is Relevant? Formal organizational intentions A focus on symbolism: “We wanted to change and improve our image …Our intent was to convey commitment to quality of life and quality of service. Green represents environmental friendliness….” (spokesperson) (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  19. Symbolism • Management Intentions: Marketing Foundations Issue Image Constituents General Public Management Passengers Artifact (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  20. Artifact Error I: Artifact Symbolizes More than Intended • “Israel’s colors are blue and white,not green which Arabs tend to like” “Green symbolizes hospitals and illness” (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  21. Data: “Green is for garbage trucks” “Green represents a certain sports team” (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  22. Artifact Error II: Artifact is not only a symbol! • Is it Functional? • “Green blends in with the environment and cannot be seen. A traffic hazard (passenger). • “Green heats the bus. Makes it up to 4 degrees hotter, which will cause energy waste in the summer.” (engineer) • “Green does not stand out at night (designer). (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  23. Artifact Error II: Artifact is More than a Symbol Is it Aesthetic? “Green is ugly and unnecessary. Parts should be white or in different shades of green.” (designer) “Dark green is ugly, creates a feeling of suffocation.” (passenger) (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  24. Everyone Recognizes THREE dimensions! • Experts have a deep understanding of a specific dimension, but may overlook other dimensions • Experts and non-experts differed in terminology and content focus • BUT • 3. Experts AND non-experts • refer to three dimensions (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  25. Expertise of engineer evident in safety concerns “The color is dangerous… dark green is not visible. An important element for safety is visibility and for visibility contrast is important, a difference between object and background. When it's dark and you pass through a junction and a large black object 12 meters long passes [it's a problem].” Passenger: “I can’t see the green bus. It is dangerous! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  26. Expertise of designer evident in aesthetic concerns “In the colorful vividness of our country, to impose one consistent color on a bus, on a complex such as a bus, on such a big complex such as a bus, and such a green, it is simply inappropriate. Hideous!” Engineer: The green bus is really ugly! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  27. Conclusions so far … • Artifacts have three aspects (instrumentality, aesthetics, symbolism) • Experts focus on one aspect. • People in general recognize all dimensions. Sensemaking (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  28. On Customers … Branding (Identifying) Creating Legitimacy and Trust Defining Responsibility Defining Interaction On employees … Identifying Creating Legitimacy and Trust Defining Responsibility Defining Interaction Positive Artifact Impact? • Promoting Organizational Goals (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  29. Artifacts and Trust: Food from a stranger? • A stranger hands out food on the street • 469 casual pedestrians on a major street in Haifa and Herzlia. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  30. (1)=51.12, p=.000 % 23.1% N = 469 55.3% With logo Without logo Significantly more people comply in presence of a logo (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  31. Logo (Artifact) does NOT have to be recognized to elicit trust! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  32. Artifact Induces Compliance Mostly With High Risk! High Risk condition: (1)=51.12, p=.000 Low Risk condition: (1)=0.295, N.S (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  33. Defining Responsibility: Poster and boarding card identifies time as under customer responsibility! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  34. Defining Responsibility: Uniforms identify employee responsibility (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  35. Shaping Employee Behavior Employees are more service oriented when IN UNIFORM (Smock and Name Tag) than when OUT OF UNIFORM (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  36. Attracting Customers Aesthetic versus Unaesthetic Employee Appearance Affects Customer Tendency to Interact! (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  37. Producing the right mood (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  38. Service stations To what extent do you feel Irritated? To a great extent To what extent do you feel Irritated? Service stations To a little extent Please answer the question To a great extent To a little extent Please answer the question PI – Anat Rafaeli Queue Structure as Artifact People are Significantly More Irritated and Less Satisfied in a Multiple Queue than a Single Queue EVEN IF it takes the same amount of time (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  39. Service stations To what extent do you feel Irritated? To a great extent To what extent do you feel Irritated? Service stations To a little extent Please answer the question To a great extent To a little extent Please answer the question PI – Anat Rafaeli Queue Structure as Implicit Contract People are Significantly More Irritated and Less Satisfied when an Interference occurs in a Single Queue than in a Multiple Queue EVEN IF it takes the same amount of time (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  40. Artifacts and Organizational Issues Two routes of reactions to artifacts …. a. Artifact as target – Reactions to the artifact itself b. Organization as target – Artifact as trigger (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  41. Artifact as Trigger Issue: “Greenwash” They found it easier to paint their buses green, and claim they are green. About 190 people die every year from those buses. They pollute and make so much noise you can’t hear yourself think. Issue: Safety Maybe the new green color will remind bus drivers to stop being wild on the road and to pass only when the light is green Issue: Customer Respect “Green or black”? - “Company accepts religious pressure?” (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  42. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  43. Artifact as Trigger Issue: Customer service “Green or spitting”? - “Yarok O Yorek?” Issue: Employee – management relations I have no idea about the green color. The company did not bother to involve us in any of the decisions. They don’t care about us, about what we think, we are worthless, just members. What are members anyway? (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  44. Artifacts and Organizational Issues Issues Organizational image Customer Service “Greenwash” Wild driving Employees-Management relations Constituents Other drivers Bus drivers General public Organization Environmentalists Passengers Pedestrians Aesthetics Symbolism Instrumentality Artifact (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  45. Artifacts and Identity: Microsoft’s Media Player More than 50,000,000 skins downloaded from the internet. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  46. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  47. Ratings of Default and the 2 choices (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  48. Predicting Satisfaction with an Artifact * p < .01, ** p<.001 Table 3: Adjusted R2 and standardized regression coefficients of three skin aspects regressed on satisfying experience and pleasant experience. (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  49. Emotion Connects Artifact and Organization …through the three dimensions (85% of the time) Symbolism: “I am… happy to travel with a company that has the positive intentions the green bus represents”. Instrumentality:I am angry! The green does not stand out at night, and they know it. They don’t care about the passengers!” (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

  50. Artifacts as Emotional Events:Talk About Artifact involves Emotion toward Organizational Issues. Issue: Greenwash Hypocrisy “ I am furious. They are hypocritical. With a green bus they say, ‘Hey, look, I am a good, warm, and caring body for the environment.”’ But they are the bad guy that pollutes the environment!” (c) Anat Rafaeli - http://Anat.Rafaeli.Net

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