ConcepTest: Culture

1) Product differentiation1) Product differentiation2) Diversification strategy 2) Diversification strategy 3) Weak culture3) Weak culture4) Competitive advantage4) Competitive advantage5) Lots of diversity 5) Lots of diversity

While interviewing for a job at While interviewing for a job at

the XYZ company, you find a the XYZ company, you find a

variety of “cliques.” You ask variety of “cliques.” You ask

each group what it’s like to each group what it’s like to

work for XYZ, and you get very work for XYZ, and you get very

different responses. As you ask different responses. As you ask

pointed questions in efforts to pointed questions in efforts to

determine XYZ’s mission and determine XYZ’s mission and

core values, you get answers core values, you get answers

that are all over the map with no that are all over the map with no

consistency. Which of the consistency. Which of the

following is likely to be true following is likely to be true

about XYZ? about XYZ?

Because it’s clear the values are not widely and deeply held, XYZ has a

weak culture.

Do you think there is/could be a relationship between a company with many products or extensive diversity and a weak culture? Discuss with your neighbor.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Hair color 1) Hair color 2) National culture2) National culture3) Age3) Age4) Sexual orientation4) Sexual orientation5) Functional background5) Functional background

Which of the Which of the following is not following is not generally thought of generally thought of when we look at when we look at diversity in diversity in organizations?organizations?

Hair color can change, and therefore is not thought of as a stable

characteristic likely to impact your work experience.

Since we study diversity in organizations because it

impacts our work experience, do you think we should

consider hair color? Is it something that could alter your

work experience? If so, how? Discuss with a classmate.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Serve diverse 1) Serve diverse clients/customers betterclients/customers better

2) Increased creativity2) Increased creativity3) More solutions 3) More solutions 4) Better food 4) Better food 5) Recruiting tool5) Recruiting tool

Diversity is believed Diversity is believed to help groups and to help groups and organizations organizations perform better. perform better. Which of these are Which of these are not reasons diversity not reasons diversity is believed to be is believed to be helpful?helpful?

While better food may be present in worker lunchboxes (depending on your tastes!), we don’t generally make the case for diversity based on this condition.

When you are selecting your first job out of college, will a diverse organization be more appealing? Why or why not? Will it be a critical part of your decision? Discuss with your neighbor.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Selection1) Selection2) Socialization2) Socialization3) Stories and Symbols3) Stories and Symbols4) Systems for rewards 4) Systems for rewards 5) Sales5) Sales

Which of the Which of the following does not following does not play a key role in play a key role in creating an creating an organizational organizational culture?culture?

All of the choices except sales are key elements in the formation

and maintenance of an organizational culture.

Is there a way, though, that sales could influence a culture? If so, how? Discuss with your neighbor.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Symbols1) Symbols2) Stories2) Stories3) Reward Systems3) Reward Systems4) Selection4) Selection5) Performance Evaluation5) Performance Evaluation

When everyone comes to When everyone comes to

work at Joe’s Bikes, they work at Joe’s Bikes, they

are told “Once, a supplier are told “Once, a supplier

had an emergency and had an emergency and

couldn’t get the truck to us couldn’t get the truck to us

until the following Monday. until the following Monday.

Lisa here rented a truck and Lisa here rented a truck and

went up there and picked up went up there and picked up

the bolts herself---of course the bolts herself---of course

she did---we had bikes to she did---we had bikes to

assemble for our Saturday assemble for our Saturday

sale.” This is an example ofsale.” This is an example of

By telling this story to their new hires, Joe’s Bikes is communicating the company

values.

What values (of Joe’s Bikes) are being communicated? Discuss with your neighbor.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) High context1) High context2) Low context2) Low context3) Socialist3) Socialist4) Democratic4) Democratic5) Not sure5) Not sure

In Country J, In Country J, nonverbal cues are nonverbal cues are very important in very important in determining what is determining what is really being said. really being said. Country J is Country J is probably probably ______________.______________.

