Measuring Organisational Culture

The quantification of culture as an instrument has adopted traditional methodologies found in climate research.  

There are two types of surveys that can be classified into two categories which are Typing Surveys and Profiling Surveys.

Typing Surveys can provide senior managers with snapshots on their current positions and their desired outcomes from a cultural change management programme.

Profiling Surveys aim to develop a profile of the organisation on multiple categories of norms, behaviours and values. There are three types of profiling surveys named as Effectiveness Surveys, Descriptive Surveys and Fit Profiles.

• Effectiveness Surveys tend to assess organisational values associated with high level of performance.
• Descriptive Surveys purely measure organisational values.
• Fit Profiles tend to assess the level of fit between an individual and an organisation.

Organisational instruments can be used to monitor and evaluate organisational change, identify cultures of high-performing teams and to facilitate mergers and acquisitions. One instruments that are being used widely is the ‘Organisational Culture Inventory. This instrument is based on two subconstructs of ‘concern for people or task’ and ‘behaviour driven by security or self-actualisation needs’ shows in the figure above.

Constructive Norms

Achievement

• A culture characterises organisations that do things well and value members who set and accomplish their own goals. Members are expected to set challenging but realistic goals, establish plans to reach the goals and pursue them with enthusiasm.

Self – Actualising

• This culture characterises organisations that value creativity, quality over quantity and both task accomplishment and individual growth. Members are encouraged to gain enjoyment from their work, develop themselves and take on new and interesting activities.

Humanistic- Encouraging

• A culture that characterises organisations that are managed in a participative and person – centred way. Members are expected to be supportive, constructive and open to influence in their dealings with one another.

Affiliative

• This culture characterises organisations that place a high priority on constructive interpersonal relationship. Members are expected to be friendly, open and sensitive to the satisfaction of their work group.

·         Passive/Defensive Cultures: 

•      Members believe they must interact with people in self-protective ways that will not threaten their own security (with norms requiring Approval, Conventional, Dependent and Avoidance behaviors).
• ·         People are expected to please others especially seniors and avoid interpersonal conflict. Rules, procedures, and orders are more important than personal beliefs, ideas, and judgment. Passive/Defensive cultures experience a lot of unresolved conflict and turnover, and organizational members report lower levels of motivation and satisfaction.

·         Aggressive/Defensive Cultures: 

     

•      Members are expected to approach tasks in forceful ways to maintain their status and security (with norms requiring Oppositional, Power, Competitive, and Perfectionistic behaviors).
•    In this culture, they encourage the members to appear competent, controlled, and superior. Members who seek assistance, admit shortcomings, or concede their position are viewed as incompetent or weak.
•     These organizations emphasize finding errors and encouraging members to compete against each other rather than competitors.