Organistional Culture Theory

Organisational culture theory is about the communication behaviours of organisational members. The theory was introduced by Pacanowsky and Nick O'Donnell-Trujillo. The theory looks at the organisation with a culture that it creates through communication, thus, creating its own identity. A clear example can be about the supermarket employees, they normally have a certain uniform that identify them from customers. So, the customers can easily identify workers if they need any assistance.

Organisational culture refers to the way of living in an organisation. This culture includes the emotional and psychological climate within the organisation. There is one culture within the organisation that all organisational members are introduced to, and made aware of. 

Belasen (2008) primary looks at the employee’s morals, attitudes and level of productivity. The employee’s morals and attitudes have an impact on the organisation's level of productivity. If members are not motivated, they tend to have a negative attitude towards customers and in that manner, they are chasing away customers and this results into low productivity from the organisation. For example if you go to border offices, the workers there are very stingy and you might have a tough time getting your passport stamped.

The organisational culture also comprise of the actions made by the employees, their daily routines, the conversations they conversate and the meanings employees attach to the symbols and how they interpret the non verbal cues within their organisation.

As any other communication theory, there are also assumptions made about this theory. The first assumption according to O'Donnell-Trujillo is that organisational members create and maintain a shared sense of organisational reality, meaning that employees shape the organisation's culture through sharing and discovering the organisation's values. The second assumptions looks at the ability of employees and how they use and interpret symbols, and what meanings they attach to them. And the third assumption focuses on the organisation's culture across other organisations, and their similarities. Organisational culture differs from one organisation to the other. Like hotel waiters and waitress wear official clothes to show the quality and elegance of their hotel, while mine workers wear protective clothes to show that they work under harsh conditions and there is need for them to be protected always.

Organisational culture has an influence on the organisation's performance. The founders of this theory believe that organisational members act out certain communication performances and this result in a unique organisational culture. Performance is more about the symbolic understanding and human behaviour in the organisation. There are five cultural performances, which are; ritual (personal, task), passion (organisation's stories), social (politeness and courtnessy), political (exercise of power or control) and enculturation (acquire knowledge and skills).

There are underlying assumptions that remain unexplained about the organisational culture. This can include office behaviour and task orientated behaviour. Information is gathered through observing the behaviours of senior workers, these underlying assumptions are more likely to be taken for granted and are not clearly recognised. According to Schein, they are part and parcel of the organisation.

Reference:       Notes from class

                        www.uky.edu/~drlane/orgcomm/325ch05.ppt

                        www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theory--corporate-organisational-culture--322.php