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Answer Upon - Understanding Corporate Culture
Are you a new graduate and planning to look for a job? Have you recently quit your job and are looking for a better opportunity? Are you unemployed and have little knowledge regarding ways to land a job? Whatever your situation may be, it would be to your advantage to study the following tips:1. Check your resume for errorsBefore submitting your resume to a prospective employer, check your resume for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no's. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume' to at least a page and a half long.2. Be Prepared for your InterviewA survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm based in California which corresponded with 1,400 chief financial officers concluded that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Some of the mistakes they made include: arriving late, having little knowledge about the company and th
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this
With all things considered, there is really not much choice but to accept credit cards online. This makes it much more convenient for not only the customer, but yourself as well. Because of the necessity of accepting credit cards online, it is important that you know the options available to you to accept credit cards. On top of that, you need to know which the better fit for your business is.There are two methods of accepting credit cards online, using your own merchant account or going through a third party merchant. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, making it all the more important that you know what they have to offer.In order to set up your own merchant account, you need a bank to approve the opening of the account. When you go through a third party account, it is simply a company that is accepting your credit card payment in exchange for various fees and percentages.So which is the better method? The initial cost of opening up your own merchant account is going to be higher than going through a third party account. You will often find that many third party accounts have no initial fees whatsoever. The part that evens the two methods out is the transaction fee.
INTRODUCTION
The subject of "corporate culture" seems to be on everyone's mind these days; from the college graduate entering the job market, to the IRM executive who is trying to improve management and productivity in his organization. It is the topic of interest at social and professional gatherings.
The perceptive manager understands the importance of establishing and controlling the work environment, including both logical and physical considerations. Unfortunately, many managers do not appreciate the concept of corporate culture and how to use it to their advantage.
Corporate culture pertains to the identity and personality of the company we work with, either in the private or public sectors. All companies have a culture; a way they behave and operate. They may be organized and disciplined or chaotic and unstructured. Either way, this is the culture the company has elected to adopt. In order for an employee to function and succeed, they must be able to recognize, accept and adapt to the culture.
MEMBER VS. ALIEN
Have you ever noticed how people react to foreign visitors; whether an exchange student or a visiting professional? The stranger may be welcomed, but may never be accepted unless that person can adapt to the norms of their new environment. If they do not, the members will shun the stranger and reject the alien from their culture. The same is true in business. If the new employee, consultant or visitor cannot adapt to the corporate culture, their chances for success are slight. The members of the culture will reject the person outright and will work against them.
The reason for this phenomenon is because people tend to prefer conformity in their culture. Conformity represents a harmonious environment where the behavior and actions are predictable. Most people have a deeply rooted desire for a sense of order and stability in their lives, which is what conformity provides. A stable environment promotes self-confidence in the members of the culture and allows them to concentrate on their work.
HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
Corporate culture deals with how we see ourselves and others. We act on our perceptions, not necessarily what occurs in reality. The culture greatly influences our perceptions and behavior. For example, our values and beliefs may distort what happens in fact. Gossip, propaganda, and a sensational press, deals with what people want to hear, not necessarily what happens in reality.
DEFINING CULTURE
Before we can alter the culture, we must first understand it. Culture is defined as the characteristics of the members of a civilization. Ultimately, culture defines the quality of life for a group of people.
Culture doesn't appear suddenly, it evolves over time as people grow and learn. The older the heritage, the more ingrained the culture is in its members.
There are essentially three parts to any culture: Customs, Religion and Society. Each influences the others.
CUSTOMS
Webster defines custom as a "long-established practice considered as unwritten law." Custom dictates the expected manner of conduct for the culture. It prescribes the etiquette to be observed in dress, speech, courtesy and politics (gamesmanship). Several companies, most notably IBM, have long understood the power of customs. These norms are established to project a particular image the company wishes to convey.
RELIGION
Religion is the philosophy of life and the basis for our values. It influences our judgement in terms of what is ethical and what is not. Although uniform morality sounds attractive to executives, it can be quite dangerous if unethical practices are allowed to creep into the moral fiber of the company.
SOCIETY
Society defines our interpersonal relationships. This includes how we elect to govern and live our lives. Society defines the class structure in an organization, from Chairman of the Board to the hourly worker. It defines government, laws and institutions which must be observed by its members. More often than not, the society is "dictated" by management as opposed to "democratically" selected by the workers.
