Human resource management practice I also available by michael armstrong

Chapter 

10

  Organizational Behaviour

131

assumptions that may not have been articulated but 

shape the ways in which people in organizations 

behave and the ways in which things get done.

How organizational culture develops

The values and norms that are the basis of culture are 

formed in four ways:

1 

By the leaders in the organization, especially those 

who have shaped it in the past.

2 

Around critical incidents – important events from 

which lessons are learnt about desirable or 

undesirable behaviour.

3 

From the need to maintain effective working 

relationships among organization members; this 

establishes values and expectations.

4 

Influenced by the organization’s environment. The 

external environment may be relatively dynamic or 

unchanging.

The components of culture

Organizational culture can be described in terms of 

values, norms, artefacts and management style.

Classifying organizational culture 

(Harrison, 1972):

 

●

Power-oriented – competitive, responsive to 

personality rather than expertise.

 

●

People-oriented – consensual, management 

control rejected.

 

●

Task-oriented – focus on competency, dynamic.

 

●

Role-oriented – focus on legality, legitimacy and 

bureaucracy.

Appropriate cultures

It is not possible to say that one culture is better than 

another, only that a culture is to a greater or lesser 

extent appropriate in the sense that it is relevant to  

the needs and circumstances of the organization and 

helps rather than hinders its performance.

Organizational climate

As defined by Harrison and Shirom (1999), 

organizational climate refers to ‘members’ perceptions 

of organizational features such as decision-making, 

leadership and norms about work’.

Organizational processes

A number of social processes take place in 

organizations that affect how they function.  

These are: interaction and networking, 

communication, group behaviour, leadership,  

power, politics and conflict.

Personal characteristics

The personal characteristics that affect people’s 

behaviour at work are their ability, intelligence, 

personality, attitudes, emotions and emotional 

intelligence.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a combination of skills and 

abilities such as self-awareness, self-control, empathy 

and sensitivity to the feelings of others. Someone with 

high levels of emotional intelligence should be able to 

relate to people effectively.

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