Assessment of Organizational Culture

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Assessment of Organizational Culture

Question 1

Organizational architecture is both the physical structures and order of seniority within a company while corporate culture refers to the visions, beliefs and habits that characterize the behavior of the employees from such an environment. Yahoo prides itself in creating a favorable atmosphere for its employees to be creative (Samson, Daft and Ananthram 157). As such, its offices are designed in stylish patterns. The cubicles are made to resemble lounges. Furthermore, the engineering units have some form of autonomy although there is an existing clear chain of command. This has led them to adopt a spontaneous corporate culture whereby staff members are easily inspired to come up with profitable technological advancements. It has also increased the desire of workers to work from the office thereby developing a cohesive workforce that manages to achieve set targets.

Question 2

The problem at Always Round Tire is that Billy Riggan does not delegate some of his duties to the research scientists. Since he has awarded himself the authority to make product innovation choices, his subordinates are not involved in such decisions. This shows a lack of faith in their judgments and diminishes their commitment to the projects. As such, there is a communication barrier as this leadership style tends to alienate junior staff members (Marturano and Gosling 36) .Therefore, the employees have developed resentment towards Mr. Riggan resulting in a decrease in productivity. They have resorted to finding other ways to remain active. Thus, the research scientists have settled on playing tennis as a way of passing time. Unfortunately, this has meant that Billy Riggan remains consumed by the huge workload. However, with such huge responsibilities solely on him, he is overworked.

Question 3

At Always Round Tire, the criterion to base promotions on seniority rather than merit is applicable in junior posts. It is unsuccessful in higher-level positions because these are visionary areas and demand more intellectual capacity. For the former, the responsibilities required are minimal since they oversee a leaner workforce that minimizes the impact of their decisions. However, senior executives need to have the managerial acumen to interpret current business activities and make forecasts based on market trends. Furthermore, these positions require spending large budgets in specific projects. Likewise, they have to make decisions affecting workers, suppliers and investors as well. They also deserve to possess good interpersonal skills to keep employees focused and motivated (Lussier and Achua 11). Therefore having the proper education and relevant training is vital as it empowers them to make risky choices in the day-to-day running of the firm.

Question 4

Free rider problems arise when individuals reduce their personal input upon being made to be part of a team yet they are quick to claim a share of the benefits when the group is rewarded (Schmid 95). The economists’ concern on this phenomenon is legitimate because it highlights the exploitation of some entities. This provides some people with an undue advantage over their competitors as it reduces their expenses while boosting the revenues. Similarly, it breeds dishonesty among institutions. Consequently, it amounts to negligence, overtaxing and overworking of others. This makes it a threat to the economy as consumers may receive substandard wares or services as well. Therefore, it needs to be corrected by halting the issuance of group incentives to enhance accountability. Furthermore, it would improve the work ethic of many stakeholders resulting in a rise of economic fortunes.

Question 5

A 360-degree evaluation is a type of feedback that involves all members of an organization regardless of their position. Thus, such a system is recommended since it presents an opportunity for the company’s strengths and weaknesses to be measured. Additionally, it aids in the development of a cohesive corporate culture. Likewise, it offers a template of future performance to the management. Nevertheless, it makes people biased since they are forced to be the judges of their peers some of whom are their friends (Muchinsky 238). This would lead to claims of favoritism. Similarly, it would be difficult to measure the individual output of staff members since most of the work is done in groups. Moreover, acts of incompetence would be common since those who are assigned to assess their peers will be motivated by the wages to be made for accomplishing their tasks rather than the actual content of the whole exercise.

Question 6

Responsible stewardship is beneficial to any firm because it increases the fortunes of workers, stakeholders and customers alike. It also enhances conflict resolution. Moreover, it enhances the setting of realistic goals and the development of strategic work plans. Hence, it improves the interaction between management and staff members. This in turn raises the productivity of the workforce. Furthermore, it aids in career advancement since a clear succession plan based on merit is initiated and retained. Consequently, it promotes ethical behavior that builds brand loyalty. This type of leadership is also important in securing credit facilities. Thus, the organization would have the resources to meet all the financial obligations for both its short and long-term needs. The need for streamlining of operations would make such form of stewardship necessary in introducing and carrying out changes as well.

Works Cited:

Lussier, Robert, and Christopher Achua. Leadership: Theory, Application, Skill Development. Mason, Ohio?: Thomson/South-Western, 2004. Print.

Marturano, Antonio, and Jonathan Gosling. Leadership: The Key Concepts. London: Routledge, 2008. Print.

Muchinsky, Paul. Psychology Applied to Work: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2006. Print.

Samson, Danny, Richard Daft, and Subra Ananthram. Management 100: Principles of Management. South Melbourne: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.

Schmid, Andrew. Conflict and Cooperation: Institutional and Behavioral Economics. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub, 2004. Print.