組織文化essay

Mattel has a strong organizational culture that embraces spirituality and that enables it to meet any challengeMattel is a worldwide leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing of childrens products. The intention of this paper is to explore the contributions that organizational culture and workplace spirituality, which regard as the advantages to one organization that can help the organization to meet any challenge. The paper more specifically will show that different ideas about theory of organizational culture and workplace spirituality, then how do values impact organizational culture and workplace spirituality; describing Mattel culture evident in the information presented in the case study; comparing the relevant theory presented against the actually existing culture in Mattel to evaluate how closely Mattel fit the theory of culture and discuss whether this will help Mattel meet any challenges; and give some recommendations to Mattel. In fact, Mattel seem to have a strong culture and work spirituality, and they can help Mattel meet any challenge. After firstly discuss the theory about theory of culture and workplace spirituality, and how do values impact on culture and workplace spirituality, then describe the evidences in the case study about Mattel values, culture and spirituality, specifically values effect on them in the case study, following evaluating Mattel culture whether will help Mattel meet any challenges through comparing with theory, and give some recommendation to Mattel. Organizational culture has been defined in many ways, because different writers define this term from different perspectives. Culture is difficult to measuring and identifying, generally, researchers identify organizational culture through rituals, material symbols, language and story. Organizational culture has been defined as a set of key characteristics held by members that differs the organization from other organizations (Robbins 2004), and suggest that the seven primary characteristics refer to innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, outcome orientation, people orientation, team orientation, aggressiveness and stability. Each of these characteristics exists on a continuum from low to high. These seven characteristic can give a composite picture of the organizations culture to any organizations Cameron and Freeman (1991) identified a useful framework of organizational culture types, and this framework is based on four sets of attributes, which include the dominant characteristics or values, the dominant style of leadership, the bases for bonding or coupling and the strategic emphasis present in the organization. These attributes can describe four resulting culture types, which are clan, adhocracy, hierarchy, and mark. Market culture emphasizes a goal-oriented enterprise; led by a driver or producer; held together by an emphasis on task and goal accomplishment; emphasizing competitive actions and achievement. Clan culture emphasizes human resources; led by a mentor, facilitator or parent-figure; bonded together by loyalty and tradition. A bureaucratic hierarchy culture which stresses a formalized, structured place; led by a coordinator or organizer; held together by formal rules and policies; emphasizing stability. In contrast, the values for the adhocracy culture emphasizes a dynamic, entrepreneurial place; led by an entrepreneur or innovator; held together by a commitment to innovation and development; emphasizing growth and acquisition of new resources.More and more organizations focus on cultivating organizational culture, and also dramatically pay attention on workplace spirituality, because a growing number of organizations that have embraced workplace spirituality and workplace spirituality also have been defined in different ways. Some writers identify spirituality as something originating from the insider of the individual, comparably, another describe spirituality as tied to ones religious affiliation. Some perspective about spirituality involves existentialist questions such as what the meaning of my work? and why am I doing this work? also has been argued by some writers (Krishnakumar & Neck 2002). In spiritual organizations, there are five culture characteristics has been typically identified, which include strong sense of purpose, focus on individual development, trust and openness, employee empowerment and toleration of employee expression (Robbins 2004). Some evidences suggest that the encouragement of spirituality in the workplace can lead to benefits in the area of creativity, honesty and trust, personal fulfillment, and commitment, and these are helpful to increased organizational performance (Krishnakumar & Neck 2002). Spirituality and organizational culture can be related by value, actually, the notion of workplace spirituality often use values, ethics, motivation, leadership and job satisfaction to explain, at the same time, organizational culture mainly embodies the values, beliefs and the attitudes of the enterprises defining vision (Burack 1999 4). Butts (1999) suggests that through values which enable employees spirit to grow and flourish is one useful way of integration spirituality in the workplace (3). Still some writer, Giacalone and Jurkiewicz (2003), hold the same ideas that workplace spirituality is a framework of organizational values evidenced in the culture that promote employees experience of transcendence through the work process, facilitating their sense of being connected to others in a way that provides feelings of completeness and joy, so if organization has acceptable values, employees would adjust their behavior to follow the organizational and create their workplace spirituality. Mattel has really exciting values, which are four fine slogans: play with passion, play together, play fair and play to grow. The values are being described as make a positive impact on the lives of children and families around the globe, with unparalleled creativity and innovation, love what you do and have the courage to make a different, play as a team to realize our full potential, from deep partnerships with the people and companies with whom we work, enrich the communication in which we work and play, treat each other to make the right decisions, be accountable for all that passes in front of us, act with unwavering integrity on all occasions, seek continuous improvement and deliver quality results in every part of our business, provide opportunities and support for personal and professional growth, reward excellent and achieve financial goal so that we can continue to play. These values are the center and compass of Mattel culture and workplace spirituality. At Mattel, leaders align themselves with organizational core values, and they should create an attractive blueprint to inspire and motive employees. The company pays attention not only on the benefits of outcome, but also the process of getting success, so they take a prior consideration of environment, health and safety of employees, customers and neighbors. Unwavering integrity of values also defines corporate culture on every level guiding how we work and how we do business. The standards of corporate governance which employees follow can earn and retain trust and also can encourage employees make an effort to develop best practices. Mattel as leading toy brands take on social responsibility through making up global philanthropy and the Mattel Childrens foundation. Mattel support and nourish employees growth, fully utilize employees skills to learn, contribute, creative, innovation, and recognizes that each employee as a unique, multifaceted individual. In order for employees to stay focused on exciting challenges at work, Mattel provides benefits packages to support employees