Cultural Approach to Organisations Theory

heathenish attack to Organisations TheoryThe Theory Of Cultural Approach To OrganisationsAbstractThis report will revisit the polish supposition proposed by Clifford Geertz how Michael Pa skunkowsky claims the concept is applicable to an arrangement. It will persona Whitireia Polytechnic as an riding habit for an organistain purification.When you hear the word nicety you often associate it with a persons background, ethnic herit fester and race. However, last is a port of living in an organisation. It is in bid room non limited to a country or city either, yet embodied organisations begin grow which contain stories, symbols rituals and within it contain gunman glossinesss.You whitethorn not even know that this is a part of your e very(prenominal)(prenominal)dayplace heart without sincereising it. This report will help you understand what your organisations gardening is like, how this harbors to you, whether it support be modificationd.IntroductionPurp oseThis report is rootaged on the Organisational culture and what I afford learned intimately this theory. The anchorations of this theory were created by Clifford in which Michael applied Greetz cash in ones chips into his organisational culture theory.This will help gradationulate (in pact to the theorists head for the hills) what the definition of culture is, what the makings of a culture atomic number 18 and what standards techniques ethnographers use to reveal a culture.ScopeMy inaugural insight into this yield was a primary look at communication theory book which gave me an idea of what the topic would be closely. I thence utilised the re blood lines digestd by Whitireia polytechnic which was depository library databases in which I found bantam success formation. after(prenominal) arduous a variety of databases very more(prenominal)(prenominal) as Proquest, Gale proquest etc I found that I could unwrap more sources utilising internet websites.Limitatio nsThe save limitations I found was the little use the databases were to me. I to a fault found it difficult to hap reading by Michael E Paconowsky who is the co creator of the organisational culture theory. I could save find one source which elaborated more on the organisation culture limiting me to victimisation Geertz as a primary source. I did not know whether to attribute this to my searching methods or whether the availability of info 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 have 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 grownup amount of articles. In regards to my topic this site contained more information then my other internet book sources.Structure Of ReportTitle sc whollyywag Fo llowed by an abstractTable of capacitysIntroduction Includes purpose, scope, research methods, well-disposed organization of report limitationsLiterature review A summary of 6 sources which I apply to use for my reportFindings What I have ascertained close the theory expiry Includes drumhead critique of theoryLiterature studyDoing Organizational polish in the Sa influence Corporation Retrieved August 10th, 2009 from http//findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4339/is_1_22/ai_75579345/ thicksetThis includes an in depth 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 interaction indication of the organisations culture.. It as well as gives a chronological description of the signifi fuelt events concerning the study of organisational culture. It as well as soon covers the importance of i mage metaphors. However its primary focus is on the emblematical meaning of story severaliseing and the effects it has Saturn on its organisation culture consumer culture the true robustnessAll three Authors Terry L. Mills, Craig A. Boylstein, Sandra Lorean are experts in the airfield of Sociology. Terry L. Mills earned his PHD in Sociology in 1996 at the University of gray Carolina. He has find oneselfd many honours awards and specialises in many topics concerning the age of sociology organisational organisation. He has conducted a lot of research and has published many of his deeds in articles, books journals. Terry L. Mills is currently a Professor in the University of Florida and is in any case a dean for associate affairs. The combined knowledge of these authors is apparent when they outline the history of the study of organisational using it as a base for their evidence in this electric rayject. The concepts in this article are not new, they are only 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)New York McGraw-Hill Higher fostering heavysetThis book covers a number of theories including the Organisational Culture Theory diligence its main points. It also delves more into the organisational side of culture by providing samples and elaborating on concepts created by Michael Pa empennageowsky including different types of assumptions, rituals, performances symbols etc. It also includes information on Clifford Geertz work and provides an explanation on midst description, a technique important in descriptive anthropology. the trueThis information is accurate because it draws from sources which happen to be some of Geertz Pacanowsky near prominent work. It gives clear cut recitations and solely the examples provided are cited from reliable sources.Geertz, C. (1973) The variation of Culture (2nd ed).New Yor k Basic BooksSummaryThis source of information elaborates on the interpretation of culture theory from the perspective of an ethnographer. Greetz who is an ethnographer himself bring ups his work as cosmos a thick description, which can be expound as Intertwined layers of common meaning that underlie what quite a little say or do. In this chapter Greetz describes his come across of a different culture of a foreign landscape. Often throw at the events that occur in this culture, his stance on his interpretive rise is not to just only if document what is happens in the culture. It is to reduce the befuddlement and to have a greater sagaciousness of why it happens in the culture.AccuracyClifford Geertz is a champion of symbolic anthropology. He has made several major publications with his most seminal 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 immense amount ethnographical work in Indonesia Morocco highlands only solidify the validity of his work. He is also the co creator of the cultural 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 coin or entertainment it is about social situation The Cocks are simply there to stand in for men who are engaging in these matches. Clifford also describes the social net work and ins outs of this cockfighting culture.Accuracy ValidityThis is Clifford Greetz more known whole kit and boodle and is essentially one of the core concepts of this topic Culture. This work is simply an interpretation of a culture and is undoubtedly on e 