In the blog last week, we explored the strengths and weakness of the Power culture organisational model that is typically found in a small business context. This week, we shall focus on the diametrically opposite of the tall Role culture that commonly reflects a large-scale organisational structure.
Introduction to the Role culture
Role culture reflects the characteristics of Apollo and refers to a highly defined hierarchically structured organisation in which employees have specified delegated authority and are offered security and predictability. Planned career progression supported by regular training and development opportunities makes this organisational culture very attractive to graduates.
Then, Handy defines the structure of this type of organisation as a ‘Greek temple’ since this culture works by logic and rationality. Organisations with a role culture put their strengths in their pillars, their roles, and areas of expertise. The pillars often include such departments as the finance, marketing, production, HRM, and purchasing. Interaction between all departments is controlled by rules and procedures while direct interdepartmental communication is typically the responsibility only of very senior members.
Next, according to Handy, these types of organisations form hierarchical bureaucracies, and power is derived from an individual’s position and not according to one’s expertise and professionalism.
After this, Role cultures are slow in recognising the need for change, and even if the need is recognised, it takes a long time for change to be implemented. Moreover, the Greek temple image also offers a note of warning in that if there is sudden dramatic change in the environment they can simply collapse. Finally, this lack of flexibility was the primary motivator for gradual transformation to the task-team style in many organisations. We shall explore this organisational style in the next blog.
Overview of the Role culture in action
Management style
Authority depends on position in the hierarchy
Advantages of the Role culture
• Maintains order and stability
• Control of large numbers of employees
• Management of complex procedures
• Professional managers and experts
• Procedures and specified standards
• Formalised communications
• Work is designed to establish routine
• Clear career progression and training
• Attracts people who have a need for security
Disadvantages of the Role culture
• Unstable in a changing environment
• Bureaucratic
• Slow to change
• Slow to respond to customers
• Authoritarian
• Risk adverse
• Lacks entrepreneurial perspective
• Can limit creativity
• Encourages caution and suspicious of personal initiative
• Based on individual roles rather than teamwork
Question 1
Why do these cultures seek to recruit graduates?
Question 2
Does this type of organisation fit better in some cross-cultural context than others?
Question 3
What is the primary weakness of this organisational culture?
We shall explore Question 3 in the next blog.
Reference
Handy, C. (1993). Understanding organisations. Penguin.
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