Types of Culture (DP IB Business Management)

• Business specific artefacts, e.g. uniforms

• A well-known figurehead as a role model

• Ceremonies, rituals and customs, e.g. awards evenings

• Layout of business premises, e.g. open plan offices

• The training culture, e.g, induction and on-going

• Core organisational values, e.g. staff wellbeing

• Workplace procedures, e.g meeting etiquette

• Business specific language, e.g. calling workers 'team members' or 'partners'

• Repeating stories that focus on business values and history

Zeus

Power Culture

Apollo

Role Culture

• Decision-making is carried out by one or a small number of powerful individuals, usually at the top of the business hierarchy

  • Few rules exist to determine decision-making procedure

  • A competitive atmosphere between workers vying for power

  • Most communication is by personal contact

  • It is argued that Alan Sugar's Amstrad adopted a power culture with Sugar as its powerful decision-maker

• Key decisions are made by those with specific job roles

  • Power lies with those with particular job titles rather than those with desirable skills

  • There is usually a very clear hierarchical structure

  • Employees are expected to adhere to rules and understand their place in the hierarchy

  • It may be difficult to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions

  • Large public sector organisations such as the NHS are considered to have highly structured role cultures

Athena

Task Culture

Dionysus

Person Culture

• In a task culture, decisions are made by teams made up of employees with specific skills

  • Power lies with those with task-related skills (e.g. a finance specialist may make decisions related to funding within the group)

  • Teams are created and dissolved as projects are started and completed

  • There is an emphasis on adaptability and team-working

  • PepsiCo is an example of a business that has a task culture

• In a person culture, individuals with extensive experience and skills are loosely brought together

  • These individuals have significant levels of power to determine their own decision-making procedures and often work autonomously

  • Organisations with person cultures are very common in professional services such as accounting and law