Inls 285 - Information Use for organizational effectiveness

Information Case 2 - Organizational culture

due: October 30

Your assignment is to examine the culture of an organization, either as an outsider or as an insider.  You may select two organizations in the same field or discipline. You may select two restaurant chains, two athletic teams, two government agencies, two professional associations, etc.  It will be helpful if one of the organizations is readily identifiable and has a strong brand,  service, image, or market niche.  

Describe and contrast the cultures of the two organizations by commenting on one or more of the following:

• Cultural artifacts (logos or other trappings that are unique to the organization).
• Information that is posted or given to you (in print, on a screen, or spoken by a person) upon entering or joining the organization.  Slogans and statements that may reflect the espoused values of the organization
• Routines or procedures that you notice and how efficient (or inefficient) they are.
• Interactions between staff, between staff and clientele, and between "customers" that suggest how they feel about the organization
• Anything about your experience that stands out as "different" from other experiences you have had in different places
• Behaviors that may reflect attitudes or assumptions of staff and customers (don't second guess people, but note comments like "they are always so slow here" or "the service is poor but the food is great" or "I come here for the ambience")

Write a 2 to 5 page comparison of the "cultures" of the organization. Your paper should explain the type of organization studied and give each a name (a pseudonym is fine if you want to protect the organization's identity). What artifacts did you observe? What values does the organization espouse? Based on your observations of the staff and clientele, what underlying assumptions influence the organization? What impression do you get about the organization's "attitude" toward its clients? You should also consider who desired clients might be and how the culture appeals to them. How does the culture of the organization fit with its neighborhood or environment? How did the experience compare with experiences you have had with similar types of organizations? How consistent was your experience with what the organization professes to provide?  You should discuss whether the organizations are successful or not and how the cultures contribute to (or detract from) success. If you think the culture contributes to the organization's effectiveness, then explain its effect. If the organization's culture seems weak or does not contribute much to organizational effectiveness, then suggest how the organization might strengthen its culture. Please cite the sources you use in gathering information.