"Culture is the single most important factor accounting for success and failure." The word culture refers to the values and beliefs that make an organisation what it is. Organisations are varied and have varied cultures, these are not planned or predictable, nonetheless, they are the natural outcomes of social relations and evolve over time. There are three aspects of a culture by which an organisation can be acknowledged; routine is the way members interact with one another, rituals are special events that bring together the members of the organisation and symbols refer to the organisation's logo, terminology, uniform etc. By studying organisational cultures, we can identify and describe the organisation, and by looking at the different types of culture, we can find out if a successful culture means a successful organisation. In this essay I will look at the different types of culture, what makes a strong culture and Edgar Scheins analysis. In addition to this, I will discuss how members of an organisation can affect the culture and, as a result, have an impact on their working life. .
According to Charles Handy, as there are multiple departments within an organisation each doing their own thing, then they must have their own sub cultures, which will be catered for their particular needs. He states that there are four types of culture; power culture, role culture, task culture and person culture. Power cultures are usually taken upon by small businesses with a strong central power point. .
Workers of the organisation can be left to use their own initiative, if they are the right kind of worker for that particular organisation. Power cultures have the resources to adapt well and quickly to change, as well as any threats or disruptions. Organisations usually begin using this type of culture, but time and success can lead to expansion and specialisation of activities, therefore the organisation will gradually change their principal culture.