Organizational civilization is shaped by a set of factors foremost beliefs, attitudes, patterns and imposts, which impact both the direction and employees throughout their interaction. In pattern, being extremely complex, civilization is rather ambitious to specify in precise footings. Culture is defined by Peters and Waterman as “ regulations of the game for acquiring along in the administration ” ( Anon 2008: 58 ) . The concern civilization within companies is shaped by diverse factors chiefly the administration ‘ s laminitis, vision and aims, the company ‘ s history, leading, direction manners, construction and systems.
This presentation attempts to unveil Quality Postform ‘ s Ltd ( QPL ) organizational civilization by using assorted theoretical positions. The latter aid in finding to what extent this civilization assists or inhibits the accomplishment of bing company aims. Upon specifying the organizational ends along with its outstanding cultural features, it is so determined which of them are recognised as being either supportive or unsupportive for the attainment of company aims. Conclusive statements derived from the paper ‘ s findings are extracted from an insightful analysis based on QPL ‘ s organizational civilization, backed by the relevant recommendations. The descriptive attack adopted in foregrounding the theoretical findings, serves as a takeoff to a more critical appraisal of the company ‘ s civilization under reappraisal.
Quality Postform Ltd – A Company Profile
QPL is the merely postformed element maker and provider to the local Maltese furniture industry. Bing a household tally concern, driven by the intestine feeling and direction experience of Emanual Chircop manner back in 1998, QPL managed to spread out its work force to eleven employees, therefore procuring a respectable market portion ( QPL 2009 ) .
The company has the benefit of being located at Malta ‘ s prima industrial estate – Marsa. The latter is easy accessed by a heavy flow of possible clients, therefore bring forthing significant concern ( QPL 2009 ) . The nucleus focal point of QPL is on usage sized postformed elements, runing from kitchen counter tops, door panels, table tops and desktops. QPL has succeeded to boom, in position of stiff competition from aggressive importers within the industry- the latter contributes 7. 4 % to the fabrication sector ( NSO 2009 ) .
Prior to Malta ‘ s European Union ( EU ) rank, company records for 2003 indicated that QPL ‘ s patronage comprised of two primary users – the commercial sector accounting for 70 % of the gross revenues, followed by 30 % stand foring the domestic / place user sector. In position of the inevitable import levy remotion after Malta ‘ s E. U. accession which materialised in 2004, QPL ‘ s direction cleverly adopted a proactive attack. The later was a constructive strategic response to the predicted addition of cheaper mass produced furniture ( Chircop 2002 ) . From a critical position this determination had to be supplemented by related investings in machinery, which facilitated QPL to vie sharply with off the shelf do-it-yourself furniture ( Chircop 2003 ) . Subsequently, this strategic result impacted QPL ‘ s client base. By 2008, 70 % of QPL ‘ s clients were domestic. This marked a crisp contrast to the client base throughout the old old ages. In response to these market alterations, an unannounced result is that carpenters get downing buying do-it-yourself merchandises every bit good.
The Theoretical Background – Positions on Schein ‘ s Theory
In position of QPL ‘ s size and the grade of informality, the theory of Schein embracing its three degrees of cultural manifestations, emerged to be extremely relevant. Hence, it is deemed indispensable to use it to QPL ‘ s civilization in a high degree of item.
Schein defines group civilization as a set of valid common premises, specifically developed to job work out both internal and external transmutations. This attack helps in transfusing them as the established norm targeted to the new recruits ( Schein 2004 ) . Organisation civilization in this regard, encompasses three distinguishable degrees of manifestations all influenced by one another. These include artifacts, espoused beliefs / values and implicit in premises.
Schein ‘ s Artifacts Level
Schein describes the artefact degree as being basically composed of touchable points, which influence one ‘ s initial feeling as one enters a new group. In position of the deficiency of apprehension of the implicit in premises, artifacts tend to be difficult to construe. Typical illustrations of artifacts are the physical environment, merchandises, manner ( vesture ) , organizational charts, written / spoken linguistic communication and related engineerings ( Schein 2004 ) . Upon come ining Quality Postform, one instantly hears the sounds of routers and round proverb, whistling in the far background. Walking through the big garage door entryway, one notices a constellation of kitchen counter tops covering three walls, about in a rainbow consequence. The latter are supplemented by a huge show of colored postform samples throughout the salesroom. These touchable artifacts are attributed to QPL ‘ s cultural perceptual experience that difficult work is a precedence, therefore enabling the company to offer its honored clients a huge scope of merchandises.
