Thursday, February 5, 2009
Organizational Culture- Section I
The culture of an organization can be powerful influence on one's success and satisfaction on the job. What dimensions distinguish one workplace culture to another? One theory that suggests that several dimensions exist at work. Adler and Elmhorst list eight dimensions listed on pgs. 64-65 in our text "Communicating at Work." Discuss in this blog which of these dimensions must exist in your future work situation for your individual success and satisfaction. Be sure to include your career/job aspiration and some details to how the dimension fits into your daily work life. Then, choose a dimension that you feel is your last choise and is a dimesnion that you do not feel particularly is necessary for your future plans. This blog post is due by the beginning of class on Friday, Feb. 6.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
While I am not really sure of what I really want to do for my career/job, I do know that there are certain dimensions of organizational culture my future job must have. I would probably need a job with a low degree of structure, as I am not the best at taking direct orders. Another thing that would be very important to me is opportunities for growth. I don't think I would be happy at a job where I knew that I had no opportunity to move up. The last dimension my future job will need to have is tolerance or risk and change. I am someone who is very interested in new technologies, and I would want a job that would be willing to keep up with the new products like I do.
ReplyDeleteWhen I graduate out of college I would like to become a human resources manager for an international corporation. In such a job I value the opportunity to grow in the company. The last thing that I want to do in life it to be having a job that I will be doing the same thing every day for the rest of my life. It is important to me that the corporation that I work for encourage employees to develop new skills and have a change in responsibilities. Achievement rewards are very important because if I know that I’ll be rewarded for doing above and beyond what is expected I will try so much harder to be the best. The reasoning for me wanting to be rewarded is because I want to be recognized for my achievements. The dimension that is least important to me is sociability. If you engage too much of your personal life at the job it might interfere. For example, if I socialize too much at work then less work is going to be done, making me less productive. Also, over socializing with co-workers might lead to arguments and fights, making the work environment more hostile.
ReplyDeleteI am currently a double major in marketing and advertising and am aspiring to have a career in either of those fields. The dimension that is most important to me for my future career would be opportunities of growth. When working in advertising agencies the first job you get is most likely a low entry job i.e. assistant and I would not take the job without a chance to move up in the company. My goal in life is to work my way to the top by being going above and beyond what is expected of me. Similarly, the next dimension that is essential in the job I wish to attain is achievement awards. I feel that opportunities for growth and achievement rewards go hand in hand. If I know that by doing more than what is required will allow me to move up in a company and receive a higher income it will motivate me to stand out in my position.
ReplyDeleteA dimension that isn’t necessary for my future career is conflict tolerance. I avoid confrontation as much as possible, especially if I’m in a work setting. It doesn’t matter to me how the company deals with conflict because I try my best to steer clear of it. Another dimension that isn’t essential for my future career is sociability. As much as it would be nice to have a friendly environment at work, it would be a distraction to an already stressful job.
I have not selected a career yet, but I think there are several dimensions of organizational culture that it would need for me to be satisfied and successful. Opportunities for growth would be important for me because I work better when I have goals to work towards. I would also be more comfortable in an environment with a low degree of structure, with less formality. I like freedom and variety, not a highly definied job. Something that would not be important to me would be achievement rewards. I dont need a high level of praise and reinforcement to be successful, I would be satisfied with opportunities for advancement as 'reward'.
ReplyDeleteIn the future I plan to be working in the Accounting field and there are multiple dimensions that must exist for my success and satisfaction. Opportunities for growth are important to me, I need new challenges everyday to avoid boredom. Also, achievement rewards are essential so I can be satisfied that my hard work is recognized. Sociability is another dimension that I need, I believe that if a company is “one big family” it will help me and other employees to work together, and as a result I am more successful. Although degree of structure is important to some people, I don’t care about the structure of a company because I can adapt to the structure easily.
