Many times we can see ourselves confused with some of the administrative terms such as the case of culture and organizational climate, both terms based on the perception of the worker within an organization and stemming from the study of organizational behavior. Below I will review some definitions and differences between these concepts:
1. Organizational Culture.
Organizational culture is a system of beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, behaviors, interpersonal relationships, leadership style, that are developed in a group within an organization, in order to fulfill the mission and vision in their interaction with the environment at a given time.
We demonstrate the organizational culture when talking about the myths and ideologies formed through the years in a company, an example of this is when it talks about punctuality as a requirement to be accepted by colleagues in some working group of an organization.
Through administrative studies on organizational culture we can define two major trends among schools of thought:
1. The conception of culture as an essential part of organizational life: an influential variable in business behavior, as is the organizational climate, conflict or leadership (something you have).
2. The one that identifies it as “organizational essence”: shaper of meaning, with the possibility of offering a shared interpretation of reality that facilitates the ability to organize. Culture from this perspective, promotes the sense of order and logic that symbolically constitutes the organization (something that is). (Kreps, 1990, Organizational Culture: The Essence of Organization.)
Under this point we can say that the culture is specific to each organization, and there is always a culture.
1.1. Organizational Culture Study.
“For the study of the organizational culture it is necessary to describe the essential, but not visible, aspects, constituted by the values, beliefs, and basic perceptions, that take shape in the manifestations in the organizations through procedures; organization charts; technology; information; rites; behaviors; habits; behaviors; oral, gestural, written form of expression; weather; speed; group cohesion; motivation; as well as: logo; ways of dressing; buildings; cleaning; organization. Some are easier to measure as well as the instrument to be used for this purpose, not being those that are related to the socio-psychological aspect at the individual and group level ”.
In his book "Así Somos y Qué", Carlos Méndez explains that organizational culture is studied using quantitative techniques (surveys) and qualitative techniques (group sessions), and should not be measured or diagnosed, but described. "Collective manifestations in the behavior of people in the company must not be subjected to mathematical procedures" (Méndez, p. 154), nor is it diagnosed, since culture cannot be defined as good or bad. Culture is described, therefore, through the narration of different variables, highly ingrained features of culture that are shared in the organization and make it different are evident.
1.2. Organizational Culture Dimensions.
In the book: This is who we are and what? Professor Carlos Méndez argues that in the study of organizational culture 5 dimensions must be differentiated to make a complete description within the company
to. Individual autonomy: Refers to individual responsibility, independence, freedom and initiative to perform in her office, participation in the decision-making process, as well as orientation towards compliance with rules and regulations
b. Degree of structure and its influence on the position held: Refers to the way in which managers determine objectives, policies and procedures, as well as the use of communication strategies used that keep members of the organization informed.
c. Orientation towards reward: Includes the behaviors that people have in order to guide work towards achieving achievements and goals that allow them to achieve satisfaction, as well as benefits and goals.
d. Consideration, enthusiasm and support: Managers support their subordinates in the execution of their work, in addition to promoting actions that stimulate the enthusiasm of employees for recognition and affection.
and. Orientation towards development and promotion at work: Emphasizes the importance of forming work groups, including factors such as tolerance, conflict management and universalism, among others.
We see that in many companies employees support each other by creating work groups and encouraging leadership and the permanence of values and ideals. Furthermore, integration between the areas is promoted through traditions and events that make employees feel like they are like a family.
As in any society, myths are created which make people follow a pattern of behavior and at the same time relate situations of the present with the solutions that were given in said myths.
2. Organizational Climate.
To define this term, I quote two important authors on the subject:
“The organizational climate is the result of the way people establish processes of social interaction. Such a process is influenced by the system of values, attitudes and beliefs, as well as its environment and internal environment ”. Carlos Mendez
"The organizational climate is the internal environment of an organization, the atmosphere that exists in each organization, includes different aspects of the situation that overlap each other to various degrees, such as the type of organization, technology, company policies, goals operational, internal regulations (structural factors). In addition to the attitudes, value systems, forms of social behavior that are sanctioned (social factors) ”. Idalberto Chiavenato.
So we can deduce that if a company has a favorable organizational climate, it will be reflected in a higher quality in the life of its staff and, as a consequence, it will be reflected in its quality of work.
To exemplify this concept we can take studies carried out on different companies that show situations in which both employees, managers and shareholders feel proud to belong to a company, they feel identified with phrases such as: “we are the market leader company” or "The best quality always" which generates people to be convinced that they cannot be in a better place than the current one.
2.1. Create an appropriate Organizational culture.
To create a favorable organizational climate, the organization provides or facilitates the following:
to. Adequate physical factors as a comfortable, quiet workplace, where all the tools are found to efficiently carry out the work of the worker. In addition, the post or place where they carry out their functions must be well lit and meet optimal hygienic conditions.
b. Psychological factors which must include how the superior refers to his collaborators, how he treats them, encourages and promotes them. In addition, you must give the necessary confidence, so that people can test their ideas and make mistakes without fear.
c. Appropriate internal and external communication system so that everyone involved is fully aware of the needs and goals of the organization and vice versa.
d. Processes that guarantee the remuneration of potentially useful ideas that can help collaborators to carry out their functions in an easier and more effective way, while improving the performance of the company through merit systems based on rewarding, either with an increase of salary or through promotions or training, to those employees who can create and implement innovative ideas.
2.2. The IMCOC.
Created in 1980 by Carlos Méndez, its abbreviations mean: Instrument to Measure the Climate in Colombian Organizations, this method was presented in his book “Organizational Climate in Colombia. The IMCOC: an analysis method for its intervention ”, where Méndez publishes the results of the organizational culture study to 176 Colombian companies between 1980 and 2005.
The IMCOC is a tool that helps managers make decisions to improve the organizational culture of their companies. Among its characteristics are that of being cumulative in the results found, its theories are empirical generalizations, it explains and predicts, and it is applicable.
This instrument is made up of 45 questions and software for information processing, and thus finds the primary variables for improving the organizational climate, which are: cooperation, interpersonal relationships, decision-making, leadership, motivation, objectives and control, according to the 13,000 surveys carried out.
As we can see, the culture and organizational climate are two concepts of necessary knowledge within an organization, both directly influence the objectives and goals set and its way of acting, without forgetting the great impact it can have on the productivity of a company.
Bibliography
1. "Organizational Climate in Colombia: The IMCOC: A method of analysis for its intervention", Méndez, Carlos E, Editorial Universidad del Rosario, 2006.
2. «SO WE ARE AND WHAT ?. 4 STORIES OF CULTURE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT », Méndez, Carlos E, Editorial Beyerg Ltda, 2009.
