The physical layout of a building can also communicate the culture of an organization. My facility does not appear to actively try to convey a message through the architecture, but the message of efficiency is communicated loud and clear. I work in a building with no real frills. The office spaces are unadorned except for a few company posters, plus the warehouse area is completely utilitarian. All space is used for the purpose of efficiently receiving and shipping groceries. Desks are sturdy but plain, chairs are simple and somewhat uncomfortable, and there are no decorations that don’t actively promote or explain Walmart history or organizational safety practices in some way.
Similarly, rules and policies of an organization convey a cultural message as well. One of the rules Walmart is most proud of is its open-door policy. Although not exclusive to Walmart, it has become a cornerstone of the culture of both facilities in which I have worked. Open-door allows associates to approach their manager or the level of management above the associate’s immediate supervisor without fear of repercussion. It is an important aspect of the “respect for the individual” policy mentioned earlier. Walmart has also offered same sex union insurance coverage for about a decade and offers diversity training and sustainability training through its intranet to empower its employees in the workforce if they choose to take advantage of these programs. These and several other curriculums are available to encourage the associates to feel empowered by the company and train them to “respect the individual.”
Lastly, rituals are a staple of a strong organizational culture. Rituals refer to repetitive activities that have a symbolic meaning within an organizati...
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...ack of a professional demeanor. Being aware of what you are saying and how you are saying it is a very important aspect of impression management.
Finally, behavioral impression management comes into play. Behavioral impression management is how one performs a job and how they interact with other people. Treating others with respect usually results in respect being returned. One of the operations managers in my facility wears sweater vests to work. When he transferred to a new shift, one of the managers he now found himself over also started wearing sweater vests. Later, a few more managers began to emulate this behavior. Unfortunately for the managers, the operations manager caught on and was not impressed. Shortly after he pointed out the new fashion craze that followed him to his new shift, it ended, and the managers had to find other ways to impress their new boss.
the deities and attempt to explain the psychological necessity of these rituals. An examination will be made of the typical forms of rituals, and cite their effects,
Again referring to my past work experience, I observed other employees not always working in an organized respectful manner and therefore
Goffman defines ritual as follows: "I use the term "ritual" because this activity, however informal and secular, represents a way in which the individual must guard and design the symbolic implications of his acts while in the immediate presence of an object that has a special value for him" (Goffman 1956/1967, 57).
Walmart is a multi-billion dollar retail industry that hires thousands of employees a year. Over the last decade Walmart, there has been some speculation that Walmart discriminates against women. They employ 815,000 women, which is 57 percent of its U.S. workforce (Reed). Over 2,000 women from each of 48 states have filed legal complaints against Walmart and the company is said to have a history of unfair treatment of these female employees by under paid and how there are so many lawsuits against them given few opportunities for advancement (Hines). I selected this topic because after doing some research I discovered some shocking information about how Walmart supposedly treats their female employees and how there are so many lawsuits filed against them. This relates to my field of study because it shows what goes on internally between a company and its employees and how a company’s decision affects their employees. This also relates to my field of study because it an example of what occurs sometimes within a company and that is legal action from employee to the employer.
It calls for every person to counter these perceived vices in society. Thus, matters of inclusion and personal intuition are very paramount to be alive in a world which is more ethical. Sexual harassment in the workplace presents an ongoing and growing risk to businesses operating in the United States. Today, the time is right for businesses to begin to manage their risk in this area more wisely. Preventing sexual harassment in the workplace requires a considerable investment of time and personnel. In the end, however, these costs will be offset by significant savings in legal fees and health-care costs. Companies will also benefit from increased worker productivity. From a purely business perspective, a company only stands to gain if it takes a no-nonsense, hardline position on sexual harassment. Not only is it the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to
In the case of Dukes vs. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (Dukes), the court found that there was a lack of significant proof that Wal-Mart had a general policy of discrimination (Schipani, 2013). The plaintiffs needed commonality to establish uniformed disparity within the Wal-Mart organization, and statistical evidence was deemed unworthy of proving this commonality (Schipani, 2013). The numbers were astounding; seventy-two percent of the hourly workforce of Wal-Mart are women, yet only 10% are store managers, and a mere 4% of female Wal-Mart employees are district managers (Bernardin & Russell, 2013). The numbers seem to reflect a painfully obvious presence of discrimination, and with Wal-Mart’s market power within its industry, it can be frightening to evaluate the impact their practices have on the American employment culture.
