Topic 2: Perspectives on organisational culture
In this section, we are going to explore organisational culture. The history of thinking on organisational culture is summarised in the timeline below.
Figure 2.1
History of though! on organisational culture
Organisational culture was noticed and documented
During this period culture was used to explain why organisations struggled with change
Managers deliberated as to how organisational culture might be used to achieve competitive advantage
Managers tried to tie culture into organisational mission and vision
Today we know that culture is inextricably linked throughout every level and department within our organisations
1950s
1980s 2000s
The developments in thinking on organisational culture in the twentieth century are summarised below (Boonstra, 2013). Click on the below headings to reveal further information. Early 1900s German economist and sociologist, Max Weber
• opposed subjectiveness, cronyism and abuses of power within management structures and decisions • proposed an organisation based on fairness with three core values towards a system of bureaucracy: legal equality, legal certainty, justice.
French engineer and mining executive, Henri Fayol:
• developed general theory of business administration that is often referred to as Fayolism • renowned for his 14 principles of management, including unity of direction.
Mid 1900s American business executive, Chester Barnard:
• emphasised the organisation as a cooperative system. Drew upon community spirit to reduce intra-organisational conflict and improve collaboration between managers and employees • likened the culture of an organisation to the organisation’s ‘personality’ with which employees could identify.
Canadian psychoanalyst and social scientist, Elliot Jacques:
• studied organisations as cultural units and found that values give guidance to employee behaviour • importantly, discovered that organisational social systems could better withstand changes due to group dynamics.
Late 1900s Professor of Strategy and Organisation at the University of Oxford, Andrew Pettigrew:
• proposed that myths, symbols, rituals and language are highly useful when setting organisational culture • found that organisations can have several sub-cultures.
Geert Hofstede used the concept of a ‘culture onion’ to describe the various cultural layers that exist in an organisation. At the core of the organisation are its values. Rituals, symbols and heroes then form layers around this central core.
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