Developing Corporate Culture Essay Example
Developing Corporate Culture Essay Example

Developing Corporate Culture Essay Example

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  • Pages: 9 (2312 words)
  • Published: December 18, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
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The objective of this essay is to understand the corporate culture in an organization. Culture is a commonly discussed topic in workplace discussions, and it becomes especially important when implementing changes across the entire organization. Over the past decade, many articles have been written about organizational culture and its development strategies. Culture plays a crucial role in achieving organizational success.

The discussion focuses on the performance aspect as it is closely linked to the behavior of an organization. Corporate culture characteristics have an impact on the achievement of Honda as noted in a literature review by Parker (2000). The concept of culture is mainly concerned with social control. Ongoing debates explore the theory that cultural control is influenced by identification processes that are embedded in the narrative, as discussed by Alveolus and Wolcott (2002) and Humphreys and Brown (2002).

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According to Chain and College (2002), the concept of "corporate cultures" refers to a cultural development process in humans. This process, described by Thompson (1990:124), involves the progressive development of the mind, faculties, manner, and comportment through education and training, resulting in cultivation and civilization. I believe this definition effectively conveys culture as a control process.

Thompson argues that a dominant group crafts 'linguistic habits' to control the subjectivity of the self, including the way people talk, the words they use, and their grammar. By doing so, they also manipulate concepts and influence people's thinking. The impact of culture on organizational growth is a controversial topic. However, one theory suggests that culture serves as the driving force behind an organization's movement towards growth or decline.

According to Peter and Waterman (1982), the psychological theory

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of the link between organizational and business performance emphasizes the importance of a strong culture within an organization. Honda Motors exemplifies this belief by providing a common lunch area for managers and mineral managers in each plant. By encouraging employees to gather and share their values and norms during lunchtime, Honda Motors aims to foster strong relationships that contribute to their success.

Honda motors value a favorable climate and have a strong corporate culture within their organization, which is evident through the various activities they undertake. Each employee, whether a manager, co-manager, or general worker, is assigned their own parking lot. This signifies the belief in fostering a harmonious relationship among all employees. Additionally, Honda Motors has a designated cafe area where employees can dine together, promoting a shared understanding of values and objectives for the organization's growth.

The manufacturing units of Honda motors are created with the purpose of allowing managers to monitor their workers' performance from their office. In order to grasp the models of organizational culture, it is crucial to comprehend Honda motors' objectives. Honda motors have one main goal: determining how to achieve growth in the current economic environment. What policies and procedures do they need to follow in order to compete with competitors and fulfill customer needs?

The Honda motors have an objective to address the halogens in their growth process. They achieve this through specific elements: strategy, which involves making plans to gain a competitive advantage over competitors; structure, which dictates how they organize themselves and determine reporting hierarchies; and system, which refers to the daily activities and routine work they must adhere to.

Shared values, also known as

"subordinate goals," demonstrate the corporate culture and work ethical values. Style refers to how leadership operates within the organization to address challenges. Staff reflects the capabilities of the employees. Skills represent the actual strengths of individuals for optimal use within the organization. Figure 1 illustrates the Muckinesss model, which Honda Motors follows to overcome obstacles and foster growth.

In Honda, the way it operates involves enhancing performance and addressing acquisition and merger issues in order to achieve effective organizational effectiveness. The proposed strategic plan is utilized to its fullest potential. The three circle organizational effectiveness model is employed, which highlights the essential components essential for organizational success in work-related areas. This model also establishes a supportive organizational culture and an efficient oracle that aids employees in their career development while simultaneously promoting the organization's overall success.

This model, known as the Rousseau model, promotes accountability throughout management levels and establishes methods for achieving and evaluating organizational goals. It enables the organization to transform inaccessible elements into accessible ones, while also fostering a culture centered on values, briefs, and expectations – essential components for any organization.

There are various organizational models that help organizations achieve their objectives. In the case of Honda motors, they utilize these models to achieve their goals. There are differences between organizational culture and national culture. Organizational culture refers to a set of norms, beliefs, principles, and behaviors that define the character of an organization (brown 1995). It is influenced by factors such as the competitive environment, customer requirements, and the values of its founders or early leaders.

Culture is symbolic and can be described through storytelling about how individuals perceive

the organization. A symbol holds its own definition and can take on various forms, but what matters is how it is imbued with meaning based on our past experiences. Culture also serves as a unifying force, binding the organization together. The concept of organizational culture demonstrates the power of shared goals in fostering a sense of collective accountability for growth.

Honda motors prioritize providing assistance to their customers as they highly value them. They have a culture of actively listening to their customers and offering optimal support, contributing to Honda's success as a car manufacturing corporation. Additionally, Honda and Fuchsias have fostered an environment that promotes creativity and flexibility. This is achieved by focusing on recognizing and nurturing individual talents rather than relying solely on group efforts. Furthermore, they strive to provide favorable working conditions for their employees.

National culture refers to the collective cultures, values, and norms of a nation and its people. According to Hefted (1980), an analysis of data from various countries reveals four fundamental value dimensions that categorize these countries into cultural regions. These dimensions include power distance, which measures the level of inequality in power within a society.

The text discusses three key societal factors: uncertainty avoidance, individualism and collectivism, and masculinity and femininity. Uncertainty avoidance refers to the level of discomfort individuals feel towards future uncertainty and their attempts to avoid it. Individualism and collectivism explores the connection between individuals and the collective society they live in. Lastly, masculinity and femininity examine the degree of role differentiation between genders and the varying importance societies place on work goals and assertiveness versus personal goals.