Although the direction does non conform to a standard frock codification, all other staff members adhere to a formal company broad counter portion. The latter consists of a tennis shirt with company logo, safety places and earplugs. The acceptance of a formal frock codification can be interpreted as a signifier of white / blue collar segregation. However the enforcement of safety places and earplugs represents the direction ‘ s concern for the holistic well being of the employees, in guaranting a safe environment.
An organizational chart ( see figure 1 ) depicted above the MD ‘ s desk, indicates that QPL is basically a level administration. One ‘ s perceptual experience is that QPL represents a tightly knit concern concern, with the capacity to offer customised merchandises and services on a one to one degree.
Figure 1
In line with artifacts, it is imperative to observe that a communicating ‘ s web is either face-to-face through informal meetings being held on the topographic point, or instead through the grape vine ( Peters and Waterman 1982 ) . This ulterior method is tactfully employed by QPL with the aim to ‘ test the Waterss ‘ for any advanced thoughts. Walking around QPL, one can easy detect a few computing machines, some low-tech computerized machines and a non-interactive company web site. These construct a cultural perceptual experience that the company lacks the enterprises to step up the necessary investings as respects information engineerings.
Schein ‘ s Espoused beliefs and value degree
Espoused beliefs and values as expounded by Schein, refer to a group ‘ s apprehension of how things should be, as opposed to how they really are. A leader of the group starts to emerge after his/her beliefs and values are imposed, therefore repeatedly work outing the group ‘ s jobs in the procedure. After go throughing societal consensus, the leader ‘ s personal beliefs and values are interpreted as the norm, and finally disseminated and solidified throughout the group.
The above scenario illustrates the world at QPL. Employees understand that they must conform to regulations and ordinances, as imposed by the MD. Although this conformance accounts to the decrease of uncertainness, at the same time it allows employees to bask increased degrees of dedication and duty towards their occupation. This constructive attitude in bend creates a powerful normative committedness. The latter has been defined by Caldwell et Al ( 1990 ) as a threshold degree at which a individual accepts work rules and values as the norm.
All employees are expected to put degrees of attention and committedness within the fabrication of every merchandise as if it is their ain. They understand that failure to describe production defects leads to punishments. These values, such as answerability and duty are profoundly embedded within QPL ‘ s present civilization which replaced the former “ blasted civilization ” ( Vince and Broussine 2000 ) . This attitude is transmitted to new recruits through informal mechanisms such as observation and experience ( Anon 2008 ) .
The MD being the laminitis of the company, represents the beginning who proposes and generates advanced strategic thoughts. Foremost, one can include the resettlement of the administration and the investing of new machinery. This farther justifies the normally held perceptual experience as being the “ hero ” of the company ( Peters and Waterman 1982 ) . Foremost among these values one can include doggedness, dedication and motive. His bossy personality, backed by an active and constructive attitude towards the full chase of the company ‘ s aims, clearly qualifies him as a leader ( Zaleznick 1977 ) . At age 63, he repeatedly jokes that he is retired. However in pattern, in position of his tactful degree of control, his presence punctuated by bossy leading as defined by Lewin et Al ( Lewin et al cited in Anon 2008 ) illustrates otherwise. It transpires from observations, that all strategic determinations at the terminal of the twenty-four hours necessitate his sole cast of blessing. Whenever MD ‘ s features are consistently plotted out on a Blake and Mouton ( 1964 ) managerial grid, one would happen that he possess attributes in conformity to the personality of the autocratic leader. The latter is defined as holding a “ low concern for people and a high concern for the undertaking ” ( Blake and Mouton cited in Anon 2008 ) . From a subjective critical position, it transpires that it is consciously understood by all employees, that all values and beliefs refering to the MD must be automatically accepted and inherited unconditionally by all subsidiaries. The employees tend to warrant the MD ‘ s attack on the evidences of his successful path record.
The general director ‘ s function at QPL is best defined by Kotter ( 1990 ) as being the smooth twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours running of operations. Subsequently, in this mode, the GM would be wholeheartedly ‘ coping with complexness ‘ ( Kotter 1990: 104 ) . His penchant for low hazard chases is justified by his penchant to prove the Waterss prior to implementing any freshnesss. This attack instilled a sensed civilization at QPL strongly characterised by consistence, dependability and committed promptness.
