Salvation Army Espoused Values Paper

In business, organizational culture is the shared assumption, values and beliefs with dictates the behavior of those within the organization. Three levels of culture interact with one another and influence behaviors in organizations: observable artifacts, espoused values, and enacted values (Baack, 2012). Every organization develops and maintains its own unique culture which serves as base for guidelines and boundaries for influencing member behavior. In my current employment with The Salvation Army, the organizational culture -- beyond the religious side -- continues to embody what founder William Booth wanted to accomplish --meet human needs.

The Salvation Army is an international organization funded by donations and voluntary support.

Espoused values that are expressed on behalf of the organization or attributed to an organization by its senior managers in public statements may be distinct from practiced values (Khandelwal & & Mohendra, 2010). What is more, espoused values strongly align with the organizational mission which is easily adopted by employees. These values serve as the cornerstone of how the organization conducts business. Unfortunately, espoused values come from the top tier and are not easily adopted as it branches out to the lower levels of the organization hierarchy. Although one would hope that each tier in the hierarchy upholds the organizations espoused values, I can only comment on the division in which I work.

From my perspective, the ideals of the organization are always ones lived up to daily. As individuals walk through the organization’s door, employees try their best to provide assistant; unfortunately, some have to be directed elsewhere. Nonetheless, no gap exists between what is a known and actual action of those employed at my work setting. Core values are not vague, indefinable, or without normative and behavioral consequences. As individuals come through facility doors daily in need of assistance, we are reminded of what the organization is