Spending some time in the United States can turn out to be a good learning experience. Learning takes place both in class set ups and outside the classroom. One gets an opportunity to learn about the values of Americans and their complicated culture.
Before one goes into the United States, it is important to find some information regarding the values that determine the behaviors and attitudes of Americans. It is important to take note of the facts that the country is comprised of diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds that shape the values of Americans and that certain groups hold values that deviate from the mainstream American values
In the United States, there are three levels of organisational culture namely observable artifacts, espoused values and enacted values. Observable artifacts include dress, ceremonies, myths, parking spaces, awards and stories. Dress refers to the different attires that employees prefer to wear at the workplace.
This is informed by regulations in different organisations since dress code varies with organisations. Ceremonies are different events held by organisations to celebrate certain achievements. Such events are important in the United States since they are used as avenues of boosting the morale of employees. Acronyms on the other hand are short forms of words which are used for purposes of communication within organisations while parking spaces are the physical locations where motor vehicles are parked
Another important component of organisational culture in the United States is the values. Values are often defined as beliefs or concepts that are characterized by certain attributes. For instance, they are related to desirable behaviors or end-states. They are also involved in guiding evaluation or selection of events and behavior.
Finally, they go beyond situations and are directed by relative necessity. The first category of values in the United States is the espoused values. These are values that have been explicitly declared by organisations as the preferred ones. They are introduced by the founders or top personnel in the management of organisations. They are comprised of aspirations of an organisation that are made known to the employees.
The second category of values in the United States is the enacted values. These are defined as the norms or values that are either portrayed or transformed into employee behavior. In the United States, most organisations work towards reducing the gaps that exist between espoused and enacted values. This ensures that there is a balance between the two for both the management and the employees to be satisfied .
The above functions play an important role in shaping organisational values and culture. The first role is that of providing employees with a sense of identity.
This is achieved through socializing new members into the organisation. When new employees are hired, they are indoctrinated into the operations of an organisation and its culture in order for them to adapt and become part of the organisation. The second role is that they build a collective commitment among employees to achieve the goals of the organisation and remain true to its mission.
The third role is that of enhancing social system stability. By doing so, employees are able to consider the workplace as reinforcing and the working environment conducive, hence conflicts are easily managed. Finaly, the above functions shape the behavior of employees by enabling them to view their surroundings in a positive manner. This is important since there are some employees who might not make sense out of their immediate surroundings.
References
Gorden, S. (2011). Organisational Values Guide for Leaders and Managers. New York: VDM Publishing.
Gurgaon, I. (2007). cultivating organizational culture and ethical behavior. Retrieved from //www.citehr.com/719-cultivating-organizational-culture-ethical-behavior.html
Schein, E. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership. New York: John Wiley & Sons.