1 Corporate Culture and Ethics

Discussion Question 1

Part A What is corporate culture? How does it shape an employee?
Part B In addition to attitudes and behaviors, list and describe three (3) other determinants of culture within an organization.

ANSWER

Corporate Culture and Ethics

Corporate Culture and Ethics

Part A: What is corporate culture? How does it shape an employee?

Corporate culture refers to the professional atmosphere or environment that exists within an organization. Corporate culture is usually reflected in how people within an organization dress, how they communicate, and how they conduct themselves during the fulfillment of their roles. Corporate culture is made up of various components including vision, values, people’s narrative, and practices (Kotter, 2008). The leadership of a company develops and implements policies and daily practices that reflect the culture that is desired. For instance, to foster a culture of healthy living and wellness, leaders can provide healthy foods to employees and engage in team sports activities every week. Corporate culture gives direction to new employees on how they are expected to act and carry themselves (Kotter, 2008). Corporate culture has to align with performance management systems to motivate employees to follow them. This way, employees will work hard to achieve organizational goals and get a good performance rating.

Part B: In addition to attitudes and behaviors, list and describe three (3) other determinants of culture within an organization.

Besides attitudes and behaviors, the culture of a company is determined by how the company is set up, the dress code of employees, and employee compensation. Office setup affects how people relate and work. Doing away with closed cubicles and offices ensures that organizations move away from the aggressive, high-risk, individualistic culture (Brand, 2009). The dress code of employees also affects corporate culture. Formal dress codes can harm innovativeness and creativity, especially for technology companies. Employees could be more productive is they are allowed to dress casually. The compensation packages and benefits that employees are given can also impact culture. Most employees today are looking for a work-life balance when seeking employment. Companies that offer robust benefits and perks are likely to have a highly productive workforce.

References

Brand, J. L. (2009). Should Your Company Transition from Traditional Private Offices to an Open Office Plan? Change/Transition Management White Paper, 5.

Kotter, J. P. (2008). Corporate culture and performance. Simon and Schuster.