INFLUENTIAL FACTORS
Obviously, it is people, first and foremost, that influence any culture. In terms of corporate culture, the only external factor influencing the enterprise is the "resident culture," which is the culture at any particular geographical location. The resident culture refers to the local customs, religion and society observed in our personal lives, outside of the workplace. The resident culture and corporate culture may differ considerably in some areas but are normally compatible.
Anthropologists have long known the physical surroundings, such as geography and climate, greatly influence the resident culture. The resident culture, in turn, influences the corporate culture. The corporate culture, which affects the behavior of its members, will greatly influence the resident culture.
SUB-CULTURES
Within any culture there are those people exhibiting special characteristics distinguishing them from others within an embracing culture; this is what is called "sub-cultures." In a corporate culture, sub-cultures take the form of cliques, special interest groups, even whole departments within a company. This is acceptable as long as the sub-culture does not violate the norms of the parent culture. When the characteristics of the sub-culture differ significantly from the main culture, it becomes a culture in its own right. This situation can be counterproductive in a corporate culture, a company within a company. For example, we have seen several IT organizations who view themselves as independent of the companies they serve. They "march to their own drummer" doing what is best for the IT Department, not necessarily what is best for their company. Conversely, we have seen management regulate the IT department as a separate, independent group as opposed to a vital part of the business.
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this a
Careers in banking and related fields are hot careers today, but before you decide on your career path, you may want to learn a bit more about the banking field and what it has to offer you. This particular field offers a great deal of diversity and is well paid as well, but the field is not for everyone. Read on to find out the essential information about careers in banking and decide whether or not a career in banking is the right choice for you. Career Choices in the Banking IndustryWhile you may only think of bank tellers when you think of the banking industry, there are actually a variety of different career choices available within the banking world. Of course, probably the most obvious is the bank teller, who deals with cash and customers. You may also want to consider a career as a customer service representative or a new accounts clerk in a bank as well, which involves opening and closing accounts, answering customer questions, and dealing with any customer concerns.Another side of the banking industry includes those who deal with the loan process. There are loan clerks, loan officers, and loan processors that deal with various parts of loan processes within a bank. There are also banking
The reason for this phenomenon is because people tend to prefer conformity in their culture. Conformity represents a harmonious environment where the behavior and actions are predictable. Most people have a deeply rooted desire for a sense of order and stability in their lives, which is what conformity provides. A stable environment promotes self-confidence in the members of the culture and allows them to concentrate on their work.
HUMAN PERSPECTIVE
Corporate culture deals with how we see ourselves and others. We act on our perceptions, not necessarily what occurs in reality. The culture greatly influences our perceptions and behavior. For example, our values and beliefs may distort what happens in fact. Gossip, propaganda, and a sensational press, deals with what people want to hear, not necessarily what happens in reality.
DEFINING CULTURE
Before we can alter the culture, we must first understand it. Culture is defined as the characteristics of the members of a civilization. Ultimately, culture defines the quality of life for a group of people.
Culture doesn't appear suddenly, it evolves over time as people grow and learn. The older the heritage, the more ingrained the culture is in its members.
There are essentially three parts to any culture: Customs, Religion and Society. Each influences the others.
CUSTOMS
Webster defines custom as a "long-established practice considered as unwritten law." Custom dictates the expected manner of conduct for the culture. It prescribes the etiquette to be observed in dress, speech, courtesy and politics (gamesmanship). Several companies, most notably IBM, have long understood the power of customs. These norms are established to project a particular image the company wishes to convey.
RELIGION
Religion is the philosophy of life and the basis for our values. It influences our judgement in terms of what is ethical and what is not. Although uniform morality sounds attractive to executives, it can be quite dangerous if unethical practices are allowed to creep into the moral fiber of the company.
SOCIETY
Society defines our interpersonal relationships. This includes how we elect to govern and live our lives. Society defines the class structure in an organization, from Chairman of the Board to the hourly worker. It defines government, laws and institutions which must be observed by its members. More often than not, the society is "dictated" by management as opposed to "democratically" selected by the workers.
INFLUENTIAL FACTORS
Obviously, it is people, first and foremost, that influence any culture. In terms of corporate culture, the only external factor influencing the enterprise is the "resident culture," which is the culture at any particular geographical location. The resident culture refers to the local customs, religion and society observed in our personal lives, outside of the workplace. The resident culture and corporate culture may differ considerably in some areas but are normally compatible.
