The Cultures of Public Organizations

The Cultures of Public Organizations

All organizations have their unique cultural and structure that defines the company goals, values, beliefs, and vision. An organization’s culture provides the framework for a shared understanding of events and defines behavioral expectations (Shafritz, 2013, p. 64). When disruption of an organization’s culture occurs, they become susceptible to Clausewitz’s fog, or uncertainty. Moreover, the political pressures play an active role because the political demands or variations to organizational structure can contribute to competing information resulting in fog. The changes with culture or political demands effects organizations because they suffer from adequate resources and idiosyncrasies in behavioral norms that compromise successful project objectives.

Organizational Goals

Large organizations are complex with the conglomeration of varying goals, values, and beliefs. Although appreciated, the diverse views do present challenges and conflicts while attaining organizational goals. The challenge presents itself when organizational goal, the rationale for resource allocation (Shafritz, 2013, p. 54), shifts depending on influence by either authoritative personnel or a change in the cultural structure, i.e. values. Changes of authoritative power or cultural values can diminish, make obsolete, or create new goals. Furthermore, if the changes are not communicated, it adversely affects the vision and mission of the organization. Consequently, if the transparency of guidance, goals, or vision is deficient it presents an environment of cultural fog because the ambiguity or inadequate resource allocation devalues the expected performance outcomes of organizational goals.

Power Relationships

Both ...

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... or fog, when various influences inflict the organization. The attributions of fog are boundless however; power forces and political pressures can stimulate organizational fog. The influences transform an organization’s structure and culture and can adversely affect the day-to-day activities. Organizations can weather the fog by employing policies and procedures to ensure mitigation of aberrant practices. Although employing new policies and procedures are important, the vitality of the mitigation measures begins with the organizational structure.

Works Cited

Political Pressure. (2012, April 12). Retrieved April 15, 2014, from United States Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/ged/coralreef/models/PoliticalPressure.html

Shafritz, J.M., Russell, E.W., & Borick, C. P. (2013). Introducing Public Administration. Eight Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson