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