Firstly, we must establish what a ritual is. A ritual is the performance of traditional ceremonial acts. Rituals can be a formal ceremony that is performed in a series of acts that are continuously performed in the same way. Lovat established a five stage model to analyse the movements of a ritual. The five stage model begins with the leaving of the ordinary – a participant leaves their normal lives to a sacred space; then follows the preparation of the ritual; the climax is the key point of the ritual; next is the celebration or the winding down; lastly is the returning to the ordinary – participants feel that their lives have a new sense of purpose. The purpose of Lovat’s five stage model is to analyse the movements of a ritual.
Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank in Atlanta, Georgia. With their store, Marcus and Blank revolutionized the do-it-yourself home improvement market in the United States. Home Depot began as a very basic store, operated in a large, no-frills warehouse. Home Depot carries over 35,000 products, with national brand names along with the Home Depot brand. At the start, Home Depot was able to offer exceptional customer service with knowledgeable employees who could guide customers through home renovation projects. Since its opening, Home Depot has experienced incredible growth, and today is North America's second largest retailer, and the largest home improvement retailer. Internationally, Home Depot has expanded into Canada, Mexico, and is beginning to operate stores in China. Home Depot's competition includes Sears, Ace Hardware and Lowes (the main competitor).
Most people know a ritual when they see one. This includes a formalized behavior, that is a sequence of actions usually repeated, that often have a religious or solemn content, this actions are made to achieve something needed by the person provoking the rituals.
As the workplace and marketplace continue to change, more and more companies are educating their employees on cultural diversity awareness. An understanding of the issues that arise due to the differences between gender, age, religion, lifestyles, beliefs, physical capabilities and cultures is needed to bring out the best in all of us. The creativity, flexibility and commitment gained from our interactions with other cultures and peoples will empower us all. Barbara Stern who is vice president of Boston-based Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) argues that what has traditionally been a “soft” issue is now becoming a business necessity in terms of better serving customers, understanding markets, and obtaining full benefit from staff talents (Schmerhorn, pp.77).
Impression management is a processing that we work hard to manipulate the impressions of everyone we meet. Meanwhile, Goffman compare this social life with a theater, as if each person enacts different, but each one desires to get out of the masses and attracts audiences. This approach is called dramaturgy. It reminds me that person want to be a dazzling point when he or she encounters the people who he or she loves. And then people should show their best gestures to their favorites people in order to leave perfects impressions. Also, impression management apply to students, especially, each smart student strive for a good impression to professors at the beginning of new semester. In conclusion, we should understand the importance of impression management; indeed, we had better to know how to manage our social setting, appearance, and manner of interaction. After all, social life just likes a theater and we have to work hard to emerge
Roy Rappaport (1999) showcases the idea that ritual is a fundamental aspect of human society. A community requires trust, and rituals are a necessary function of society, which creates that trust. For example willingly enduring a painful initiation as part of a ritual creates a sense of trust. In this essay I will discuss the theoretical works of Durkheim, Rossano and Douglas to attest to rituals preserving social order. While the works of Gluckman and Turner provide an interesting insight into reintegration through ritual, and Geertz provides an alternative view to the idea that rituals preserve and reiterate social order.
Differences are an undeniable common thread in American culture and the global community at large. It should be expected that every individual is unique in his or her own experiences, views, beliefs philosophies and ideologies. Fortunately, these distinctive differences that have become a driving force for change and acceptance in the workplace environment. “Workforce diversity acknowledges the reality that people differ in many ways, visible or invisible, [by] age, gender, marital status, social status, disability, sexual orientation, religion, personality, ethnicity and culture (Shen, Chanda, D’Netto, & Monga, 2009, p. 235). Support of individuals’ unique differences has assisted organizations in creating a business culture, which allows its workforce to thrive. Moreover, effective management of diversity has enabled organizations to better understand the many facets of the communities they reach and has allowed companies to successfully compete in an increasingly competitive global market.
Jencks believes “the glass-and-steel box has become the single most used form in Modern Architecture and it signifies throughout the world ‘office building’” (27). Thus, modern architecture is univalent in terms of form, in other words it is designed around one out of a few basic values using a limited number of materials and right angles. In...
Organisational culture is one of the most valuable assets of an organization. Many studies states that the culture is one of the key elements that benefits the performance and affects the success of the company (Kerr & Slocum 2005). This can be measured by income of the company, and market share. Also, an appropriate culture within the society can bring advantages to the company which helps to perform with the de...