Here is one more text about people in organization. Read it and say whether you can take the information seriously.

When might you need to give blood for a personality test? The answer to that question may puzzle you more than the question itself: when you apply for a job. What’s more, your blood group could seriously influence your career prospects. Some people believe your blood group hides no secrets. It reveals the “real you” – a person who gets things done, a good salesman, a creative person or a problem-solver – that is why you could be asked to state your blood group when completing a job application form. This growing trend was first used in Japan and now management consultant firms in other parts of the world have joined in. Someone, somewhere has spent some time working out statistics regarding who’s who in the blood group system. The owners of certain group tend to be particularly good or bad at certain tasks. In fact, one major Japanese firm is so well informed about blood groups that the company is quite specific about its needs: “We must have 30per cent of blood group A and 15 per cent of AB, 25 per cent of blood group 0, and 30 per cent of blood group B among echelons of our management personnel”. Apparently, if you belong to blood group 0 you get things done and sell the goods. Blood group A are thinkers, while blood group B are highly creative. And if you got problems, ask the Abs to solve them.

What is meant by «organizational climate»? Why is it important? What part does an organization’s culture play in the daily lives of its members?

Text 3

Read the text and be ready to discuss each point of cultural values. Can you add any more?

ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE

Although the concept of organizational climate is somewhat nebulous, it is valuable in understanding several aspects of organizational behavior. Organizational climate is the overall favorability of member attitudes and perceptions with reference to specific activities and features of an organization.

Organizations tend to have their specific culture: a peculiar mix of values, attitudes, norms, habits, traditions, behaviors and rituals. Some organizations are well aware of their culture and regard it as a powerful strategic tool, used to orient all units and individuals toward common goals, mobilize employee initiative, ensure loyalty, and facilitate communication. They aim at creating a culture of their own and making sure that all employees understand it and adhere to it. The specific cultural values of an organization may concern, for example:

• the organization’s mission and image (high technologies, innovative spirit, superior quality);

• seniority and authority (respect for seniority; seniority as a criterion of authority);

• the treatment of people (concern for people and their needs, equitable treatment or favouritism, privileges, respect for individual rights, training and developing opportunities, how people are motivated);

• the importance of different management positions and functions (authority of personnel department; importance of different vice-presidents’ positions; respective role and authority of research and development);

• work organization and discipline (voluntary versus imposed discipline; punctuality; use of time clocks; flexibility in changing roles at work; use of new forms of work organization);

• decision making process (who decides; who has to be consulted; individual or collective decision making; need to reach consensus);

• circulation and sharing of information (employees amply or poorly informed; information readily shared or not);

• communication pattern (preference for oral or written communication; rigidity or flexibility in using established channels, use of meetings; who is invited to what meeting; established behavior in the conduct of meeting);

• ways of handling the conflicts (desire to avoid conflict; preference for informal or formal ways; involvement of higher management);

• performance evaluation (confidential or public; by whom carried out; how results are used);

• socialization patterns (who socializes with whom during and after work; facilities such as separate dining rooms or reserved clubs);

• management and leadership style (paternalism; authoritative, consultative or participative style; flexibility and adaptability);

• identification with the organization (manager and stuff adherence to company objectives and policies; enjoying working with organization).