| There are many different and competing definitions of | | | | held ideas of members regarding what constitute right |
| "corporate culture" in the organizational theory literature. | | | | or wrong, fair or unfair, thus anything that has personal |
| On one end of the spectrum culture is simply defined | | | | worth or meaning. These values are expressed in |
| as the patterns of behavior within the organization | | | | operating beliefs and norms of behavior.The corporate |
| (Smircich, 1983). On the other end, some theorists have | | | | culture develops as people come to share a set of |
| defined organizational culture as a system of shared | | | | beliefs and then they use these to establish norms |
| cognitions and the human mind generates the culture | | | | about the way they should behave towards each |
| by means of a finite number of rules (Fiol, 1991). | | | | other and to outsiders (Papers4you.com, 2006). If the |
| Although all the theorists believe in the importance of | | | | outcomes are positive this reinforces their shared |
| the culture in the organizational studies but still there is | | | | belief in the values underlying their behavior. In this way, |
| a lack of consensus over its precise definition | | | | the organizations develop deep seated values and |
| (Papers4you.com, 2006). Theorists have accepted this | | | | beliefs about the way that staff should run things. |
| fact and approached the concept of culture from the | | | | However, it looks simple and straight forward case in |
| most widely used definition of culture, as defined by | | | | theory, but when it is referred in the practical life then it |
| Lismen et al (2004) "a complex set of values, beliefs, | | | | is a big task to let it be a success story. It can be |
| assumptions, and symbols that define the way in which | | | | concluded by drawing upon Barney (1986) that a |
| a firm conducts its business".The evolution of | | | | valuable, rare and inimitable corporate culture can be a |
| corporate culture within an organization has been the | | | | source of sustained competitive advantage for a |
| center of discussion for many years. Practitioners | | | | company.References:Barney, J. (1986) "Organizational |
| have called it the 'way we do things around here' | | | | Culture: Can It Be a Source of Sustained Competitive |
| (Hampden-Turner, 1990) and the theorists have called it | | | | Advantage?" Academy of Management Review, Vol. |
| as the 'collective programming of the mind' (Siew & | | | | 11, No. 3, pp. 656-665Fiol, C. (1991) "Managing Cultures |
| Kelvin, 2004) which distinguishes one group from | | | | as a Competitive Resource: An Identity-Based View |
| another. Culture reflects the identifiable components of | | | | of Sustainable Competitive Advantage," Journal of |
| practices, customs, beliefs and values:Practices: These | | | | Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 191-211Hampden-Turner, |
| represents the surface level of a culture i.e. the visible | | | | C (1990), "Corporate Culture- From Vicious to Virtuous |
| elements such as language, etiquette, form of greeting, | | | | circles", The Economist books, pg 21-22Lismen, C.; |
| clothing, and also include the artifacts of the business | | | | Margaret, S. and Ed Snape (2004) "In Search of |
| i.e. the physical layout. These practices do have | | | | Sustained Competitive Advantage: The Impact of |
| relevance as it greases the functionality of the | | | | Organizational Culture, Competitive Strategy and |
| organization. Such practices keep the employees | | | | Human Resource Management Practices on Firm |
| motivated, concerned and even transform everyone | | | | Performance," International Journal of Human |
| to follow the similar path as everyone in order to | | | | Resource Management, Vol. 15:1, pp. 17-35Papers For |
| achieve the common corporate objective.Customs: | | | | You (2006) "E/B/49. Review of theories on |
| These are the accepted modes or norms of behavior | | | | organizational culture", Available from [22/06 |
| within the organization, reflecting the values and beliefs, | | | | 2006]Papers For You (2006) "P/B/309. Why is |
| which provide guidelines for the way people and | | | | corporate culture important?", Available from [21/06 |
| groups, are expected to behave towards each other. | | | | 2006]Siew Kim Jean Lee, Kelvin Yu (2004), "Corporate |
| These often shape aspects of the physical | | | | culture and organizational performance", Journal of |
| appearance of the organization, also called the | | | | Managerial Psychology; Volume: 19 Issue: 4; 2004 |
| artifacts.Beliefs: The assumptions that members hold | | | | Research paperSmircich, L. (1983) "Concepts of |
| about the organization and the situation within it- about | | | | Culture and Organizational Analysis," Administrative |
| what practices work well in this business, for example | | | | Science Quarterly, Vol. 28, pp. 339-358Copyright 2006 |
| how people make decisions, how teams work | | | | Verena Veneeva. |
| together and styles of problem solving.Values: Deeply | | | | |