Is the Organizational Culture of the U.S. Army Congruent with the Professional Development of Its Senior Level Officer Corps
Abstract
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. "Studies of organizational culture share a common goal: to uncover and interpret aspects of organizational life so that we can better understand the perceptions, beliefs, and actions of organizational members" (Martin et al., 1997, p. 3). An organization's culture enables its members to work through the basic problems of survival in and adaptation to the external environment as well as to develop and maintain internal processes that perpetuate adaptability and promote the organization's continued existence (Parsons, 1951; Merton, 1957; Schein, 1985, Martin, 2002). Some organizational leaders and researchers might ask why the study of organizational culture and its impact on the professional development of an organization's leaders is so important. Schein states that it is important because organizational culture is the property of a group and that: . . . it is a powerful, latent, and often unconscious set of forces that determine both our individual and collective behavior, ways of perceiving, thought patterns, and values. Organizational culture in particular matters because cultural elements determine strategy, goals, and modes of operating. The values and thought patterns of leaders and senior managers are partially determined by their own cultural backgrounds and their shared experience. If we want to make organizations more efficient and effective, then we must understand the role that culture plays in organizational life (1999, p. 14).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA528831
Entities
People
- James G. Pierce
Organizations
- United States Army War College