Schein ‘ s Basic implicit in premises degree
Harmonizing to Schein, the subconscious degree represents the basic implicit in premise linked to job work outing. Schein argues that alterations are un-pleasurable as this forces people to change their familiar comfort zone. As a consequence, they tend to populate in denial. Alternatively, Condon and Crano ( 1988 ) , province that people who portion the same beliefs tend to prefer to interact with each other on a regular footing.
In typical fortunes, subsidiaries refer to their following in line superior to guarantee a sound advice sing solutions to both proficient and / or personal jobs. Unresolved issues are so passed upwards to the GM. In this respect, MD is seldom involved, except whenever major issues are concerned such as issues linked to immense fiscal investings, or drastic alterations happening at the work topographic point. This is the false escalation communicating procedure at QPL. This is really similar to what Schein describes as one ‘ s ‘ mental map ‘ . Any effort made to change this attack would be considered ‘ un-pleasurable ‘ .
Bing a fabrication oriented concern concern, employees at QPL assume that stocks are ever readily available for the client. Subsequently, they feel ‘ guilty ‘ and ‘ vulnerable ‘ whenever this premise fails. This is for the simple ground that there is no ‘ blame civilization ‘ among employees in topographic point as defined by Vince and Broussine ( 2000 ) . Another basic cultural premise dwelling of two discrepancies within the administration, is that all employees must lend in a heart-whole mode to a full yearss work. This consists in the fabrication of high quality ( defect free ) merchandises. Thus loitering is interpreted as lethargy. However, whenever gross revenues employees are perceived as ‘ calmly ‘ conversing to clients about non-related concern affairs, it is assumed and accepted by the direction that they are seeking to bring forth more concern from future possible clients.
Hofstede ‘ s Theory
Hofstede ‘ s theoretical probe as expounded in a cross cultural survey found in a transnational company, dealt with the designation of four distinguishable features, being:
Power distance – The grade to which directors enforce their power on employees.
Uncertainty turning away – The degree at which employees are encouraged to manage hazards specifically as respects job work outing state of affairss.
Individualism / Bolshevism – The degree at which a individual is independent or dependant of a group. Independence in this respect refers to the ability to stand up for oneself, and to be to the full responsible for one ‘ s determination.
Masculinity / muliebrity – The type of preferable ends. Masculine cultural ends being material ownerships and personal aspirations with feministic cultural ends emphasized on life criterions and the environment.
( Hofstede cited in Anon 2008 )
Hofstede ‘ s theory focuses entirely on international and planetary concern concerns. One can detect a respectable correlativity between the cultural apparatus at QPL to Hofstede ‘ s theory. Hofstede ‘ s “ Near Eastern ” class incorporates Greece, Turkey and Iran. The latter possesses characteristic degrees similar to QPL to a significant grade. Typical features include high power distance degree, low individuality, high uncertainness turning away backed by a medium degree of maleness ( Hofstede cited in Anon 2008 ) . One is compelled to inquire if this is due to similar geographic national civilizations, in position of a common Mediterranean background, and a strong Arab oriented bequest. Malta enjoys both these features.
Handy ‘ s Theory
Handy pulling from Harrison ‘ s positions presents a quadruple categorization of organizational civilization. These include Power, Role, Task and Person Culture. Power Culture best describes QPL on the evidences that the cardinal figure i. e. a leader exerts a strong influence throughout the full administration. The leader generates and enforces unquestionable personal values on a company broad footing, therefore procuring their legitimate hegemony. This is reinforced by the fact that the MD represents the exclusive recruiter and disciplinarian. This correlativity is farther justified, since Handy links power civilizations to typically little endeavors, based on trust, compassion and one on one communicating. Furthermore, this is characterised by the absence of regulations / processs and bureaucratism ( Handy cited in Mullins 2007 ) . At QPL, these findings are justified in the deficiency of documented strategic programs including mission statements.
Organizational ends
Goals serve as a guideline within every concern concern. Goals peculiarly those of a short term nature, are ever communicated by the MD through verbal direct communicating. These typically include the accomplishment of high throughput of work volume, basking the highest accomplishable criterions. QPL faces terrible disabilities in this regard, since apart from its restricted size and laid-back ways, it is further inhibited by the absence of clearly defined certification. The latter is peculiarly the instance as respects mission statements and worse still strategic programs.
