Organizational culture relationships with creativity and other job-related variables (Koberg & Chusmir, 1987)


TL;DR

  • People have different needs that make them enjoy their work
  • Some of these needs are better suited for certain types of company cultures
  • You can either:
    • a.) Adjust the culture to suit the managers, or
    • b.) Hire/ promote managers into positions that are a better fit for them based on their needs

Notes

  • Favorable work outcomes result from how well the needs and personalities of staff **match **the variables of the work environment
    • Favorable work outcomes = motivation, satisfaction, low turnover
    • **Needs and personalities **= what people want or need to feel good about their job
    • **Work environment **= culture is a big one
    • Organizational culture = shared values and beliefs that result in “norms” or a way of life in the company
  • Culture results in more commitment, stability in the company, better decision-making, etc.
  • 3 culture types (Wallach)
    • Bureaucratic
      • very organized, hierarchy and power-based, mature, stable, cautious
    • Innovative
      • creative, challenge and risk is normal, high stress
    • Supportive
      • friendly, fair, helpful staff, a family

The study

  • They evaluated the managers in several companies based on:
    • Job satisfaction, job involvement, propensity to leave, propensity for risk taking, creativity
    • Need for achievement, need for power, need for autonomy, and need for affiliation
  • They evaluated the business culture on the Organizational Culture Index

The results

  • Bureaucratic– High need for power and affiliation, and high creativity
    • B cultures are well suited for people who want status/ power and to feel affiliated with others, and are creative thinkers
  • Innovative– High need for achievement, affiliation, and power
    • I cultures are well suited for people who want to feel achievement, affiliation with others, and status/ power
  • Supportive– High need for autonomy
    • S cultures are well suited for those who want to be autonomous and do more based on their own thinking
  • Side note: Creativity does not mean risky
    • Adaptors: high creativity but low/ moderate risk
    • Innovators: high creativity and high risk

External Resources

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