Anthropologists have long known the physical surroundings, such as geography and climate, greatly influence the resident culture. The resident culture, in turn, influences the corporate culture. The corporate culture, which affects the behavior of its members, will greatly influence the resident culture.
SUB-CULTURES
Within any culture there are those people exhibiting special characteristics distinguishing them from others within an embracing culture; this is what is called "sub-cultures." In a corporate culture, sub-cultures take the form of cliques, special interest groups, even whole departments within a company. This is acceptable as long as the sub-culture does not violate the norms of the parent culture. When the characteristics of the sub-culture differ significantly from the main culture, it becomes a culture in its own right. This situation can be counterproductive in a corporate culture, a company within a company. For example, we have seen several IT organizations who view themselves as independent of the companies they serve. They "march to their own drummer" doing what is best for the IT Department, not necessarily what is best for their company. Conversely, we have seen management regulate the IT department as a separate, independent group as opposed to a vital part of the business.
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this
There are lots and lots of specialty sites out there on the Net and I’m talking about job sites. You can find sites for part-time workers, office workers, team workers, temporary and contract workers. You can also go into recruitment sites and enlist their support and help.Dealing with the recruitment site. Firstly you need to no that they usually charge fees for their service. However, it can reduce your headaches and time by using a recruitment service. There are a number of recruitment services out there. Everything for multi-national companies to some local recruitment services, look in your local newspaper, community papers. Check-out local advertising, maybe your Chamber of Commerce or industry body has a list of recruitment agencies in the area or just do a search on Google or Yahoo and see what you can come up with.Generally a recruitment agency is there to assist you, possible act as your HR department, trying to find the right employee. The agency will do all of the leg work. However you still have to now what the employee is to look like, I don’t mean physically. The skills they have, what will they be doing in your company etc. Some question you need to answer and you need to consider c
CUSTOMS
Webster defines custom as a "long-established practice considered as unwritten law." Custom dictates the expected manner of conduct for the culture. It prescribes the etiquette to be observed in dress, speech, courtesy and politics (gamesmanship). Several companies, most notably IBM, have long understood the power of customs. These norms are established to project a particular image the company wishes to convey.
RELIGION
Religion is the philosophy of life and the basis for our values. It influences our judgement in terms of what is ethical and what is not. Although uniform morality sounds attractive to executives, it can be quite dangerous if unethical practices are allowed to creep into the moral fiber of the company.
SOCIETY
Society defines our interpersonal relationships. This includes how we elect to govern and live our lives. Society defines the class structure in an organization, from Chairman of the Board to the hourly worker. It defines government, laws and institutions which must be observed by its members. More often than not, the society is "dictated" by management as opposed to "democratically" selected by the workers.
INFLUENTIAL FACTORS
Obviously, it is people, first and foremost, that influence any culture. In terms of corporate culture, the only external factor influencing the enterprise is the "resident culture," which is the culture at any particular geographical location. The resident culture refers to the local customs, religion and society observed in our personal lives, outside of the workplace. The resident culture and corporate culture may differ considerably in some areas but are normally compatible.
Anthropologists have long known the physical surroundings, such as geography and climate, greatly influence the resident culture. The resident culture, in turn, influences the corporate culture. The corporate culture, which affects the behavior of its members, will greatly influence the resident culture.
SUB-CULTURES
Within any culture there are those people exhibiting special characteristics distinguishing them from others within an embracing culture; this is what is called "sub-cultures." In a corporate culture, sub-cultures take the form of cliques, special interest groups, even whole departments within a company. This is acceptable as long as the sub-culture does not violate the norms of the parent culture. When the characteristics of the sub-culture differ significantly from the main culture, it becomes a culture in its own right. This situation can be counterproductive in a corporate culture, a company within a company. For example, we have seen several IT organizations who view themselves as independent of the companies they serve. They "march to their own drummer" doing what is best for the IT Department, not necessarily what is best for their company. Conversely, we have seen management regulate the IT department as a separate, independent group as opposed to a vital part of the business.
