April 11, Chapter 10 response

The main topic of Chapter 10 concerned the topic of organizational culture. Organizational culture differs from national cultures in the sense that "national cultures are part of the mental software we acquired during the first ten years of our lives..." whereas "organizational cultures are acquired when we enter a work organization as young or not-so young adults..." (pg 346) In regards to organizational structures, they have the quality of maintaining control by means of rules that people must follow. France in particular exhibits this characteristic by the way in which its the schools really stress the importance of learning in schools. (pg 345) I think that it is important to have a strong culture with rules because it maintains order in society. However, it can be also irritating and stressful for people as well because there can be so much pressure that arises from the need to do well in both work and school.
Another thing I found interesting about organizations is something the IRIC concluded about a study. They said that "employees values differed more according to gender, age, and education than according to their membership in the organization" (pg. 348). I think this is very true because people in an organization have a tendency to follow the same rules and beliefs that the organization holds. On the other hand, people who are older, for example, might have a different level of maturity than those who are younger so  they would therefore have a different feel for how responsible they are for their actions.
Furthermore, another study by IRIC observed a company called the Scandinavian Airlines System in Copenhagen. Within the study of this company, it was observed that the new boss's success came from "a superior way of catering to the needs of present and potential customers" (pg. 352) I think that this is a logical approach because it is the customers that will ultimately determine the company's success because they must make the decision as to whether they will use the company's products. Furthermore, the people working there enjoyed the time spent there since they felt that they were treated kindly by the corporation while still being able to do their jobs with breaks during the day. This is definitely how a company should function in general.