needs. Mattel regards diversity is an asset of organization, and values various backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, ages, lifestyle, and ways of thinking, as well as respecting the life, culture, and work differences among employees. Mattel formally adopted a vision and values statement that acts as a moral compass for the way they work and interact with our co-works, our partners, their customers and their communities. Employees in Mattel are responsibility for acting with integrity, treating others with dignity and respect, being honest and fair in all transactions and consistently striving to do the right things.The code of conduct is a general statement of the standards of ethical business conduct, based on Mattel commitment to adhere to organizational values and to comply with the law, while the code of conduct outlines employees broad responsibilities, Mattel have more specific guidelines and company policies for various activities. Employees and Directors must consider the best interests of Mattel without personal interests and benefits. Jobs and work assignment of Mattel will be awarded on the basis of qualifications, skills and achievement, however, not family or personal relationship. The company does not accept and provide gifts and entertainment, discourage outside employment, and personal investments should not influence Mattel business decision. Mattel support particular non-profit or community organizations through financial support, toy donations or use of facilities, and encourage employees to support charitable organizations by taking roles as volunteer. Shared values also lead Mattel has a series of responsibility, employees treat others with respect, dignity and fairness; moreover, Mattel are committed to expanding and improving business through business alliances, and build productive relationship with business partner based on integrity, legal and ethical behavior and mutual trust, and provides accuracy of company records, public report, communications and high quality products. Mattel also take great responsibilities to communalities, which include community service, environment, communication to the Media, and political activity. When employees face an ethical decision, they should look themselves in the mirror and ask some questions, moreover seek some advices to take action. We can match the organizational culture observed from case with those incorporated in culture theory: it appears that the above seven characteristics can accurately describe Mattel culture, and Mattel possesses many of them. Those left “unmatched” are attention to detail, although taking action, which include self-check and get advices to correct problem is part of the Mattel culture; and People orientation, although Mattel consider employees contributions are critical to business success and provides abundant benefits package. However, there are some key lower dimensions. The first relates to outcome orientation: while management focus on results or outcomes, rather than on the process used to achieve those outcomes, but Mattel believe that how we achieve success is just as important as the success itself. The second relates to the stability: it seems that organizational activities emphasize maintaining the status quo, but Mattel implement growth strategy through business alliances. It is clear to identify that Mattel encourage and reward employees to innovation and creativity, job activities are designed around work team, and providing a progressive work environment, highly competitive benefits, and many employee programs designed to support employees growth.After analyzing the first theory, the second theory is more suitably apply to the Mattel case study, which can be discovered. It is clear to identify that Mattel is combination of clan culture and adhocracy culture, which have a sense of family and people work together, and encourage people to create different things. The Leader style in Mattel is mentoring and visionary. Employees work as a team, and trust each other, at the same time, desire individual risk-taking, innovation, freedom, and uniqueness. Mattel focus on growth strategy through business alliances, and build productive relationship with business partner. A diversity workforce provides Mattel with creativity and innovation that are the essence of success.Is Mattel a spirituality organization? From viewing above evidences about Mattels culture, it is easy to identified Mattel is a spirituality organization. Firstly, Mattel build their culture around a meaning purpose. While profits may be important, they are not the primary values of Mattel, because Mattel has closely intermeshed socially responsible behavior into its product, particularly in its support for global philanthropy and the Mattel Childrens foundation; Secondly, Mattel recognize the worth and value of people. They arent just providing jobs, because Mattel provide the chances of continually learn and grow, and provide employment security through benefits packages; Thirdly, Mattel are characterized by mutual trust, honest and openness. Mattel interact with their co-workers, partner, customers, and community with integrity, honest and fair; Fourthly, Mattel do not stifle employee emotion. Mattel regards diversity is an asset of organization, provide equal opportunity and fair employment practices; lastly, commitment of the employees to the organization and also commitment of the organization to quality and customers (Wagner-Marsh & Conely 1999), In Mattel, employees and directors must consider the best interests of Mattel without personal interests and benefits, at the same time, create excellent products to customers according to Global Manufacturing Principle (GMP). Relating Mattel culture evident in the information presented in the case study against relevant culture theory, this essay has found strong support for the spirituality organization, Mattel, has a strong culture. There are also some reasons for Mattel that a strong culture and spirituality will help Mattel meet any challenges. According to Robbins (2004) suggest that a strong culture will inspire the conduct that core values are intensively held and widely share, and have a great influence on the behavior of its members because the high degree of shared and intensity creates an internal climate of high behavioral control, as well as can be lower employee turnover, and also demonstrates high agreement among members about what the organization stand for. It is clear that organizations that encourage spirituality should enhance organizational performance and financial success, moreover, an encouragement of spirituality within an organization can lead to enhanced profits and productivity (Krishnakumar & Neck 2002).As can be seen from the main finding, Mattel have good work atmosphere, and focus teamwork, so Mattel seems like a warm family, however, Mattel is lack of competitive among employees. It is necessary that Mattel should provide effective promotion plan to employees, and it is helpful to increase aggressive and competitive. It is important to consider that workplace spirituality should be encouraged in any organization, however, Mattel have diverse workforce, however, the diversity in the beliefs and definitions that each individual has about spirituality (Krishnakumar & Neck 2002). The recommendation about this point is that leaders in Mattel should encourage the employees to follow their own spirituality path and to relate the path to the goals of Mattel. Although Mattel emphasizes trust each other, management decision seems do not take into consideration the effect of outcome on employees. It is important that management should empower employees to make most work-related decisions.In conclusion, Assignment 1 8 11 November 2006