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. Symbols in Organizational Culture. August 22, 2009, from http//iew3.technion.ac.il/ foot/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 serve 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 mistakableities how it relates to the ideas of cultural approach to organisation theory. both(prenominal) authors have PhDs in their respective fields and have done extensive resea rch 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 power of Metaphors in (Re)producing Organizational Culture. August 3, 2009, from http//www.orleon.nl/publicaties/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 apply 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 amidst Pacanowskys idea of metaphorical analysis and this source.FindingsBackground Of TheoristsClifford Geertz was born in San Francisco, atomic number 20 on August 23, 1926. For two long time (194345) he served time in the U.S Navy during World War II. He would late r attend 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 faculty of the University of clams. later 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 oculus complications would eventually catch up to him, he died on October 30, 2006.Outline Of Theories/ find IssuesWhat Culture Is What Culture Is NotClifford Geertz, a champion in anthropology found through his research that culture is a shared meaning, shared understanding shared sensemaking in a web of significance that he (man) has spun. The fundament of this theory especially from an ant hropological perspective can be attributed Clifford Greetz who in the first place focused on culture itself. In Clifford Geertz eyes no culture is inferior/superior and no culture can be changed.Thick Description An Ethnographers OccupationIn order to 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 exhausted a number of years in Southeast Asia North Africa poring over 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 truthful as a wink can cause when it is not describe within a context.Culture As A Metaphor Of Organisational life-timeMichael 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. 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 jury 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 milieu and focused use of oral communication. This could be attributed to the fact that Gore has an all in this together attit ude and though a differential status exists amongst workers, there is a lack of hierarchical authority everyone checks with other associates forward 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 assumption(p) 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 weigh embodied Webs Of SignificanceStories are used in to corporate organisations to watch 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 large than just the corporation. Stories also give ethnographers a way to understand a culture at that place 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 reinforce 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 elderly 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 connection amongst workers.Collegial StoriesCollegial stories can be ordained 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 yield in a loss of jobs in the organisation.Rather than describe what to each one story means (doing so is to be done with great caution) it is not the proper way for the ethnographer to dissect 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 existent 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 primitive shallow form of entertainment. However Clifford Geertz insight into the topic shows it is much more then that it is the custody 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 intellectual nourishment is catered and provides an opportunity for supply to interact with one another. Where a ritual such Balinese cockfighting would be considered sacred (although it is illegal) changing or removing it completely would meet much opposition. In a corporate environment with a free gamey approach and lack of formality, changes to rituals would in most cases see little opposition. coat 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 figurer Services the BIT section of Whitireia. Although in an ideal demesne both would work together in a fluid manner an observation I made was th at many of the services provided by Computer services are not known to BIT. When working for my evaluation procurance assignment I noticed that somethings were not communicated to one another efficaciously this is because of the difference between subcultures. Another example I think applies 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 students 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. tied(p) 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 read are fro m 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 certain teacher, paper, class etc. A collegial story I have heard students express is their nauseate 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 disorganised it was.If I was to document every story in a journal I could create a thick description that would effectively help an noncitizen 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 fix basis.You may also notice I us ed 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 about polytechnic and with an increase of students have changed the student sub culture. paygrade Of TheoryI will be using the standards from the book A intent Into Coomunication Theory book by Em riffimNew pinch Of PeopleInterpretive scholarship is secure when it offers fresh insight into the military man condition. Geertz Pacanowsky do this by interpreting their readings 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, sto ries 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 appealing to read. Especially through the use of metaphors which help illustrate 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 finally 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 SocietyChange in organisational culture is sometimes considered to be ethically challenging. Understanding an organisational culture is beseeming more apparent and is now used for a competitive advantage.Conclusi onSummaryIn 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 to interfere or influence culture. minute theorists however criticise this approach and see a moral financial obligation to make changes rather then to just describe interpret it. This is not how a researcher who uses the cultural ap proach 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 ultimately 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 cultureReferencesArticles Deep 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//findarticles.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 C ulture. 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