ReplyDeleteI have not narrowed down what job I would like, but I do know that it will be something dealing with computers. There are many different types of computer jobs and some of these jobs require things that the other jobs don’t necessarily need. To be a computer technician, one dimension they would need would be sociability because sometimes your fellow employees or employer may know something that you do not. A technician with a higher experience level can help a person “lower” than them without the person feel less about themselves. Another dimension that I would need at my job would be conflict tolerance. In some situations, there could be a disagreement between an employer and an employee regarding a customer’s technical issue. The boss may think the issue should be resolved one way, but the employer may think that there is a better way to work it out. I would like a job that rewards you for your achievement. It is very nice to know that someone notices your hard work. Personally, I would not need anything extravagant, but even a “job well done” would be fine.
ReplyDeleteIn the future, after I graduate Rider, I hope to acquire a job for some type of prestige advertising company. Working for a company that has many opportunities for growth is very important, and would be one of the first things I take into consideration when applying for jobs. Having a growth of opportunities keeps the employees moving in a company, and knowing that I am not stuck in some sort of glass ceiling, would encourage me to keep setting goals for myself and reach them. It would make me overall a better employee, and most likely make me much more optimistic towards many ideas. Secondly another important dimension would be sociability. Having a positive working atmosphere is probably the most important things while at work. Having employee involvement and interaction without hesitation is important because it makes coming to work not such a hinder. Having relationship and that “one big family” attitude towards coworkers can also comfort you into knowing you have emotional support from them when needed, and can give it in return. A cultural dimension that would not really affect me if I was without it would definitely be conflict tolerance. Personally I am one which avoids confrontation, especially when at work. Working in an environment with tension is very stressful, and most of the time unnecessary, especially when you have a higher power above you giving you direction.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am not completely sure about what type of career I would like to pursue after graduating from Rider University, I know there are certain dimensions of organizational culture that are imperative for my job choosing. The most important aspect for me is opportunity for growth. I would not want to work knowing that I cannot move up in the company. I sometimes think about being a New Jersey State Trooper. If I were to become a trooper, there are plenty of different ranks that I could work myself up to. Growth opportunity is crucial to me because it would motivate me to work harder and to be the best I can be. Another dimension that I feel is very important is for there to be a degree of structure. This is important to me because I like things to be ordered, I would not want to work in a place where everyone is just doing whatever they feel like. I think a degree of structure would help me to stay more focused on the job at hand and even reduce stress. I feel this could reduce stress because if I worked in one department and someone from a different area of the organization wanted to do part of my job, I would worry that they would not complete what they are doing at a high level. This could then look bad on me, and make me look like less of asset to the company. Although I believe all of the dimensions would be important in choosing a job, I would have to say that the least important dimension would be tolerance for risk and change. This is because I could deal with either a company that changes with the times, or one that values tradition and stability. I find that it could be nice to stick to tradition and be predictable, and it wouldn't bother me to change. So this would be my last choice as a dimension to consider.
ReplyDeleteIn the future when I graduate from Rider I am going to pursue my career in the field of accounting. The dimension that would have to exist in my future work situation would have to be opportunities for growth. I want to work in an accounting firm and one day become a partner of that accounting firm. If there are no opportunities for growth then I would not have a chance to make partner. The dimension that is the least important to me and is not necessary for my future is sociability. Knowing about other employees’ personal lives can sometimes interfere with the jobs tasks that have to be completed.
ReplyDeleteWith aspirations to become an accountant, sociability is the most critical dimension of organizational culture to me. I believe it is vital for co-workers to not only be able to discuss work dilemmas and situations with co-workers, but personal situations as well. When an employee has established good relationships with their co-workers he or she will be more eager to interact and collaborate successfully with them in the firm. With a little insight into others personal lives, workers can also gain reasoning behind co-workers’ business decisions. On the other hand, I believe achievement awards are least important to me in my future career as an accountant. I see myself as a determined young woman and I will perform to the best of my ability without incentives. Although acknowledgement is needed at times, it doesn’t determine my performance in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteAfter I receive my accounting degree at Rider I expect to work in an accounting department of a corporation. The most important dimension for my career place is the opportunity of growth. Not only will I want to succeed in my field but also climb the corporate ladder. I need to grow and make progress with my work to enjoy it. The dimension that I will least need is achievement rewards. I expect to be passionate about my job and give it my full attention. I don’t expect to go to college for four years and stick with a career and do a mediocre job.
