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Organizational Theory – Part 3 Communication and Culture. Chapter 6 Discussion/Recap. Organizational Culture. Relationship between communication, individuals, and social context
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Organizational Theory – Part 3Communication and Culture Chapter 6 Discussion/Recap
Organizational Culture • Relationship between communication, individuals, and social context • Common frame of reference; language, values, beliefs, interpretations, customs, folkways, communication, rituals, celebrations, myths, etc. (p. 128) • Controlled by managers? Employees? Both? • Cultures as webs • Confining, mobilizing, struggles over meaning • A contested reality • Subcultures; organization as interconnected webs • Imagine classroom as organization • Culture? • Subcultures? • Who created it?
Perspectives: T. I. C. • Traditionalist • Change organization’s culture to make organization more effective • Strong culture = members understand and works towards same goals • Managerial control • Results always negative to employee? (e.g. daycare, social activities, appreciation dinners) • Interpretivist • Describe organization’s culture; based on members’ meanings • Shared meaning • Culture emerges from interactions • Critical-Interpretivist • Meaning generated by organization's members • Uncover oppression and sites of power struggle; sometimes unknown to employees • Paths to empowerment • Merging Perspectives • Improves accuracy • Results from one used o guide the other • Holistic approach • Willingness and likelihood? Depends on focus and views
Approaches • Reveal meanings and interpretations of org. life • Looks at how culture is created, transmitted, and changed via communication • Interpretivistsand critical-interpretivist most common • Approaches • Language and Worldview (Sapir-Whorf hypothesis) • Knowledge Structures (schema) • Consensual and Contested Meanings (countercultures—consider power—example in text of tenured professors) • Multiple cultures perspectives (subcultures; depends on size) • Metaphors • Narratives • Rites and Ceremonies • Reflexive Comments (plan, commentary, account) • Fantasy Themes
Ben & Jerry’s • P. 153-154 • Their culture? • “…any newly acquired company will retain its consumer base only if it retains its reputation. What do you think? Will Ben & Jerry’s be able to sustain their unique corporate culture? What will need to be done to sustain this culture? What will the major challenges be to sustaining the culture?” (p. 155)