Ch. 8: Organizational Subcultures
Organizational subcultures are inevitable. It is unrealistic for an organization to believe that it will maintain a single cultural standard. This blog will discuss the formation of these subcultures and how organizations should view them. It will also discuss how subcultures can be beneficial for the organization.
Edgar Schein describes the organizational culture as a pattern of shared assumptions that work together for a common goal (Schein, 2017). Subcultures develop when people of common situations, job functions, and identities gather around their own ideas and interpretations of the dominant culture and when these employees find that they need to develop idiosyncratic behaviors, values, and goals to fulfill specific functions of their disciplines (Seay, 2019). Subcultures can often form in the most informal settings and situations. Schein, a social psychologist, described three subcultures in his theory of organizational culture.
Subcultures should not be viewed through a black and white lens. Just as there are unhealthy cultures in an organization, there can be dysfunctional subcultures. Depending on the level of dysfunction, it might be best to just let some things slide. However, if there is noted to be a potential for harm, it may be best to confront the issue or in some cases eradication the element of the dysfunction may even be required (Emerson, 2018). Some subcultures can also be an asset to an organization and can often bring about new ideas and show new ways to do things, as long as they hold true to the underlying values of the primary culture of the organization. It is necessary as the leader in an organization to root out the positive subcultures from the negative and in order to do so leaders will need a deep discernment of the organization's value system and dominant culture (Emerson, 2018).
A discerning and successful leader can see the potential for both harm and blessings within subcultures. They will need to utilize a great deal of judgement to counter the harm as well as engage the positive aspects that subcultures can bring about. Avoiding them in total is nearly impossible, however.
Photo found at Unsplash @pricilladupreez
Edgar Schein describes the organizational culture as a pattern of shared assumptions that work together for a common goal (Schein, 2017). Subcultures develop when people of common situations, job functions, and identities gather around their own ideas and interpretations of the dominant culture and when these employees find that they need to develop idiosyncratic behaviors, values, and goals to fulfill specific functions of their disciplines (Seay, 2019). Subcultures can often form in the most informal settings and situations. Schein, a social psychologist, described three subcultures in his theory of organizational culture.
- Executives: Primary concerns are financial.
- Engineers: Problem-solvers that utilize technology to develop systems and various processes.
- Operators: The coordinators and facilitators of the day to day functions.
Photo found at Unsplash @wildlittlethingsphoto
Subcultures should not be viewed through a black and white lens. Just as there are unhealthy cultures in an organization, there can be dysfunctional subcultures. Depending on the level of dysfunction, it might be best to just let some things slide. However, if there is noted to be a potential for harm, it may be best to confront the issue or in some cases eradication the element of the dysfunction may even be required (Emerson, 2018). Some subcultures can also be an asset to an organization and can often bring about new ideas and show new ways to do things, as long as they hold true to the underlying values of the primary culture of the organization. It is necessary as the leader in an organization to root out the positive subcultures from the negative and in order to do so leaders will need a deep discernment of the organization's value system and dominant culture (Emerson, 2018).
A discerning and successful leader can see the potential for both harm and blessings within subcultures. They will need to utilize a great deal of judgement to counter the harm as well as engage the positive aspects that subcultures can bring about. Avoiding them in total is nearly impossible, however.
References
- Emerson, T. (2018, June 11). How to Manage Subcultures in Your Organization. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://www.workforce.com/news/how-to-manage-subcultures-organization
- Gulati, R., Mayo, A. J., & Nohria, N. (2016). Management: An integrated approach. Australia: Cengage Learning.
- Lopes, H. (2018, April 16). Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://unsplash.com/photos/1m2LQEonm2A
- Preez, P. (2018, April 09). Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://unsplash.com/photos/XkKCui44iM0
- Schein, E. H. (2017). Organizational culture and leadership. Hoboken: Wiley.
- Seay, R. (2019, April 30). Organizational Subculture: What You Need To Know. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from https://bonfyreapp.com/blog/organizational-subculture-good-bad
Comments
Post a Comment