Organizational Culture (Research Paper Sample)

Organizational culture
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Organizational culture
Introduction
The nature and scope of organizational culture becomes significant for organizations due to the great impacts it portrays. Organizational culture defines the set of values and norms guiding individuals in their every-day activities within the organization (Watkins, 2013). The concept arises as a system of values, assumptions, attitudes, and norms which depict in form of frameworks established and adopted by organizational members (Schein, 2010). In this view, mutual experience enables the development of these common features among the members. Interpretative schemes become shaped by the values, attitudes and norms shared by an organization’s members. With these schemes, the members of an organization attach meaning to happenings inside and outside of the organization (Bauer, Carpenter & Erdogan, 2015). Thus, an understanding is developed as relates to the structure utilized for the overall business process.
Interactions between an organization’s members lead to actions and behavior, which result from the attached meaning s directed towards the surrounding occurrences. The idea of organizational culture occurs as a type of combined interpretative system that is utilized by all members of an organization (Schein, 2010). Events, occurrences and people within and outside the organization influence the behavior, attitudes and values of an organization’s members.
The study focuses on Greensyard Herbs n Spices (GHS), an established fresh herbs producer in the African region. In this view, the organization culture established within the firm is critically evaluated to provide a general view of the notion of organizational culture. For GHS, the drivers and elements of organization culture become the key source of competitive advantage for the company. It becomes one of the few firms employing the application of technology as an innovative practice within the business operations. The issue of culture stands significant for consideration as it forms the largest part of the company’s strategies towards market growth (Schein, 2010).
History of Company
The establishment of GHS dates back to 2008 when the horticulture market in the region depicted a growing preference for herbs and spices, especially for health-related benefits. Today, the firm boasts of its far-reaching service provision within the African region given its substantial growth and penetration into the market in the last few years. The success becomes attributable to the firm’s culture, which stands to be the main source of competitive advantage for Greensyard Herbs n Spices. The Managing Director, Sarah W. asserts this fact when she comments, "Since our operation in 2005, we have highly relied on our sustainable competitive advantage, our firm’s culture. Combined with the best set of skills and capabilities, the magic of togetherness sees us through a gradual improvement due to the strong culture that has developed.”
In 2006, the firm made a huge step in the distribution of herbs and spice products through introduction of an IT technological system that combined the marketing processes and production activities. Overall, GHS reduced on the related expenditures directed towards preserving the products, which have a nature of perish ability. With such a move, the business started investing in expansion to other areas within the region, outside of Mauritius, the country of origin. Online marketing plays a major role in the marketing communication process employed by the firm and its branches (Schein, 2010). With its international status, GHS employ a diverse community of staff in its various branches within Africa. Cultural diversity continues to form a large proportion of the firm’s efforts towards raising the efficiency of distribution and production processes.
Motivations for culture
The organizational culture developed at GHS occurs as determinant of the set principles guiding the operation of then business as a whole. On this note, the company undertakes its activities based on five main core values: customer-value creation; quality production; business ethics; reliability; and employee satisfaction (Denning, 2011; Martin, 2002)). From the guidelines, the need to address the needs of customer arises as one of the greatest objectives for the company. In 2007, the firm, in an annual general meeting sought to advance its product portfolio in order to allow for further expansion onto the African region, having penetrated into the East African region. The practice of quality in terms of production, and resulting products, has enabled GHS to develop own niche markets within the region die to innovative differentiation that has set its service provision above that of competitors (Watkins, 2013).
Additionally, the value of employee satisfaction becomes essential in ensuring that the firm offers the most favorable environment for conduction of business initiatives (Martin, 2002). In this regard, GHS creates a unique working platform where workers become motivated, attracted and retained within the firm, and across its branches (Bauer, Carpenter & Erdogan, 2015). Owing to the cultural diversity, usually experience through other regional branches, the firm continues to adopt a learning culture that integrates the differences among the general workforce (Denning, 2011). GHS is acknowledged for best work practices, which stands clear in a range of surveys conducted on the performance of firms within the East African and African region at large. The founders of Greensyard Herbs n Spices are partners, including Sarah, whose mantra has always stressed on hard work, resilience and integrity in the conduction of business. On this note, the principle of quality and customer value remains at the heart of the company until this time.
In view of systems and structure within the organization, the importance of resource utilization and maximization stands at the root of the firm’s overall operations. The partners of GHS show a long working relationship even prior to the establishment of the company in 2005. Having worked as part of the same group in certain points, the element of trust brought the partnership, dream into reality. This means that by the period they formed the partnership, the mutual; trust and familiarity had already developed (Martin, 2002). Another important perspective with this fact is the utilization of resources, which became even more simplified by the long connection between these partners. The structure of the organization requires the proper and maximum use of resources, which is important for the firm’s growth in terms of performance and productivity.
Cultural aspects of the company
The organizational culture of GHS depicts several features that allow for its description. One element of culture rests on the firm’s goal of customer value creation. Mr. Tony G., Managing Director, Ghana Division, states, "We have largely focused on the sustenance of our long-term association with our esteemed customers”. The long-term customer focus becomes the trend within GHS and its branches across the region. In this regard, the company has been able to focus on other niche markets, including education and catering institutions, processing and packaging firms, as well as its entry into the export market (Martin, 2002). ...