However, how effectual are these designs lending to the successful results of administrations as in the instance of QPL? Brown ( 1998 ) , claims that the bulk of strategic programs are simply ‘ buzzwords ‘ , with fancy descriptions of future success, normally backed by arbitrary marks. Furthermore, Serwer ( 1994 ) advocates that wherever a leader of an administration enjoys the comfort to personally pass on with each member of the staff – as in the instance of QPL – , in most state of affairss comparatively little administrations can still thrive. This is similarly applicable in the absence of a formal mission statement, or instead whenever there is the deficiency of a elaborate guiding rule.
The organizational ends were defined through a formal interview carried out with the MD. The latter expressed his hereafter bound vision hereunder:
“ It is QPL ‘ s purpose to turn in concern through better functioning its cliental, by offering a wider scope of merchandises, manufactured with superior quality, while runing within a safer and friendlier work environment. ” ( Chircop 2009 )
The undermentioned ends were identified through the reading of the above mission statement:
To bring forth more net income
To farther increase the merchandise portfolio
To fabricate a better-quality merchandise
To make a safer and more friendly work environment
An interview was specifically organised with the MD to specify ends. It transpired that since the ends lacked a touchable dimension, a sense of vagueness still lingered. When compared to the S. M. A. R. T. end thought derived from Drucker ‘ s ( 1954 ) construct of ‘ management by aims ‘ , one realises that the ends under review apart from missing in a particular and mensurable nature, similarly lack a specific clip frame. This sheds uncertainty on the chances of the company ‘ s accomplishment. It is pertinent to oppugn the holistic unity sing this logic. This is particularly the instance in the modern-day extremely competitory and dynamic markets.
Larson ( 1998 ) advocates that whenever there is the absence of a long term vision, with direction preferring to “ hit from the hip ” – peculiarly in turbulent periods – the result is necessarily risky. Larson ‘ s position is farther sustained by Brown ( 1998 ) , who advocates that non being in ownership of a strategic program or instead a obscure one, will straight impact the fight of the administration. Serwer ( 1994 ) farther justifies these claims, by reasoning that they inhibit enlargement.
After analyzing the organizational civilization of QPL, together with the designation of its several ends as clarified by the MD, at this phase it is pertinent to decode whether the cultural properties are inline, or instead oppose the above stated company ends.
Organizational goals- supportive properties
Sing QPL ‘ s medium degree of maleness, described by Hofstede as a civilization holding preferred ends dwelling of stuff ownerships ( including money and personal aspiration ) , one could construe this characteristic as being in favor of the net income orientated end. The touchable artifacts attributed to difficult work, deemed of import and taking to the ability of the company to offer a huge scope of merchandises, can be perceived as continuing the end to increase the merchandise portfolio.
One could correlate the cultural artifact of a company uniform with safety cogwheel, being supportive in seeking to make a safer work environment. The 3rd end mentioning to a better quality merchandise, can be identified as deducing its several strength from cultural properties. These typically include the attachment to regulations and ordinances, decrease of uncertainness, backed by increasing degrees of dedication and duty on the portion of the employees. As expounded within Schein ‘ s espoused beliefs and values, all employees treat every merchandise as if it were their ain. The embedded cultural values such as answerability and duty could be interpreted as lending to the accomplishment of the several organizational ends in comprehensive footings. Furthermore, It could be safely argued that the MD ‘ s leading accomplishments as defined by Zalenick ( 1977 ) and Handy ( cited in Mullins 2007 ) , embedded in QPL ‘ s civilization is the major subscriber towards his ain defined net income end.
The employee ‘ s premise to do usage of the job escalation procedure, in order to clear up any merchandise quality issues and to fabricate defect free merchandises, are in themselves supportive of offering a better quality merchandise. Furthermore, the GM ‘ s inclined behavior towards a cautious low hazard taker, where quality is concerned, is decidedly an indicant that supports the former end. Other properties such as the MD being defined as leader in full control of major determinations, can be interpreted as continuing the initial end of doing more net income. Finally, one can detect that the positive and friendly agencies of communicating with possible clients on the portion of the gross revenues employees is deemed as being in line with the net income end.
Organizational ends – unsupportive properties
One can reason that the segregation of white / blue collar workers embedded in QPL ‘ s organizational civilization is far from back uping the end for a friendly environment. In pattern it tends to bring forth a we – them relationship.