Honda motors possess a vibrant cultural

profile that gives rise to fresh patterns, behaviors, and ideologies. These are generally built upon existing core assumptions, and as a result, the culture may manifest complex ambiguities or paradoxes (Trice and Buyer 1993). When analyzing organizational culture, managers focus on the leader's role in shaping, upholding, or changing the culture. This responsibility falls at the top of the leader's hierarchy of responsibilities.

Organizational culture, also referred to as corporate culture, is important for global organizations like Honda motors as they have social responsibilities towards every nation. It is essential for such organizations to understand and respect the national culture of the countries they trade with. In analyzing the corporate culture profile of Honda motors, it is observed that they incorporate the youth culture into their organization, making them unique among Japanese motor companies (Honda motors, 1.3).

The Honda motors prioritize overcoming the age gap among employees and making the most of available resources to create a strong internal team that can achieve organizational goals without external interference. This flexibility extends to work hours, with the possibility of operating manufacturing units on Saturdays and rotating shifts. These policies aim to prevent employee boredom and enhance productivity within Honda motors.

Employees are crucial for any organization to achieve competitive growth (1982). Honda motors follows a unique approach by manufacturing cars in the markets where they are sold. They believe this strategy is more profitable than producing in Japan and exporting globally. Consequently, Honda has established over 33 manufacturing units worldwide to produce and sell their products.

Honda motors are dedicated to investing in research to revolutionize the automobile industry. They constantly explore new technology for their

products and adapt according to market conditions, aiming to stay ahead of their competitors. Honda's engineers have created the C.V. engine, widely regarded as the automotive industry's most remarkable technological breakthrough.

As a global organization, Honda Motors comprehends the individual demands of their diverse markets. They cater to different nations, thus they must understand the specific needs of each country. For instance, in India, there is a demand for small family cars. Accordingly, Honda introduces a dedicated section of cars to meet this particular demand in the Indian market. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, family cars prioritize safety with features such as 4 airbags installed.

Honda motors utilize organizational culture to communicate the national culture within their company and adapt to the international market. The impact of Honda motors on achieving its goals is influenced by its cultural approach. They prioritize understanding the needs and challenges of their customers as well as their employees, fostering a strong organizational culture that drives growth. In Honda motors, employees have the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions, promoting two-way communication between employees and management.

The strength that Honda motors needed to overcome their competitors and succeed was provided by their culture. The progress of Honda motors demonstrates the strength of their organizational culture. One way to improve the corporate culture is by focusing on the organizational values that shape the corporate climate. Organizational values govern the internal behavior of staff members, including the interactions between managers and coworkers. Effective communication and collaboration among staff members are crucial for accomplishing tasks.

If any staff member fails to share or express their value for the organization, conflict arises among

other members, resulting in individual values overriding organizational values, which the organization does not desire. Each staff member's trust in ethical communication for core business serves as a crucial factor in achieving the organization's growth targets. Regarding the impact of culture on corporate climate, it is noteworthy that individuals play a significant role.

The people hold on to these values in a traditional and mythological manner. Some organizational values that can influence the corporate climate include honesty, high levels of service (a core value of the organization), competency (in a high-performance culture), teamwork, friendliness (that extends to customers), and empowerment to provide better customer service and problem-solving. The existing climate of a tests culture represents the values, beliefs, rules, and practices of an organization. On the other hand, the climate refers to the working conditions and employee relations with each other and their leaders. Effective communication of organizational strategies by leaders or managers and the understanding and adherence to these strategies by subordinates are also important factors.

Both the culture and climate of an organization reflect its future aspirations and the collective efforts of its employees, as well as its external image. The climate of an organization is like a progress report indicating where it stands in terms of achieving its goals. There are certain aspects that Tests, as a large organization, follows to ensure a positive climate:

- Flexibility: Tests ensures that every employee, including students, has flexible working conditions and hours.

- Standards: Tests maintains a good working standard to prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of its employees. The organization provides facilities such as a cafeteria, library, pool, and other gaming options to

promote both work and relaxation. Additionally, Tests also provides a well-defined dress code for its managers and employees.

The top management of Tests will establish sales targets for each branch. When these targets are achieved, employees will be rewarded with common parties and gift vouchers. Any questions or requests for help can be directed to managers if there is still any ambiguity or lack of understanding within the team. This ensures that every team member knows their responsibilities. Overall, Tests provides good working conditions and promotes growth by fostering better understanding among its members.

The corporate climate in Tests can be improved by implementing the following suggestions. As an employee in Tests, I have personally observed the need for change in our climate. Currently, if a lower-level employee faces any problems, they have to approach their team leader. The team leader then needs to inform the duty manager, who in turn informs their own manager. This process is quite lengthy and if any one of these individuals is not available, the employee's problem will not be resolved immediately and will be left pending, causing frustration within the entire team.

To improve the organization, I propose empowering staff to address problems without managerial permission. The communication policy should be updated as it is lengthy and outdated. Managers ought to review policies on a monthly basis instead of quarterly. This change will help them better comprehend employee concerns and prevent job dissatisfaction or depression that may result in employees quitting, thereby negatively affecting the organization.

Tests is currently seeking employees for a three-month contract, which affects both the employee and the company. It is crucial for the

employee to have job security in order to be productive. Furthermore, adequate training and guidance are necessary to adapt to technological changes and ensure accurate task execution. Tests has established organizational values that correspond with their unique strategic and operational requirements. Organizational values refer to the acceptable standards that govern individual behavior within the company.

The organizational values outlined in the mission and vision statement are crucial in guiding an organization. They shape the behaviors that are promoted or discouraged, ultimately shaping the overall image of the organization. These cultural values have a profound impact on the corporate climate and leave a lasting impression on individuals. Examples of such values include respecting customers, delivering exceptional service, and embracing honesty.

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