In high context countries, all aspects of a situation are meaningful when communication is taking place.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) High context1) High context2) Democratic2) Democratic3) Open-minded3) Open-minded4) Low context4) Low context5) Not sure5) Not sure

People in Country Z People in Country Z

pride themselves on pride themselves on

the fact that what the fact that what

you say is what you you say is what you

mean and what you mean and what you

hear is what is being hear is what is being

said. Country Z is said. Country Z is

__________________________________

In low context countries, the context does not play a

large role in conveying meaning.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) National culture1) National culture2) Organizational culture2) Organizational culture3) Socialized vs. democratic 3) Socialized vs. democratic

environmentsenvironments4) Old organizations vs. new 4) Old organizations vs. new

organizationsorganizations5) Strong cultures vs. weak 5) Strong cultures vs. weak

culturescultures

The terms high The terms high context and low context and low context refer tocontext refer to __________________________________

High and low context refers to national culture.

While high and low context are always used in reference to

national culture, do you think the concepts could apply to

organizational cultures? How so? Discuss with your neighbor. If

we drew parallels, what would it be like in a high context

organization?

ConcepTest: Culture

1) 11) 12) 22) 23) 33) 34) 44) 45) 55) 5

Yongliang is an engineer Yongliang is an engineer from China. He works for from China. He works for a major aerospace a major aerospace company in the U.S., and company in the U.S., and has worked for the has worked for the company for 26 years. If company for 26 years. If we were to consider his we were to consider his diversity characteristics, diversity characteristics, how many dimensions how many dimensions would we consider?would we consider?

We would consider his gender (male), age (middle aged), national

culture (Chinese), functional background (engineer) and tenure

in the organization (26 years).

ConcepTest: Culture

1) artifacts, values, and 1) artifacts, values, and assumptionsassumptions

2) employees, supervisors, and 2) employees, supervisors, and managementmanagement

3) environment, strategy, and 3) environment, strategy, and directiondirection

4) values, emotions, and 4) values, emotions, and attitudesattitudes

5) not sure5) not sure

Culture consists of Culture consists of

which of the which of the

following:following:

Culture, overall, consists of artifacts, values and assumptions that, together, are unique to that particular culture.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Yes, it’s possible.1) Yes, it’s possible.2) They can be similar, but not 2) They can be similar, but not

exactly the same.exactly the same.3) No, they cannot be the same. 3) No, they cannot be the same. 4) Sure, why not? 4) Sure, why not? 5) Not sure5) Not sure

Can two cultures be Can two cultures be the same?the same?

While cultures can be very similar, they can never be exactly the same.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Socialized1) Socialized2) Selected2) Selected3) Appraised3) Appraised4) Rewarded4) Rewarded5) Watched5) Watched

When you arrive at When you arrive at

your new job, you’re your new job, you’re

sent to a three-day sent to a three-day

training class. training class.

Because you took a Because you took a

great management great management

class, you know that class, you know that

you are beingyou are being

Training is way for organizations to socialize their members and to promote the kinds of values and norms they espouse.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Widely shared1) Widely shared2) Posted on all walls2) Posted on all walls3) Deeply held3) Deeply held4) 1 and 24) 1 and 25) 1 and 35) 1 and 3

In a strong culture, In a strong culture, core values arecore values are

In a strong culture, core values are widely shared and deeply held.

If you walked into an organization and saw its core values posted on every wall, would you suspect a strong or a weak culture? Discuss with your neighbor.

ConcepTest: Culture

1) Yes, but only if the new culture is 1) Yes, but only if the new culture is one of egalitarianism.one of egalitarianism.

2) No, not if they want to motivate 2) No, not if they want to motivate people. people.

3) No, people should be rewarded 3) No, people should be rewarded based on their effort. based on their effort.

4) Yes, everyone should always get 4) Yes, everyone should always get equal pay. equal pay.

5) No, people should be paid based on 5) No, people should be paid based on

their rank in the organization.their rank in the organization.

If an organization is If an organization is

trying to promote a trying to promote a

new culture, should new culture, should

it give everyone it give everyone

equal pay?equal pay?

Compensation systems should reflect the core values of an organization and

reinforce desired behaviors. So, if an organization is trying to promote a culture

of egalitarianism, it should have little if any variation in pay.

Discuss with your neighbor why the answer is 1.