National and organizational culture

The first group presentation of the course was about the differences between national culture and organizational culture, beginning from the definition of each one of them, and other similar.

First of all, was necessary to define the term culture. Monica Arango and Sara Saldarriaga brought one from Alfred Louis and Clyde Kluckholn that in summery talked about behaviors attached to values, symbols and traditional ideas of a group of persons. Once culture was defined, we went through some meanings around national and organizational culture, the reason was to reach the point that let us ask ourselves which is the difference between them and how culture affects an organization.
That's why is important to know that the organizational culture is a collection of norms, believes and practices of the people that integrates that company, composed by nationals culture and the corporation culture. Important issue to be taken into account by headquarters managers to avoid any discrimination situation, including some values of the national culture but establishing a particular culture that differentiates its organization from others in the industry.

According to this presentation, culture accomplish some functions within an organization:

1. Provides a sense of identity to members and increases their commitment to the organization.
2. Is a sense-making device for organization members.
3. Reinforces the values in the organization.
4. Serves as a control mechanism for shaping behavior.
   

But exists a discussion about if corporate culture is reaching towards its end, some arguments are that some enterprises as Apple Inc. has a stronger project culture than the organizational, because they work in team they know better their mates and understand closer their differences of values, etc. The same happens with the subculture's cultures, such as engineering culture, finance's, where procedures and the way to develop their work are include too.

Each group creates its own culture, imposed but nobody just them. That's the result of all those subcultures they talked about, they find the way to do their work in a more effective way. But at the same time I think, those differences bring not only problems in the right function of the company, but there are some advantages because of the diversity, such as:

• More different ideas
• Innovation, they come from different backgrounds that could boost the managing tendencies, technology, among others.
• Helps to the adaptability issue, and decrease the uncertainty avoidance index
• More differentiation
  

And there should be some programs as the article of The business case for commitment to diversity propose. Such as, training programs directed at communications, conflict resolution, and team building. Meanwhile they learn more about others without judging and stereotyping their nationalities.

Bibliography

• Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana, http://www.drtci.org/. (February. 2009)
• Millman, Gregory J. . 2007. "Corporate Culture: more myth than reality? ." The Free Library 23:44-47. Millman, Gregory J. (2007, July 1).
  
• Nelson, Debra; Quick Campbell James.1994. Organizational Behavior. West. Page: 494.
• The business case for commitment to diversity. By: Slater, Stanley F.; Weigand, Robert A.; Zwirlein, Thomas J.. Business Horizons, May2008, Vol. 51 Issue 3, p201-209, 9p; DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2008.01.003; (AN 31754609)