When you think of organizational culture, what comes to mind? Simply put, organizational culture refers to a company’s mission, objectives, expectations, and values that guide business practices and employee behaviors. Using these resources, you will consider what organizational culture is and will begin using these ideas—as well as others you have examined throughout this program—to analyze the organizational culture of the organization that you selected to be the focus of your playbook.
· Cheng, J. Y-J., & Groysberg, B. (2021, June 18). Research: What inclusive companies have in common . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–7. http://hbr.org
· Dillard, S. R. (2021, April 19). How inclusive is your leadership? Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–8. http://hbr.org Time Estimate: 6 minutes
· GreggU. (2019, November 18). Organizational cultureLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6Y61qshVv8 Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 14 minutes.
· Kegan, R., Lahey, L., & Fleming, A. (2014, January 22). Does your company make you a better person? Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–4. http://hbr.org
· Greene, J. R. (2022). Boards can accelerate business performance by fully engaging on organizational cultureLinks to an external site. . Board Leadership, 2022(181), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/bl.30215
· Traphagan, J. (2017, January 6). We’re thinking about organizational culture all wrong . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–4. http://hbr.org
Benefits and Challenges of Organizational Culture
Businesses with a well-established organizational culture tend to be more successful because they have operational systems in place that not only support employee performance, productivity, and engagement, but also promote the mission, objectives, expectations, and values of the organization. There is a clear sense of purpose, whereby employees not only understand the organization’s goals but can also feel more connected to those goals and to one another. On the other hand, the culture of an organization can present challenges to the strategic success of a business as well. Through these resources, you will consider the benefits and challenges of organizational culture.
· Furst, P. (2021, May 12). Organizational culture drives (safety) performance. Occupational Health & Safety.Links to an external site. https://ohsonline.com/articles/2021/05/12/organizational-culture-drives-safety-performance.aspx
· Herrity, J. (2022. October 31). Corporate culture examples and benefits Links to an external site. . Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/corporate-culture-examples-benefits
· PwC. (2021). Global culture survey 2021: The link between culture and competitive advantageLinks to an external site. . https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/global-culture-survey-2020/pwc-global-culture-survey-2021.pdf
Incorporating Culture into Strategy and Business Practices
Not only can a strong, well-defined organizational culture support employee engagement and even improve retention, but that culture can be used as part of a business’s strategy. As you consider the culture and business practices of the company that you selected to feature in your strategy playbook, also begin to think about how those elements could serve as a strategic advantage for that company. Or, if there are adjustments that may need to be made, consider how doing so can promote the organization’s success into the future.
· Bartone, P. T., & Stein, S. J. (2020, March 9). Build “hardiness” into your organizational culture . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–4. http://hbr.org
· Gafni, N. (2021, July 1). Do your DE&I efforts consider age, class, and lived experience? Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–9. http://hbr.org
· Grant, A. (2021, February 3). Building a culture of learning at workLinks to an external site. . strategy+business. https://www.strategy-business.com/article/Building-a-culture-of-learning-at-work?utm_source=itw&utm_medium=itw20210701&utm_campaign=resp
· Groysberg, B., Lee, J., Price, J., & Cheng, J. Y. (2018, January–February). The leader’s guide to corporate culture . Harvard Business Review, 96(1), 44–52.
· Yohn, D. L. (2019, December 17). Build a culture to match your brand . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–6. http://hbr.org
· Yohn, D. L. (2018, October 2). 6 ways to build a customer-centric culture . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–5. http://hbr.org
· Yohn, D. L. (2021, February 8). Company culture is everyone’s responsibility . Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–8. http://hbr.org
Important Documents for the Week
· Document: MBAX 6990 Assignment Template (Word document) Download MBAX 6990 Assignment Template (Word document)
· GoSkills.com (2023, June 26). How to create a table of contents in Microsoft 365 | Microsoft Word 365 – Basic & Advanced CourseLinks to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-1vBwJvvzI
· ITsEasyTraining1st. (2023, January 1). How to add a bibliography entry into a Microsoft Word document Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXPGQB4PD3o