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Organizational culture management

Bazarov Т.U.

Aksenovskaya L.N.

Organizational culture is the field of practical and theoretical interests of social psychology, in spite of the all difficulties of scientific knowledge of culture phenomenon in whole; it is the most perspective direction of the interdisciplinary collaboration of organizational theory, management, cultorology and psychology.

The theoretical and practical work in the field of the organizational culture has passed some levels. Each of them actualizes their own problems and goals, whose decision, on one hand, reveals the next current problem, requiring solution, on the other hand, allows passing to the new, higher level of comprehension of socio-psychological features of organizational culture. From theoretical point of view, organizational and cultural studies continue to develop from consecutive individual explanatory models towards integrative explanatory models and further - to methodology and epistemology studies. At present these theoretical questions have become extremely acute. From practical point of view, represented by consultants dealing with management and organizational development, first of all, we have to reconsider the unjustified consultants' position, which can be summarized in the artless cliche: «Give us money and we'll do everything for you». The experience shows that, this approach doesn't give any significant results. It is impossible to achieve something principally new without the most important condition - deep changes in attitudes, thinking and the way of life in whole of our managers. Thus, the search for new, more adequate approach to practical work with organizational culture is priority task today.

The aim of the article is to discuss the problem of organizational culture from the point of view of two current problem existing at two levels - methodological and technological.

Systematic view at the problem of the organizational culture management

Let's examine in brief three questions: systematic view over organizational culture, management and management of the organizational culture. The organizational culture is the system, that is to say, the integrity with particular features, made of the elements and subsystems with particular features. From socio-psychological point of view inside organizational and cultural systems they distinguish: the level of leader's personality (and personality in general), the level of administrative team (and the small group in general), the level of the organization in whole (the level of the large group). These levels can be considered simultaneously and as subcultural subsystems of organizational and cultural system. Each of them has his own specific goals, values, attitudes and etc.

The system understanding of management is connected to the representation of management as the activity aimed to transform the system from existing to desirable state (in our case - organizational and cultural system).

So, the management of organizational culture will mean:

1) we have a coherent pattern of desirable state of organizational culture at all levels and we give it the status of the goal;

2) we have a coherent pattern of existing state of organizational culture at all levels and we give it the status of the “problem state”, resisting the development of organizational and cultural system;

3) we create algorithm program of transmitting organizational and cultural system from the problem to desirable state, we coordinate this program at all systematic levels and teach those skills which lack for subsystems functioning;

4) and finally, we set to program realization, using the feedback path at each stage and check and correct actions until we achieve the object in view. The attained aim is the sign of changes in culture and efficiency of management impact.

What's the matter? - Organizational and cultural system consists of people. But people do not change according to linear laws of the theory of systems. G. Bateson asked the following question to illustrate the comparison of physics and psychology: «Why, if you kick a can, it will fly in prescribed direction with the given acceleration, and if you kick another physical object - a dog - the result can be unpredictable?».

The system approach has its limits. Simple decisions and actions can have very difficult consequences.

Synergetic approach to the problem of the organizational culture management

Synergetic approach is the approach which can overcome the limits of the systematic approach and simultaneously can keep its advantages. here organizational culture is the sophisticated, self-developing system, and it is impossible to impose the ways of the development. It is necessary to find its own tendencies of the development and contribute to them. Thereby all the development of organizational and cultural system is carried out through instability, bifurcation, fortune. Macro processes can influence the actions of each individual in the state of instability.

Organizational culture management is not the issue of the influence force (the force of logics or the force of the will), but the correct structure of the influence. Then small, but correctly organized (resonant) impact, gives considerable effect.

Nonlinearity, for instance, in strategic management, is treated from psychological point of view: «Particular advantage of nonlinearity strategic management consists in the fact, that it is based upon intellect and psychology. The idea of the nonlinearity actions is closely connected to all influence problems of one mind upon another. The use of the nonlinearity strategy suggests declension from stereotyped groupthink and application of non-standard and efficient administrative decisions» [4, p. 5].

