Every firm’s organisational culture is comprised of different elements. The first element is the set of values associated with the company. These values represent the behaviours, objectives, and goals targeted by the employees. Such values influence the unique culture and strategy of the company. Leadership style is the second element that influences organisational culture. For instance, a democratic style of leadership will promote a unique culture characterised by teamwork and collaboration (Janicijevic, 2013). Similarly, employees’ behaviours will influence the culture of every organisation. The other critical element is the structure of an organisation. This structure will dictate the levels of motivation, collaboration, and participation.
The organisational cultures of many companies are influenced by a wide range of attributes. For instance, routines, systems, and rituals contribute a lot to the culture of a firm. Rituals and routines dictate the behaviours of different employees. Leaders embrace specific rituals in order to guide, empower, and encourage their workers (Res-Caldwell and Pinnington, 2013). Some rituals such as the provision of presents, end-of-year parties, rewards, and ceremonies reshape the culture of an organisation. Specific routines such as mentorship, training, teamwork, and collaboration support the culture of a company (Key concept, 2015). Systems focus on how decisions or operations are executed in a firm. These systems dictate the culture experienced in the targeted organisation.
Each company is characterised by unique stories and practices. Work-related stories usually improve, support, and strengthen the cultural aspects of differing organisations. Employees share specific ideas and concepts that have the potential to improve the level of performance. Positive stories promote healthy relationships and behaviours (Brooks, 2009). Every new employee becomes part of the conversation. The worker finds it easier to support the existing organisational culture. Competencies such as decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking are supported by such stories. Negative feelings are addressed by the workers whenever they emerge. Work-related stories, therefore, influence the culture of an organisation.
The organisational structure of a company dictates its cultural attributes and ceremonies. The structure of an organisation outlines the functions and roles of different individuals in the firm. The structure dictates how leadership is executed to achieve the targeted goals. Different leaders use their positions to supervise, motivate, and empower their workers in order to realise the targeted objectives. The structure dictates how different followers are guided. The structure will influence the values, systems, and rituals associated with the organisation. These aspects eventually reshape the organisational culture of the company (Dickson et al., 2012). Firms that want to develop effective organisational cultures must realign their structures accordingly.
The organisational structures embraced by different firms dictate their cultural attributes. This fact shows that different structures will produce diverse cultural aspects. A company embracing a matrix structure will develop a positive culture characterised by teamwork, collaboration, rituals, and positive practices. Companies associated with functional organisational structures tend to develop negative cultural practices. The workers in such companies find it hard to engage in different workplace stories (Ramthun and Matkin, 2012). Divisional organisational structures are usually characterised by autocratic leadership. This managerial strategy supports a rigid culture that might affect productivity.
References
Brooks, I. (2009) Organisational behaviour: individuals, groups and organisation. Baltimore: Laureate Education Press.
Dickson, M., Castano, N., Magomaeva, A. and Hartog, D. (2012) ‘Conceptualising leadership across cultures’, Journal of World Business, 47(1), 483-492.
Janicijevic, N. (2013) ‘The mutual impact of organisational culture and structure’, Economic Annals, 58(198), 35-60.
Key concept (2015) Baltimore: Laureate Education Press.
Ramthun, A. and Matkin, G. (2012) ‘Multicultural shared leadership: a conceptual model of shared leadership in culturally diverse teams’, Journal of Leadership & Organisational Studies, 19(3), 303-314.
Res-Caldwell, K. and Pinnington, A. (2013) ‘National culture differences in project management: comparing British and Arab project managers’ perceptions of different planning areas’, International Journal of Project Management, 31(1), 212-227.