This document provides instructions for an assignment assessing organizational culture. Students are asked to complete a 15 question true/false survey about their organization's culture and compare the results to four categories of culture described in supplemental reading. They then write a 2-3 page paper analyzing their survey results, comparing findings to the categories, and reflecting on what was learned about managing in their organization's culture. The paper is evaluated based on addressing all aspects of the assignment, demonstrating critical thinking, following standards of business writing, effective use of sources, and timeliness of submission.

1. Module 4 - SLP
Organizational Structure and Culture
For the SLP 4 assignment, you will explore some aspects of an
organization's culture, at least as you see it. (Select an
organization you have worked with, if possible.) Since the
concept of organizational culture is open to many
interpretations and classifications, this assessment offers a
slightly different approach from your background reading on
organizational culture.
Required Reading
Debra Woog McGinty and Nicole C. Moss have compiled a
short corporate culture survey aimed at identifying
characteristics of workplaces. The categories of workplace
description that it generates are fairly self-explanatory.
Assignment
When you have completed the assessment think about it for a
minute, and how it compares to the Academy, Baseball Team,
Fortress, and Club cultures described by McNamara in the
Background reading. Then prepare a 2- to 3-page paper
addressing:
· Your scores on the McGinty/Moss assessment and whether or
not they fit your general expectations or constitute a surprise in
some ways. Interpret the results of the assessment in terms of
your own experience, either to confirm or to question the
results. Compare your findings with the McNamara categories.
· The degree to which the McGinty/Moss assessment and the
McNamara information tell you similar or dissimilar things
about your organization.
· Do the assessment and the McNamara categories help improve
your managerial understanding and/or skills? What can you
infer from the assessment results about how your organization’s
culture fits or doesn't fit with you? What (if anything) can you
do to make your interaction with the culture more effective?
· Provide your opinion on whether or not the questions asked

2. help you understand the organization and how you cope with it.
Do they accurately assess what is needed to analyze a
company’s culture?
· Include the actual results to the survey in an Appendix section
in your paper.
SLP Assignment Expectations
Your paper will be evaluated using the criteria as stated in the
SLP rubric. The following is a review of the rubric criteria:
Assignment-Driven: Does the paper fully address all aspects of
the assignment? Is the assignment addressed accurately and
precisely using sound logic? Does the paper meet minimum
length requirements?
Critical Thinking: Does the paper demonstrate graduate-level
analysis, in which information derived from multiple sources,
expert opinions, and assumptions has been critically evaluated
and synthesized in the formulation of a logical set of
conclusions? Does the paper address the topic with sufficient
depth of discussion and analysis?
Business Writing: Is the essay logical, well organized and well
written? Are the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary appropriate
for graduate-level work? Are section headings included? Are
paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of
responding, or is justification/support instead conveyed through
excessive use of direct quotations?
Effective Use of Information: Does the submission demonstrate
that the student has read, understood and can apply the
background materials for the module? If required, has the
student demonstrated effective research, as evidenced by
student’s use of relevant and quality (library?) sources? Do
additional sources used provide strong support for conclusions
drawn, and do they help in shaping the overall paper?
Citing Sources: Does the student demonstrate understanding of
APA Style of referencing, by inclusion of proper citations (for
paraphrased text and direct quotations) as appropriate? Have all
sources (e.g., references used from the Background page, the
assignment readings, and outside research) been included, and

3. are these properly cited? Have all sources cited in the paper
been included on the References page?
Timeliness: Has the assignment been submitted to TLC
(Trident’s learning management system) on or before the
module’s due date?
What is My Corporate Culture
Corporate culture is a complex subject. Yet analyzing your
company's culture can help you create a plan to improve it.
This 15-question survey has been developed to serve as a
starting point for your analysis.
Answer each true/false question according to what is true most
of the time. And answer based on how your organization
actually acts -- not how you would like it to be.
True/False Questions
(I have answered all the Questions)
1. I know how my projects contribute to the success or failure
of our organization. (True)
2. Management here makes lots of announcements to employees.
(True)
3. I have colleagues from a wide variety of professional and
personal backgrounds. (True)
4. In this organization, people who are not ready to be promoted
after a certain length of time at their level are generally
encouraged to leave. (False)
5. Departments or teams compete with each other for our
organization's resources. (False)
6. When people are not getting along here, it's a long time
before we directly address the issue. (False)
7. When it's time for me to learn a new skill, training is readily
available at no cost to me. (True)
8. When the boss tells us to "jump!" we ask "how high?" (False)
9. It takes a long time for this organization to address customer
concerns. (False)
10. Many employees expect to work at this organization for
their whole careers. (True)