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this
The exciting term, infopreneur, is becoming a hit among today's entrepreneurs who want to capitilise on the sea of opportunities available on the internet. An infopreneur, apparently combined from the two words "information" and "entrepreneur", refers to an entrepreneur who makes money by selling/sharing information on the web.Infopreneurs fall into two categories. One is where infopreneurs sell information which are created on their own. The other kind is whereby infopreneurs piggyback off information from certain sources, modify as their own and sell them. The selling part might not exactly refer to selling information to readers directly all the time. Instead, sometimes information will be made free to be read by anyone. In this case, revenues are earned through advertistments which are relevant to the information. Infopreneurship serves as an important purpose to the public especially when people are looking for information on a specific topic. Then again, the reliability of the source has to be checked for.The selling part comes in when an infopreneur offers information products in a variety of formats including books, e-books, special reports, audio formats, videos, workbooks, booklets, and v
Anthropologists have long known the physical surroundings, such as geography and climate, greatly influence the resident culture. The resident culture, in turn, influences the corporate culture. The corporate culture, which affects the behavior of its members, will greatly influence the resident culture.
SUB-CULTURES
Within any culture there are those people exhibiting special characteristics distinguishing them from others within an embracing culture; this is what is called "sub-cultures." In a corporate culture, sub-cultures take the form of cliques, special interest groups, even whole departments within a company. This is acceptable as long as the sub-culture does not violate the norms of the parent culture. When the characteristics of the sub-culture differ significantly from the main culture, it becomes a culture in its own right. This situation can be counterproductive in a corporate culture, a company within a company. For example, we have seen several IT organizations who view themselves as independent of the companies they serve. They "march to their own drummer" doing what is best for the IT Department, not necessarily what is best for their company. Conversely, we have seen management regulate the IT department as a separate, independent group as opposed to a vital part of the business.
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this
Logo Design that Shines.You've either started a new business and need a new logo from scratch or have finally decided that Microsoft Paint "logo" is not quite cutting it anymore. Now, with a little help from an experienced graphic designer you set out to remake your company's image. In the back of your mind are great company logos like Apple, FedEx, and numerous others but what makes those designs shine? Well, besides the billions poured into advertising, these prized logos were designed to last.Lose the baggage.When developing the fresh new logo that will signify the fundamental characteristics of your company don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Personal tastes change over time and when you look to your logo that can be important. Let go of those constraints and explore options that might be a little uncomfortable at first but that will last into the future. You will ultimately have to be the judge of how much you relax your vision but overall the goal is to not be too critical of initial ideas. If this happens you will feel yourself sorting though many logo ideas without finding one that matches your expectations early on. This can happen with
CHANGING THE CORPORATE CULTURE
Changing the corporate culture involves influencing the three elements of the culture: Customs, Religion and Society. This is not a simple task. It must be remembered that culture is learned. As such, it can be taught and enforced. However, the greater the change, the longer it will take to implement. It should evolve naturally over time. A cultural revolution, such as the one experienced in communist China, is too disruptive for people to understand and accept. As a result, they will resist and rebel.
A smaller company can change its culture much more rapidly than a larger company, simply because of communication considerations. In addition, an organization in the private sector can change faster than one in the public sector (such as a government agency), only because a commercial company isn't encumbered with government regulations. This is an instance where a "dictatorship" works more effectively than a "democracy."
To change the corporate culture, one must begin by defining the current corporate and resident cultures, including the customs, religion and society observed. There are several indicators for measuring the pulse of the culture: Absenteeism, Tardiness, Turnover, Infractions of Rules, Employee Attitudes, Productivity, etc. All of these can be used to gauge how people behave within the corporate culture. To this end, we offer the "PRIDE" Survey on Corporate Culture to assist in this analysis:
http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/pride/eespcc.htm#survey
This is followed by a set of requirements for the culture and a plan to implement them. In a corporate culture, a policy and procedures manual can usually stipulate the customs and society to be observed. Developing a corporate consciousness is far more difficult to implement and involves considerable training and demonstration. Great care must be taken to avoid the "do as I say, not as I do" situation.
It is one thing to enact legislation, quite another to enforce it. Without an effective means to monitor and control the culture, it is quite futile to establish any formal policies or guidelines.
SUMMARY
Management is much more than just meeting deadlines. It is a people-oriented function. If we lived in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a need for managers. People would build things correctly the first time and on schedule, on costs. The fact of the matter is that we live in an imperfect world. People do make mistakes; people do have different perspectives, etc. Management is getting people to do what you want them to do, when you want them to do it. The corporate culture is a vital part of the art of management. Failure to recognize this has led to the demise of several managers. But for those managers who take it into consideration, the corporate culture can greatly influence the productivity of any organization.
Within the "PRIDE"-Enterprise Engineering Methodology (EEM), Corporate Culture is defined in Phase 3, Activity E, "Prepare Organization Analysis": http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/pride/eespcc.htm#survey
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