ReplyDeleteWhen deciding where I want to work after graduating the sociability of the company and the opportunities for growth are two things that I think are very important when picking an employer. I want to work for an accounting firm and pursue my master’s degree. Right now I'm not sure what area of accounting I would like to go into whether it is public, tax, audit, or advisory. I know that room for growth is very important to me and my career goals. I need to be motivated and know that if I work hard there is a chance my effort will pay off and I will be given more responsibility in the company. Sociability is also something I would look for at a job because I would want to feel personally connected to those around me. I think this would allow me to not only be interested in my work, but also make friends out of my co-workers. Also, if I was having a problem at work having a friend who works at the company as well may make it easier to talk to someone who is on the inside with me and who understands where I'm coming from. I do not think that tolerance for risk and change is as important as the other dimensions of organizational culture in the work place. I think that this dimension would be the easiest to conform to whether the company sticks with traditional values or decides to encourage chances and risks. I think in this sense I am the most flexible so whatever the company prefers would be fine with me.
ReplyDeleteI certainly feel that all eight of these dimensions are fairly important and obviously relevant to a good work environment. There are three or four dimensions mentioned that I would not be able to work without. Sociability is a very important one. In the very first class we talked about how important communication is. I think sociability is related to how well a team can communicate. It also will show better productivity. Down the road I would like to be involved in the music industry, maybe in an agency or production corporation. Either way, sociability would be important just to communicate with your co-workers and clients. I would have to say the next most important one for me would be Tolerance for risk and change. Obviously the music industry is as close to the cutting edge as you can get without falling off. So a tolerance for risk would be important because you are always taking a risk, and making changes. That’s how one would advance in this career. So the next dimension I would mention is Opportunities for growth. I do not want to find myself in a stagnant career. I want to know that there is always room for change, and growth, if it is deserved. And for a dimension that I don’t feel is that important would be the degree of structure. I am not a fan of tons of rules and guidelines. I like to be able to venture..
ReplyDeleteI am currently an accounting major with a concentration in forensic accounting and would love to work as an auditor for an accounting firm one day. In such a field, sociability and opportunities for growth are two of the most important dimensions that must exist in any accounting firm. As an auditor, I would to work together with a lot of co-employees. Therefore, the ability to socialize with so-workers in personal level is very important. In order to work well within a team, I need to understand them in a personal level. Opportunities for growth is also important for my career. If the company let me take on new responsibilities and encourage me to develop my skills, which means that they appreciate my talent. Degree of structure would be my last dimension choice for my career. With an accounting major, I can get involve in a lot of field within the accounting business such as tax or auditor and with the forensic certificate I can also work in the forensic department of the accounting firm. Therefore, it is acceptable to be involved in other areas of the organization’s work.
ReplyDeleteWhen I enter the workforce I want to have a job that is in a business oriented environment where everyone is happy and can be sociable with one another, which means I believe the most important dimension of culture is sociability. I think that if employees are happy with one another and feel free to talk among each other, it will help to allow these workers to perform their tasks in an easier way. Whenever someone is happy, they are also motivated. This also leads me to believe that Achievement rewards are the least important thing that I would want at my job. I feel that if I am to achieve at a higher level in my job, I may be given a raise or a promotion, but a reward for doing the job I am paid to do would not make me satisfied. I feel as though if I am doing a job I am to do it the correct way no matter what, therefore I do not get fired. I would more fear being fired than to want to perform in a better way to receive an achievement award. Therefore, I feel sociability is the most important thing for a workplace to have, and achievement rewards are ther least important.
ReplyDeleteAfter I am done with school I plan on becoming a part of the insurance world. There are many dimensions in this industry. I feel the most important one is Sociability. I feel this way because in any workplace it is critical for employees to get along. If employees do get along than it makes the workplace a more positive place and a positive atmosphere is critical if a company wants to succeed. A positive atmosphere also motivates the employees of the company to do well and to try their hardest. In the insurance business you really need to count on each other and get along with your coworkers in order to complete tasks set before the company.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the least important dimension is Degree of Structure. This is because in order to become a successful company employees must work together to reach a common goal and sometimes you will have to help someone out. To help someone is not a reasonability of yours but if you help a coworker with a decision it can turn out to be very profitable for the company. In the insurance business the goal is for the employees to find out is if it is worth the risk to give a person, place or thing insurance. If there is a certain degree of structure than it’s harder for the company to decide whether or not insure the account. A group of people would have better incite on whether or not its worth it than just one person.
