An organization is said to have a strong work culture when the employees follow the

organizations rules and regulations and adhere to the existing guidelines. However there are
certain organizations where employees are reluctant to follow the instructions and are made to work only
by strict procedures. Such organizations have a weak culture.

Characteristics of Organizational Culture

The seven characteristics of organizational culture are:

1. Innovation (Risk Orientation) - Companies with cultures that place a high value on
innovation encourage their employees to take risks and innovate in the performance of their
jobs. Companies with cultures that place a low value on innovation expect their employees to
do their jobs the same way that they have been trained to do them, without looking for ways
to improve their performance.

2. Attention to Detail (Precision Orientation) - This characteristic of organizational culture

dictates the degree to which employees are expected to be accurate in their work. A culture
that places a high value on attention to detail expects their employees to perform their work
with precision. A culture that places a low value on this characteristic does not.

3. Emphasis on Outcome (Achievement Orientation) - Companies that focus on results, but

not on how the results are achieved, place a high emphasis on this value of organizational
culture. A company that instructs its sales force to do whatever it takes to get sales orders
has a culture that places a high value on the emphasis on outcome characteristic.

4. Emphasis on People (Fairness Orientation) - Companies that place a high value on this
characteristic of organizational culture place a great deal of importance on how their
decisions will affect the people in their organizations. For these companies, it is important to
treat their employees with respect and dignity.

5. Teamwork (Collaboration Orientation) - Companies that organize work activities around

teams instead of individuals place a high value on this characteristic of organizational culture.
People who work for these types of companies tend to have a positive relationship with their
coworkers and managers.

6. Aggressiveness (Competitive Orientation) - This characteristic of organizational culture

dictates whether group members are expected to be assertive or easygoing when dealing
with companies they compete with in the marketplace. Companies with an aggressive culture
place a high value on competitiveness and outperforming the competition at all costs.
 7. Stability (Rule Orientation) - A company whose culture places a high value on stability are
rule-oriented, predictable, and bureaucratic in nature. These types of companies typically
provide consistent and predictable levels of output and operate best in non-changing market
conditions.

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The primary characteristics of an organisational culture are as follows: -

1. Innovation and Risk Taking: It can be described as the degree or extent to which
employees are encouraged to take innovative steps and calculated risk.

2. Attention to Detail: It can be described as degree or extent to which employees

are expected to pay attention to details.

3. Outcome Orientation: It can be described as the degree or extent to which

management focuses outcome rather than on process to achieve outcome.

4. People Orientation: It can be described as the degree or extent to which

management gives attention to effect of decisions on people working in the
organisation and on its shareholders.

5. Team Orientation: It can be described as the degree or extent to which works are
organised around team rather than individuals.
6. Aggressiveness: It can be described as the degree or extent to which people are
aggressive or competitive rather than unconcerned or relaxed.

7. Stability: It can be described as the degree or extent to which maintaining status

quo is emphasized in contrast to growth.

8. Individual Autonomy: It can be described as the degree or extent of responsibility,

independence, and opportunities for exercising initiative that individuals in an
organisation have.

9. Structure: It can be described as the degree or extent of rules and regulations

and the amount of direct supervision that is used to supervise and control
behaviour.

10. Support: It can be described as the degree or extent of assistance and warmth
managers provide for their subordinates.

11. Identity: It can be described as the degree or extent to which members identify
with the organisation as a whole rather than with their particular work group or
field of professional expertise.

12. Performance-Reward: It can be described as the degree or extent to which

reward in the organisation are based on employee work performance.
13. Conflict Tolerance: It can be described as the degree or extent of conflict present
in relationships between peers and work groups as well as the motivation to be
honest and open about differences.

14. Attitude towards Change: It can be described as the response given to new
methods, ways, and values.

15. Focus: It can be described as the vision of the goals and objectives of an
organisations operations as communicated by those in control.

16. Standard and Values: The levels of performance and behaviour considered to be
acceptable by both types of criteria formal and informal.

17. Rituals: It can be described as the expressive events that support and reinforce
organisational standards and values.

18. Openness, Communication, and Supervision: It can be described as the amount

and type of interchange permitted. The communication flow can be downward,
upward, across the organisation, and in other directions as spelled out by the
culture.

19. Market and Customer Orientation: It can be described as the degree or extent to
which the organisation is responsive to its markets and customers.

20. Excitement, Pride, and esprit de corps: It can be described as a perceptibly good
feeling about the organisation and its activities.
 21. Commitment: It can be described as the degree or extent to which individuals are
willingly working towards goals on a long-lasting basis.

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