Within today ‘ s concern environment characterised by the of all time increasing dependance on advanced engineerings, one could infer that the perceptual experience of QPL ‘ s deficiency of inaugural favouring sound investings in I. T. , might straight oppose the different ends – being that of more net income, more merchandises and finally a better quality merchandise. One may inquire oneself if there is sufficient infinite and tolerance favoring an bossy leading manner ( Lewin et al cited in Anon 2008 ) like that attributed to the MD. In this respect, it is pertinent to critical see the effectivity linked to modern direction leading manners ( Fournier 1998 ) favoring the full graduated table authorization of the employees. This can be perceived as holding a negative impact, which inhibits productiveness, ensuing in a decrease of net incomes, thereby opposing the initial end. Further, employees seen as loitering and interpreted as being sulky, can potentially be perceived as negatively impacting the net income, merchandise portfolio and better-quality merchandise ends.
After reexamining insightfully Handy ‘ s theoretical penetrations, QPL ‘ s ‘ power civilization ‘ , handicapped by the absence of documented regulations and processs, can be safely interpreted as being a direct hinderance to the successful accomplishment of all four ends – the absence of which, makes it extremely improbable to measure one ‘ s patterned advance, and farther continue successfully without clearly defined ways.
Decision
Throughout this analysis, one can infer with a certain grade of prudence, that in existent footings it proves to be rather disputing to specify organisational civilization. The latter is on the evidences that its major elements are for the most portion intangible. This is peculiarly the instance as respects values, beliefs and premises.
From a critical penetration, Schein ‘ s theory proved animating to unveil QPL ‘ s civilization skin deep. The application of this model, revealed that QPL ‘ s civilization incorporates a considerable set of counter productive features. These transpire through the distinguishable frock codifications of both direction and mill staff, together with the non-formal processs adopted. This is farther backed by a obstinate involuntariness to alter the current concern patterns, in position of the GM ‘ s conservative attitude and powerful undue protagonism favoring organizational stableness.
Furthermore, on critical analysis it transpired that the employees are via this presentation perceived as operating in a robot-type manner. This is justified since they are profoundly entrenched in established sanctioned modus operandis, otherwise experiencing vulnerable. This penetration farther exemplified by the MD, is portrayed by Peter ‘ s and Waterman ‘ s ‘ hero ‘ figure. The MD ‘ s behavior, values and beliefs are being transmitted to the administration ‘ s members, non simply by agencies of his bossy leading manners, but invariably reinforced via his masculine oriented preferable ends. These tend to concentrate on the attainment of fiscal addition, together with the fulfillment of personal aspirations. Furthermore, these findings support Hofstede ‘ s positions. However, in malice of the MD ‘ s attitude, it transpires that QPL ‘ s civilization embodies employees encompassing wholeheartedly the value of trueness, backed by a deep committedness to a full-day ‘ s work. Finally, one can place an ‘ esprit de corps ‘ attitude, felt throughout the administration.
In position of the deficiency of quantified aims and strategic programs, is QPL to be considered a second-rate company, a ‘ sitting duck ‘ expecting it ‘ s day of reckoning? Although some theoreticians such as Larson ( 1998 ) proclaim that this apparatus may take to the hereafter ruin of the company, facts at QPL prove otherwise. They tend to back up Sewer ‘ s ( 1994 ) positions, that companies can still thrive.
Recommendations:
“ A 1000 stat mi journey novices from the first measure ” . The sagaciousness of this oriental adage is extremely meaningful in position of the bossy attitude of the MD, whose tends to encompass alteration in bit-by-bit manner. Subsequently, the recommendations presented are the result of both pragmatism and practicality, indispensable in procuring a strategic tantrum between QPL and its extremely competitory concern environments.
Sing QPL ‘ s civilization and beliefs on the portion of the MD, a reasonable recommendation would be the chances of researching and measuring whether a healthy alteration is good for the long term sustainability of the administration. From a subjective penetration, this could be driven by a re-alignment of the organizational civilization towards good defined and mensurable aims. This implies a measure wise attack favoring the attainment of a coveted cultural alteration, accomplishable through strong belief and sidelong thought.
Consequently by possessing vague and implied ends as opposed to formal and expressed 1s, one can reason that QPL ‘ s success narrative is extremely problematic. Possibly this is why QPL ‘ s degree of success is unmeasurable.
