Development of a Theory of Organizational Microculture through an Exploratory Investigation of the United States Army Medical Corps

Abstract

Microcultures develop within organizations when groups express thoughts and behaviors, or are responsible for actions, that are distinct from the dominant macroculture. Often the existence of these microcultures is essential to the optimal performance of the organization. When developing policy and applying regulations, it is likely that the impact will differ among members of these groups. This research uses an exploratory, qualitative, grounded theory approach and examines available published data on social media, personal narrative, and scholarly journal sources. A theory of organizational microculture explores how these groups experience power, rules, and norms while considering the role of the individual and group dynamics. The application of this framework to the United States Army Medical Corps demonstrates the need for focused attention on Graduate Medical Education as a source of professional identity and microculture development early in the Medical Corps officer's career. Additionally, understanding how Medical Corps officers experience different aspects of their service can help to refine and prioritize future research and senior leader emphasis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 10, 2022
Accession Number
AD1210778

Entities

People

  • Kimberley A Maxwell

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Doctrine
  • Employment
  • Families (Human)
  • Family Medicine
  • Group Dynamics
  • Health Services
  • Law
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Education
  • Military Medicine
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personality
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Students
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.