In national social psychology the issue of nonlinearity is developed in the works written Bazarov T.U., dedicated to creativity and improvisation in the management [3]. Particularly, among the competencies of the manager -improvisator the author cites the musical ear, which is typical for all music fans. The opportunity to see organizational culture management, in the context of musical/nonlineary approach, for instance, as to conduct a jazz band, let us if we do not understand, but at least feel, how the system scheme of management of the organizational culture may and must be amplified by the improvisation abilities of key “players”- managers. Like music for music fans and performers, culture can grow and maturate inspirationally, easily, spontaneously, not suppressing, but liberating emotions and creative energy of participants, giving pleasure and joy.

Holarchy by K. Wilber as the way of catching organizational culture

In the situation when the discussions about different approaches towards the studies of culture phenomenon never stop, and organizational culture is our particular concern, the concept works which propose integral models attract our attention. In modern psychology there is such a conceptualist- integral theorist without doubt, it is K. Wilber [5]. If we appeal to some of his key ideas, it allows us to observe the problem of search from the new point of view, creating conditions for relatively quick and effective changes in “life strategies” of the managers, and also to find the method to realize these changes.

The key process of the universe (Kosmos) according to K. Wilber is the process of the development (evolution). Boundless process of the development is the Spirit, which exist and manifests itself at the concrete stage of the development. human society evolution, its particular communities and concrete people is only a part of this process.

Reality in general, and human reality specifically, doesn't consist of the things, but processes, of holons (term which came from the writings of Arthur Koestler: it seems every entity and concept shares a dual nature: as a whole unto itself, and as a part of some other whole). So, For example, a particular person is a whole and at the same time a part of the group of people. We can treat the small group (organizational department) so as a part of the large group, organization and etc). Thus, holon is a man, and a group, and all the mankind. All the holons have such characteristics as organization (ability to maintain the entity facing the dangers of the environment) and interaction (taking part into interaction as a part of the whole). Spirit (as a moving spring of being) pulls through itself creative energy, holons permanently appear, they do not appear accidentally, they appear by force of creativity (creativity makes Kosmos, hazard doesn't do it). holons exist in holarchies (title given by А.Koestrel for natural hierarchy as the growth of order, holism and entity). K. Wilber writes: «All the evolution steps represent holarchy, the process of entity and transcendence increase, it represents rank correlation at all levels of entity.» [5, p. 62]. Example: atom- molecules - cell - organism-ecosystem. Целое одного уровня становится частью на другом уровне: «Each senior holon, - remarks K. Wilber, transcends but includes its juniors, so that this is a conception of wholes within wholes. The evolution is when higher realities emerge from the lower ones which are not reducible to the lower cognition of unity, holism, dynamic dialecticism, or universal integralism.…» [5, p. 63-64]. higher levels are physically larger and contain prior levels volumetrically, showing new characteristics.

К. Wilber demonstrates the difference between normal hierarchy (holarchy) and «pathological hierarchy of domination». The last one results from the attempts of the separate holon to quit its place in holarchy and start ruling the entity (cancer cell, dictator-fascist and etc.).

The holarhies are characterized by their depth and span. The number of planes is called the depth of the holarchy, the span is the number of holons at each plane. The greater the depth, the less span (example: there are less organisms then cells; there are less cells, than molecules; there are less molecules than atoms, there are less atoms than quarks). To describe this evolution effect K. Wilber uses the term of «evolution pyramids», the main principle of which lies in the fact that the size of population with bigger depth decreases. The higher plane has the characteristics of the lower level (includes them), but it also has his own (new characteristics), which did not exist at lower level, he tries to transcend initial ones. The depth and consciousness become synonyms. The evolution has some «secret impulse»: the increase of the depth, growth of inner entity, development of conscious.

