Influence of Politics and Power in an Organization and on its Culture (Research Paper Sample)

POWER, POLITICS, AND CULTURE
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Power, Politics, and Culture
Organizations are an ordered system of people who interact in various ways to transform resources into products. These interactions determine the level of productivity of any given organization. As the people interact, they seek to advance both the common goals and their interests. Politics refers to the interactions and debates among the different parties within an organization. As Omisore and Nweke (2014) note, politics entails how people use their powers to attain or retain control of resources. McDonald’s, like any other organization, is subject to political influence and has to align its culture to accommodate the social values, which may interfere with its productivity. 
Influence of Politics and Power
McDonald’s was established in the 1940s, when the United States was experiencing increased immigration rates. In the 1960s, the country was characterized by radical social changes following the extensive immigration that threatened the values on which McDonald’s, among other businesses, was founded. The organization’s founder, Ray Kroc, and his corporate leadership intended to protect the country’s traditional values and portray McDonald’s as a family-friendly entity. Consequently, the firm had to enhance its appearance to resonate more with the public. It had to change its red and white ceramic appearance to resemble the suburban residences built at the time. Additionally, it adopted a traditional domestic unit structure in its management, in which different departmental managers served different roles similar to a family unit. Even in its advertisements, the entity espoused familial values in light of the changing social structures. The new approach presented the business as an advocate of the traditional code of family conduct, where men, women, and children had specific roles connected to “the American way of life.” However, globalization accompanied by acculturation has put McDonald’s at a challenging position. The management has to grapple with maintaining its American values and also identify with their changing ethical composition of their consumers. 
McDonald’s’ cultural curriculum, which has strived to fight for and protect the traditional cultural values, significantly depends on the commercial interests, which do not seek the social good but to advance individual goals. All the organization’s workers exist within the society and are subject to the forces of change. McDonald’s has remained steadfast in adjusting its marketing strategies to continue protecting the family values on which it was founded. Consequently, the organization is taken as a national symbol, conveying the American cultural practices to the rest of the world. While not all of its stakeholders may subscribe to its ideologies, their continual corporation with the organization is a sign of acceptance of its cultural system. Therefore, since its establishment, McDonald’s has managed to retain its culture and values, which have been recognized and accepted by all its stakeholders. Even when it expands internationally, the firm continues with its American culture, which its customers adopt in foreign countries. However, the changing cultural dynamics demand a change in its approach to the issue. McDonald’s has to either adjust its approach by incorporating other entities or continue with its traditional approach to cultural management. In either approach, the leadership