ORGB364 - Chapter 12 - Organizational
Culture Exam Questions With 100% Correct
Answers
Define organizational culture
consists of shared values and assumptions.
shared values are values that people within the organization or work unit have in common and place
near the top of their hierarchy of values. Shared assumptions are nonconscious, taken-for-granted
perceptions or ideal prototypes of behaviour that are considered the correct way to think and act
toward problems and opportunities.
What is the difference between espoused values and enacted values?
espoused values are the values that corporate leaders hope will eventually become the organization's
culture, or at least the values they want others to believe guide the organization's decisions and
actions.
enacted values are values that are enacted when they actually guide and influence decisions and
behaviour. They are values put into practice.
What is the difference between subcultures and countercultures?
Some subcultures enhance the dominant culture by espousing parallel assumptions and values.
Others differ from but do not conflict with the dominant culture.
Countercultures embrace values or assumptions that directly oppose the organization's dominant
culture
Why are subcultures and countercultures important?
1. they maintain the organization's standards of performance and ethical behavior. They encourage
constructive conflict and more creative thinking about how the organization should interact with its
environment
2. Companies eventually need to replace their existing dominant values with ones that are more
appropriate for the changing environment. Those emerging cultural values and assumptions usually
exist in subcultures long before they are ideal for the organization.
define artifacts
the observable symbols and signs of an organization's culture, such as the way visitors are greeted,
the organization's physical layout, and how employees are rewarded.
What is the difference between culture and artifacts?
Culture is cognitive (values and assumptions inside people's heads) whereas artifacts are observable
manifestations of that culture.
What are the four broad categories of artifacts?
1. organizational stories and legends
2. organizational language
3. rituals and ceremonies
4. physical structures and symbols
Culture Exam Questions With 100% Correct
Answers
Define organizational culture
consists of shared values and assumptions.
shared values are values that people within the organization or work unit have in common and place
near the top of their hierarchy of values. Shared assumptions are nonconscious, taken-for-granted
perceptions or ideal prototypes of behaviour that are considered the correct way to think and act
toward problems and opportunities.
What is the difference between espoused values and enacted values?
espoused values are the values that corporate leaders hope will eventually become the organization's
culture, or at least the values they want others to believe guide the organization's decisions and
actions.
enacted values are values that are enacted when they actually guide and influence decisions and
behaviour. They are values put into practice.
What is the difference between subcultures and countercultures?
Some subcultures enhance the dominant culture by espousing parallel assumptions and values.
Others differ from but do not conflict with the dominant culture.
Countercultures embrace values or assumptions that directly oppose the organization's dominant
culture
Why are subcultures and countercultures important?
1. they maintain the organization's standards of performance and ethical behavior. They encourage
constructive conflict and more creative thinking about how the organization should interact with its
environment
2. Companies eventually need to replace their existing dominant values with ones that are more
appropriate for the changing environment. Those emerging cultural values and assumptions usually
exist in subcultures long before they are ideal for the organization.
define artifacts
the observable symbols and signs of an organization's culture, such as the way visitors are greeted,
the organization's physical layout, and how employees are rewarded.
What is the difference between culture and artifacts?
Culture is cognitive (values and assumptions inside people's heads) whereas artifacts are observable
manifestations of that culture.
What are the four broad categories of artifacts?
1. organizational stories and legends
2. organizational language
3. rituals and ceremonies
4. physical structures and symbols
