Corporate and organizational culture are similar and describe accepted norms. Factors such as employee attitudes and brand vision contribute to a company’s culture. Understanding and adhering to behavioral norms is important for career advancement.
In fact, corporate culture and organizational culture have very few differences, as they are used somewhat interchangeably in describing the accepted norms in companies and organizations. Just as different countries value different lifestyles and social behaviors, the acceptable code of conduct can vary greatly by organization. That said, however, there are still underlying norms that remain consistent across corporate and organizational culture.
There are many factors that can determine the particular culture a company adopts. Some of these factors include general attitudes, beliefs and personal characteristics of employees. Additionally, the current brand vision that executives want to convey can contribute significantly to corporate norms. For example, a company that sells extreme sports equipment will differ in vision from a company that sells fine silverware.
The corporate culture at an extreme sports equipment retailer can be more relaxed, perhaps even making an effort to recruit employees who convey the adventurous vision. The fine silverware company may want to create an image of excellence and instill that in the employees. A customer in the shop selling silverware may be greeted with “Hello, sir” or “Come again, ma’am”, while the same customer who will go to buy climbing equipment in the extreme sports shop may hear: “What can I help? with you, friend?
Either greeting would fall within the acceptable realm of corporate culture and organizational culture, but it is a prime example of how different this code of conduct can be from source to source. Hearing “Hey, man” in the silver shop probably doesn’t appeal to an employee’s boss. Conversely, a customer who is looking at extreme sports equipment may not know how to respond, “Sir.”
The hierarchy that many companies naturally use is advantageous from an organizational point of view. There is a career ladder to climb and to advance in one’s career, it requires an employee to not only prove themselves competent and worthy but also gain acceptance from those on higher rungs of the ladder. This is why an understanding of the culture of a particular company or organization is necessary for career advancement.
How an employee greets and communicates with superiors, peers and subordinates are all important in relation to career advancement aspirations. An email to a very casual or demanding manager may be considered inappropriate and may hinder that employee’s chances of promotion. That same polite, insightful, and respectful written email can offer career opportunities down the road. The most important aspect of corporate culture and organizational culture is to recognize this and act in accordance with particular behavioral norms and expectations.
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