When I graduate I plan on having a job in the field of accounting. The most important dimension I believe is for opportunities for growth. Without this the job would become very boring and their would be no motivation to work harder. Sociability I think is the next most important because the work atmosphere will be more comfortable if all employees are involved on a personal level. I think achievement rewards would be a good way for employees to be motivated to go above and beyond, but are not necessary if the company does not believe in this. The one thing that would not be necessary for me would be the tolerance for risk and change because I would be fine following the tradition.
ReplyDeleteWhen I graduate Rider I plan on becoming an accountant, and the most important dimension of the firm that I would work for is the opportunity for growth. I feel that is the most important because it gives you the opportunity to move up in a firm and increase your salary and job responsibilities. Especially for accounting majors who will most likely receive low end entry jobs when starting at a firm. Also I feel that the firm should have sociability because I feel that the people in the firm should be able to know each other on a personal level which will allow employees to work better together. Also it will lighten up the mood in the firm because it will give the employees the option to relax and talk on a personal level with other employees and not just about the job. A dimension of organizational culture that I feel is not important to me would be a degree of structure. I feel if no one has a title than everyone could work together and not feel intimidated to express their ideas to upper management.
ReplyDeleteI want to work in my father’s business of selling silk, and draperies. It is interesting as people in the company are continuously thinking of creative designs and different materials that suit different designs. A couple of dimensions that will fit into my business plans are:
ReplyDeleteThere should be a degree of structure; there should be achievement rewards, and there should be opportunities for growth. However there should not be a lot of tolerance for risk and change.
• There should be a degree of structure in every company as discipline plays a huge role in the performance, and thereby the success of every company. Too much of structure can be a problem as employees will start feeling trapped, and also the management will not be able to think “outside the box” with too much of structure.
• There should be achievement awards and opportunities for growth as motivation is the primary reason why people work, or do anything for that respect. The more the motivation, the more the effort, the more the results, the more the success rate.
• There should not be a lot of tolerance for risk taken by employees as this can lead to bigger problems. Employees should get promoted, and they can have more powers in their new position. But employees at lower positions should not be allowed to take heavy risks; a bureaucratic society is the extreme side of this spectrum, which is also not a good system/society.
The dimensions of organizational culture that I value the most are having freedom to make decisions without much fear of consequence and a certain degree of structure so the duties of the job are well defined. In this type of environment, it would be understand what is expected in terms of performance, but also allows for the employee to complete any tasks in their own manner.
ReplyDeleteI currently make money through private retailing and waitering at restaurants. For me I would say my most important requirement for a job is growth opportunity and freedom to do what I want when I want. That is why when I graduate I will no longer work for restaurants which have an intolerable management system.
ReplyDeleteIn the future, I intend to work as a finance specialist by maybe working for one of my uncles' companies and later simply own land and rent it for monthly income, and supplement that income by continueing and maybe enhancing my private retailing business.
extension to first comment:
ReplyDeleteA dimension that I feel is unnecessary would be the Emotional Support. I say this because I don't intend on working with a large group of people, this need not be provided in such a business. My sort of business is simply, provide and get paid. Not much creativity or teamwork necessary. Which minimizes drama in the work place as there is limited interaction.
After graduating from Rider, I plan on becoming an actuary. Some of the important dimensions that I think should exist in my work surroundings are sociability, achievement rewards, and opportunities for growth. All of these dimensions are favorable because I will be able to interact with other people about non-work related things to relieve the stress of work as well as being awarded for outstanding work, like working overtime to complete the assignments. Opportunities for growth are also important because as an actuary there are a lot of tests to pass to improve your skills and your level of power. As for a least important dimension of culutre, I think in the actuarial world is the tolerance for risk and change. I find it to be the least improtant because there are always risks and changes taking place in the business world, including trips to other companies all over the world.
ReplyDelete