Session Summary

Session Number:205
Session ID:S201
Session Title:Broadening the Boundaries of Organizational Culture Research: Multiple Perspectives on Analyses and Consequences
Short Title:Organization Culture Research
Session Type:Division Joint Symposium
Hotel:Hyatt East
Floor:LL2
Room:GndBall B
Time:Monday, August 09, 1999 9:00 AM - 10:20 AM

Sponsors

OB  (Robert Liden)bobliden@uic.edu (312) 996-4481 
OMT  (Joseph Porac)j-porac@staff.uiuc.edu (217) 244-7969 

General People

Chair Flynn, Francis J. U. of California, Berkeley flynn@haas.berkeley.edu (510)450-0558 
Chair Chatman, Jennifer A. U. of California, Berkeley chatman@haas.berkeley.edu (510)642-4723 
Discussant Caldwell, David F. Santa Clara U. dcaldwell@scuacc.scu.edu (408) 554-4114 

Submissions

Demography and Communication Networks in Enculturation Processes in Organizations 
Presenter Harrison, J. Richard U. of Texas, Dallas harrison@utdallas.edu 972-883-2569 
Presenter Carroll, Glenn R. U. of California, Berkeley carroll@haas.berkeley.edu 510-642-0829 
Economics and Corporate Culture 
Presenter Hermalin, Benjamin E. Cornell U. hermalin@haas.berkeley.edu 510-642-7575 
The Strength of Corporate Culture and the Reliability of Firm Performance 
Presenter Sorensen, Jesper B. U. of Chicago jesper.sorensen@gsb.uchicago.edu 773-834-0450 
Strong Cultures and Innovation: Oxymoron or Opportunity? 
Presenter Flynn, Francis J. U. of California, Berkeley flynn@haas.berkeley.edu (510)450-0558 
Presenter Chatman, Jennifer A. U. of California, Berkeley chatman@haas.berkeley.edu (510)642-4723 
The Culture of Organizational Teams: The Impact of Values and Norms on Process and Performance 
Presenter Mannix, Elizabeth A. Columbia U. eam28@columbia.edu (212) 854-4424 
Presenter Thatcher, Sherry  U. of Pennsylvania sherry27@wharton.upenn.edu 215-985-4569 

Abstract

Organizational culture has traditionally been examined using a phenomenological lens. This qualitative approach has contributed significantly to our understanding of organizational culture, particularly the way it is manifested through symbols, stories, and rituals. Recently, however, alternative conceptualizations of organizational culture have emerged that lend themselves more to a quantitative approach. Indeed, culture is a complex and dynamic phenomenon requiring a variety of methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative, to understand how it is created, maintained, and changed, how it influences organizations and their members, and how one organization's culture compares to others. Presenters in this session will focus on multiple conceptualizations and consequences of culture (e.g., innovation, group conflict, communication networks, performance stability) while accounting for critical contextual variables that relate to and interact with an organization's culture (e.g., demography, strategy, task structure, industry volatility). The participants have utilized innovative methodological approaches to studying culture including network analysis, game theory, computational modeling, financial analyses, and psychometrics. By bringing together scholars from varying disciplinary and methodological traditions, we hope to stimulate a discussion of evolving conceptualizations and ways of assessing organizational culture that chart a well-informed path for future research. Our objectives for this symposium include: (1) Provoking a debate of and challenges to current approaches to studying organizational culture; (2) Increasing awareness of alternative approaches to developing theory and assessing organizational culture; (3) Identifying additional consequences of organizational culture; and (4) Developing an agenda for "second-generation" culture research.