The above stated ideas of К. Wilber allow considering organizational culture as a holarchy, it means evolving, developing complex of the interpenetrating in each other holons. At the physical level there are some individuals, groups of people, collaborating with each other, in the context of the formal structure, and informal one too. At the psychological level holons are interior models, knowledge, representations and senses that individuals and their groups share. In socio-psychological aspects holons are existing relations and schemes of the interaction. K Wilber calls these types of holons “ aspects”, planes of the unique holon, which according to analysis level, when we examine the phenomenon of organizational culture are however people and groups of people.

The development of organizational culture and the business itself, from this point of view is not the same thing. If the business development can be quantitative (more clients, more equipment, more products, more money), the organizational culture development, first of all, is qualitative change. It comes through permanent identity formation at conscious level, as the result individual and collective consciousness becomes deeper. Thereby holons as the numbers of people and groups, endowed with epigenesis, decreases in proportion to each next level.

Then two questions arise: does this evolution pyramids” contribute to business goals achievement? What does this concept of the holarchy add to our knowledge of organizational culture management?

If we want to find the answer to the first question, we should remember that the goal of the business is 1) growth of income and 2) increase of benefits. Further let's carry out a conceptual experiment. Let's imagine the man, who decided to start up some business (for instance, manufacturing and sales of milk products) and who possesses the necessary sum of money. Let's anticipate, that environmental factors are favorable and stable for the project realization. Let's introduce the extra condition, which will divide the situation into two parts: а) the man has “nil” or close to it depth of the conscious, that will reflect in the very simple map of the reality, based upon one or two well-known assumptions (let's cite in order when grows: «there will be a day and food», « if you engage experts, they will do everything» and so on); б) the man has a certain depth of the conscious, and consequently, sees the reality as sophisticated, having a lot of interrelated parts and observes how the influence upon one thing, has the consequences in some other. We speak about the map of business reality, formed as a result of many-sided actions, analysis of results, and accordingly, the experience and the depth of the formed consciousness. In this case practice without reflection “does not work”, practical experience which can not be assessed or comprehended is not valuable. The question: will this depth of consciousness influence the activity performance? «Depth» or consciousness gives definitive advantage and evolution progress proves this with all evidence. Thus, the development of organizational culture is considered as creative identity formation of the conscious and activity and involves increase of the “depth” in organizational and cultural system. «Depth» of the system, in its turn, is the factor, creating the innovative potential of the system, including new adaptation possibilities. All this influences management performance and possibilities of goal achievements.

Organizational culture management based upon this concept is creativity management at each level. This outlook upon the essence of organizational culture management requires new ideas how to do it and what technologies to apply, using these ideas. organizational culture management psychology

It is clear, that it is impossible to rule the process of music composing in Mozart's head. But to make conditions which will whip up music writing is possible. These conditions are recipes for success of the musician.

Span, depth and improvisation in order approach to organizational culture management

The concept by K. Wilber gives the possibility not only theoretically, but practically, from another point of view, examine the challenges of socio-psychological studies of organizational culture.

At the basis of all existing scientific approaches and theories, K Wilber discovers two great spiritual traditions, through them Spirit is aware of himself: the way of ascending spirituality (transcendent, whole, heaven, Emptiness) and descending spiritual way (terrestrial, infinite, celestial, intermediate). Ascending and descending are the basis of the conflict outlook. Descending by К. Wilber is the “span”, ascending is the “depth”. The span dominates in modern and post modern world, as the recognition of only existing sensual, empirical, material aspect of the world, the one, « that we can see and touch with our hands».

The depth and span are different as «interior» (left-side way) and «exterior» (rightside) of phenomena and processes. In this connection К.Wilber proposes a concept of 4 types of the truth, which were studied by different types of the science. Let's return to K. Wilber's model:

Fig. 1. Some scholars and thinkers, whose works develop ideas in each sector [5].

