Organizational culture and
socialization

Week 6, Monday

Psychology 360
Outline
I. The nature of organizational culture
II. Origins and effects of culture
III. Socialization as acculturation
IV. A model of socialization
The Nature of Organizational
Culture
General:
 a set of shared attitudes, values, behavioral norms
In the organizational setting:
a cognitive framework for interpreting work & environment
 not monolithic
stable, despite turnover
Why does culture matter?
influences the actions of organizational members
provides history
source of uniqueness
sets boundaries

Origins and Effects 
of Culture
Founding myth:
beliefs of charismatic founders
Experience with the external environment:
competition that produces values and practices
Shared experience:
assignment of similar meaning to events
Culture at Nike
“Phil Knight is our Walt Disney, except he's not dead yet.”
“keeping the magic of sport alive”
“nobody ever remembers Number 2”
Recognition test
Effects of Nike’s culture
400 shoes a minute
larger than life
“No market in this business is ever owned.”
swoosh tatoos
Socialization as Acculturation
socialization is the acquisition of shared attitudes, values, and behavioral norms
a mechanism for transmitting culture
ensures a common orientation
smooths idiosyncrasies due to individual characteristics
A Model of Socialization
the organization evaluates an individual
the individual evaluates an organization

Copyright © 1996, The Regents of the University of Michigan, All rights reserved.
Revised - November 4, 1996