4. 11. Senior management says the door is always open -- and they
mean it. (True)
12. It is fun to work here. (True)
13. We have three or fewer layers of management. (True)
14. We have performance reviews less than once a year. (True)
15. Compensation and benefits are relatively low here. (True)
Go to the next page to score your quiz.
Count your "True" responses in each third of the quiz (questions
1- 5, 6-10, 11-15). The section in which you have answered
"True" the most times corresponds to the culture type your
organization most closely matches. If you have the same number
of "True" responses in more than one section, your culture
matches this combination of types. On the next page, you'll find
a list of primary advantages and potential pitfalls of each one.
Related Links
· Corporate Culture
· The Culture Wars
· Guide to Improving Your Communication Skills
For questions 1-5:
If you had the most "True" responses in this set of questions,
your company has a Deliberative/Traditional culture.
Advantages:
· This culture tends to be intellectual and thoughtful.
· People in this type of organization often consider issues
carefully prior to making a change.
· The organization likely has many formal systems, yet flexibly
forms and reforms teams in accordance with immediate client
needs.
· This cultural type regularly hires groups of new employees,
generating a valuable flow of diverse talent with fresh
perspectives.
· Senior management communicates frequently to employees.
Pitfalls:
· Although plenty of communication usually flows from the top
of this organizational type, management often does not indicate
interest in feedback from all levels. Beyond making

5. announcements from management, ask for regular feedback so
you don't miss critical information and/or valuable innovations
from your staff.
· Be careful that your organization doesn't discuss change for so
long that you miss important opportunities to change for the
better.
· Be aware of the cultural implications of fostering competition
within a company. Internal competition may create resentment
that drives costly turnover.
Related links:
· You want a fast-reacting, adaptable corporation?
· Tips to Match a New Recruit's Perspective with Workplace
Culture
· Match Your Interview Questions to Your Culture
For questions 6-10:
If you had the most "True" responses in this set of questions,
your company has an Established/Stable culture.
Advantages:
· This organization has most likely been around for a long time
and/or is a family business. These organizations tend to have
solid institutional memories, so they are likely not to waste
resources by repeatedly "reinventing the wheel".
· This type of company has processes in place to address most
situations.
· Organizations of this type tend to cultivate employees by
encouraging development through mentoring programs and/or
formal training opportunities.
· This culture type is known for compensating its people
relatively well.
Pitfalls:
· Typically this type of organization struggles to handle conflict
well, often becoming either conflict avoidant or "command and
control." If your organization tends to be conflict avoidant, it
may be time to address those problems that are out of hand, or
that have been out of hand in the past.
· "Command and control" style leadership may yield feelings of

6. disconnectedness among employees. Consider assessing
employee morale immediately.
· Overall, this culture type tends to be wary of turnover, so take
a careful look at your organization and consider whether it's
holding on to people who might best be let go.
· While established systems can be a positive sign of
organizational health, make sure your processes are focused
toward addressing customer needs in a timely matter. If your
processes impede rapid resolution of customer problems, rework
them right away.
Related links:
· Create a Culture of Change
· Help Managers Avoid Mentoring Traps
· The Measure of Morale
· Best Customer Service Practices
For questions 11-15:
If you had the most "True" responses in this set of questions,
your company has an Urgent/Seat of the Pants culture.
Advantages:
· This culture type features a positive work environment, with
tight bonds among employees.
· It is likely that an aspect of your organization's mission
includes responding to crisis. People care deeply about the
firm's mission and work hard to achieve the organization's
goals.
· Employees who frequently hurry to beat the clock can create
great results in a short time, provided that quality is a strong
value in your organization.
· These organizations tend to have a flat structure that fosters
communication and collaboration among employees and speeds
the decision-making process.
Pitfalls:
· Caution: minimum rewards (both tangible and intangible) and
minimum feedback are common to this culture type. Rewards
and recognition are important not only to generate loyalty but
also to foster collaboration.

7. · The constant rush to get things done quickly can lead to
burnout and increase the ever-present danger of losing talent.
· Although this type of culture generally features frequent
upward communication and grassroots change, top-down
communication tends to be inadequate. Beyond staying
accessible, take time to share important messages and
expectations with your entire staff to keep them motivated and
moving in the right direction.
· Making decisions under intense time pressure may lead to a
reduction in the quality of your products or services.
Related links:
· Can't Offer a Big Salary? Try Flexible Hours and Future
Reviews
· Guide to Motivating Employees
· Guide to Overcoming Burnout
· Burnout -- And How to Beat It
Is your culture type consistent with your expectations? If so,
you probably have a good handle on how your company
behaves, its primary cultural drivers, and how to make
improvements where necessary.
Is your type different from what you thought it would be? If so,
you might have an unrealistic perception of your company's
character and values. Take a closer look at your answers above,
and use the questions themselves as a guide to shifting your
organization's behaviors toward becoming the type of culture
you would like to see.
About the authors:
Debra Woog McGinty, principal of connect2 Corporation,
coaches leaders to be expert managers. She welcomes your
comments at [email protected].
Nicole Moss provides emerging companies with recruiting
consulting services through her company Blueprint. She
welcomes your comments at [email protected].
Copyright © 2001 -- Connect2 Corporation and Blueprint -- All
Rights Reserved.