All the scientific approaches can be divided into two big categories- left-side way (interior) and right-side way (exterior). We can very rarely find approaches compiling and integrating interior and exterior, but K. Wlber advises to stand them. If “span” of the phenomena and processes can be observed and it can be exposed to the experiments, “depth” can be only interpreted in the dialogue through sympathy. The first approach gives us the answer to the first question: «What does he do?», the second approach- to the second question: «What does it mean?».

К. Wilber splits up concepts of culture and society in the following way: culture is the interior (senses, values, believes), the society is exterior (material, fixed forms of the society, its technical and economical basis, writing, population size and etc). To understand culture and its senses, it is necessary to know how to interpret it correctly. It is impossible without plunging into culture, studying its language, it means, impossible to be realized using “exterior” methods. Right and good interpretations differ from bad (incompetent), by the fact, that they have whole, not fractional (one-sided) character. The good interpretation is made taking into consideration 4 main aspects of the holon, giving the essential differences (including science): inside and outside, unicity and multiplicity. In other words К. Wilber describes this so: interior and exterior individual and collective (or - intention, behavior, culture, society ).

According to this logic we can suggest, that the methodological mistake consists in denying certain aspects of the studied reality. We often make the mistake when we follow the fundamental paradigm of Enlightenment - the paradigm of map making, monological way, which is reproduced constantly, In K. Wilber's opinion, systems theorists. «…In the systems theory, - writes K. Wilber, - you won't find anything about ethic standards, interior values, moral preferences, comprehension, truth, sincerity, depth, entity, esthetics, interpretation, hermeneutics, beauty, art, sublime” [5, p. 176]. It is not harmless mistake, because after that they will be only “destruction of all inner world of Kosmos, vital space for all holons» [5 , p. 177]. If we loose depth, we loose sense. The way out of this situation is the movement to complete interpretation, taking into account not only “span”, but “depth”.

Order approach to studies of the organizational culture [1; 2] allows us to involve «span» (social form, the observed models of interactions), and «depth» of organizational culture (basic and functional ethic senses, guiding and regulating administrative interaction). Organizational culture management in this approach allows purposefully developing and improving the main aspects of the culture as socio-psychological level. The synthesis of order technology of organizational culture changes with improvisational approach in psychology of management and then transformation to the problems of organization creative potential gives us technology of organizational culture management. Its key mechanism (method), obviously, is the method, which significantly activates the managers' creative abilities (as their «depth») and at the same time provides resonant response in the form of the increase of the depth of the excutive staff, it prevents the growth of «cultural gap» between different levels of organizational and cultural holarchy in the process of creative self-development.

Conclusion

Management of organizational culture is the most current theme of socio-psychology, it is expected to provide new theoretical as well as practical proposals, which will allow more consciously and competently manage the cultural processes in business organizations.

We suggest that theoretically perspective approach to the solution of this problem is that one, which let receive qualitative («good») interpretations of cultural and psychological phenomena and processes. That's why the interest to integrative approaches is natural and will grow.

The practical decision of the task to create effective technology of organizational culture management is the synthesis of order technology (or some other technology) with the improvisational approach in management psychology, based upon work with creative potential of the personality and the group.

The Literature

1. Aksenovskaya L.N. Order concept of organizational culture: Methodological questions.- Saratov: Publishing house of Saratov University, 2005. - 348 p.

2. Aksenovskaya L.N. Order model of organizational culture. Moscow: Academic avenue, 2007. - 303 p.

3. Bazarov Т.U. Improvisation as the basis of collaborative in management// National psychological journal. November 2006. - p. 120-122.

4. Lemke G. Нелинейный strategic management or art of competition. - М.: Affair and Service, 2006. - 400 p.

5. Wilber К. A brief history of everything. - М.: AST: Astrel, 2006. - 479 p.

Abstract

This article represents discussions about organizational culture management at methodological and technological levels. It is shown, that the best practical decision in search for the effective technology of the organizational culture management is the synthesis of order technology with improvisational approach in management psychology.

Key words: organizational culture, management, creativity, improvisation, holarchy, order technology, synergetics, systems approach.

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