Assessment of Organizational Culture in Construction – A Case Study Approach
18 Jul 2018-Vol. 1, pp 348-357
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted an exploratory study using a case study approach to understand the impact of prominent cultural dimensions on the different management levels of employees in a construction company.
Abstract: Recent studies suggest that Lean concepts can be successfully adopted only when it is aligned with the organizational culture (OC). OC can be defined as the shared values and beliefs of people, according to which they perceive, react and act in any situation. For sustained and effective adoption of Lean, it is important to institute Lean philosophy in the core culture of an organization. To enable effective adoption, it is important to analyze and understand the organizational culture and its dimensions before inducing a change management strategy for sustaining Lean. The objective of this study is to understand the impact of prominent cultural dimensions on the different management levels of employees. The paper presents, results and discussion of an exploratory study conducted using a case study approach. A construction company based in a metropolitan city in India was chosen based on its active program in Lean implementation. To analyze the cultural dimensions of the organization, Competing Values Framework (CVF) was chosen. The key dimensions based on which CVF assess the OC are dominant characteristics, management of employees, organizational leadership, organizational glue, criteria for success and strategic emphases. The data was collected through “Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI)” and the target respondents were the top-management and middle-management staff. The data was analyzed by standard scoring mechanisms, to arrive at the particular type of organizational culture. Apart from the questionnaires, views, and opinions from the experts were also taken. From the study, it was found that the perception of employees about the organizational culture varies with different management levels, which might be a potential threat to sustain Lean philosophy. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for detailed understanding on the impacts of cultural dimensions in an organization. 1 Doctoral Research Scholar, Building Technology & Construction Management Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of TechnologyMadras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.mannasimon92@gmail.com 2 Professor, Building Technology & Construction Management Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. koshy@iitm.ac.in Assessment of Organizational Culture in Construction – A Case Study Approach People, Culture and Change 349
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09 Jul 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study of a large industrial project of a leading organization is presented, where the authors look at the developments in Lean implementation in the Project over time, based on observations on such dynamics and understand the strategies which might help to mainstream Lean philosophy introduction in other similar organizations and construction projects.
Abstract: In line with the trend of spread of Lean Construction concepts in the recent past, Lean construction philosophy was introduced in a large industrial project of a leading organisation about two years back. The drive by the top management, augmented by efforts of the Lean champions in the project team, helped the project team to transition from the conventional project delivery method to the Lean Construction method. The present study looks at the developments in Lean implementation in the Project over time, based on observations on such dynamics and understanding the strategies which might help to mainstream Lean philosophy introduction in other similar organisations and construction projects. A detailed case study based approach was adopted to this end. The mentoring coach closely observed the behavioural developments of the Project team over time. Data for analysis included primary observations by the mentoring coach, minutes of the various meetings of the project team under study and oneonone interactions with various team members. The analysis gave some significant insights on how to continue the initial momentum gained towards sustained Lean implementation on construction projects and in organisations.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors present Nils Arne Eggen's "Best Foot theory" principles through a new theoretical lens and discuss the importance of collaboration in Lean Project Consulting (LC) theory.
Abstract: The Norwegian football club Rosenborg BK (RBK) was a well-recognized force in European club football during its heyday in the 1990s. Led by the legendary coach Nils Arne Eggen, they regularly shocked Europe’s top teams with great results after implementing a successful philosophy based on collaboration. The importance of collaboration is well-emphasized in Lean Construction (LC) theory, but more discussion about creating a willingness and culture for collaboration seems to be lacking. Therefore, this conceptual paper suggests broadening the existing theory by presenting Nils Arne Eggen’s “Best Foot theory” principles through a new theoretical lens. The collaborative “Best Foot theory” is seen in an LC context and discussed with the “Five Big Ideas” presented by Lean Project Consulting, Inc. as the starting point. The “Best Foot theory” expands current theory by giving successful practical examples to create a culture for the practitioners in a performance group to want to collaborate.
3 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the authors carried out sustainability diagnostics of industrial enterprises of the Republic of Mordovia based on new characteristics of organizational culture, as well as to determine the factors that have an impact on various socio-demographic groups involved in the clusters of the industrial enterprises.
Abstract: Introduction. The study of organizational culture of Russian companies as a tool of improving production efficiency has been actively carried out since the beginning of the XXI century. In this regard, the study of diagnostics of new characteristics of the organizational culture of enterprises and the prediction of their responds to changes in the external environment and management systems is an topical task. The aim of the article is to carry out sustainability diagnostics of industrial enterprises of the Republic of Mordovia based on new characteristics of organizational culture, as well as to determine the factors that have an impact on various socio-demographic groups involved in the clusters of the industrial enterprises.
Materials and Methods. The study was conducted in 2019 using the expert evaluation method in accord with the adapted OСAI methodology. In the study 458 respondents of 7 industrial enterprises of the Republic of Mordovia were interviewed. The obtained expert evaluations were arranged and generalized in the framework of two groups of industrial clusters of the Republic of Mordovia. The clusters differed from each other by the types of their production and the number of employees.
Results. The study shows that the economic and administrative-management status of the region have a major impact on the current organizational culture of the industrial enterprises. It was found that the current profile of organizational culture of the enterprises has not achieved a balance ensuring most favorable conditions for sustainable development. The desired profile of organizational culture of the regional enterprises shows the aspiration of employees, regardless of their job positions, to achieve the balance state. The study has revealed that administrative and management personnel are more stressed than production personnel due to the responsibility for the current and future state of the enterprise.
Discussion and Conclusion. The research analyzes the influence of the specifics of the industrial activities of enterprises on achieving a balanced state of organizational culture as a condition for sustainable development. It shows that the development of organizational culture of industrial enterprises is affected by major regional influence consisting of a set of factors that characterizes the state of the economy, the regional labor market and the administrative management of the region. The implementation of organizational changes leading to an increase in the efficiency of the industrial activities of enterprises can be carried out on the basis of the results of this study. The article can be used by the heads of industrial enterprises of Mordovia to map an integral program for the development of the regional enterprises as efficient and fully-fledged participants of market economy.
1 citations
09 Mar 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, a study is presented that correlates the teachers' identity perception with the transmission of content from the Directorate of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana, with the general objective of identifying the incidence of internal communication on the institutional identity of the teachers at this university in 2019.
Abstract: The present study is an academic construction that correlates the teachers’ identity perception with the transmission of content from the Directorate of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana, with the general objective of identifying the incidence of internal communication on the institutional identity of the teachers at this university in 2019. To establish it, a mixed (qualitative – quantitative) methodology is used. This integrates the techniques of analysis of the communication discourse issued by the University Directorate, semi-structured interviews, and the application of surveys to a stratified probabilistic sample of 515 teachers from all its headquarters in Quito, Cuenca, and Guayaquil. This study showed that the teachers feel identified with the organizational philosophy and culture, which leaded to infer that they certainly assume, actively, the institutional identity, motivated by communication, although a few communication deficits have also been reported. In this sense, the research complemented the quantitative and qualitative studies on identity management and institutional communication in higher education; and in the subject of study, it contributed to the consolidation of the Salesian Education Model, which proposes comprehensive education sustained by the teachers’ actions, within the framework of academic training, research and connection with society.
1 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the organizational structure and organizational culture of a successful construction company from Bosnia and Herzegovina were determined by a questionnaire, which examined the main dimensions of organizational structure: formalization, centralization, standardization and specialization.
Abstract: : The paper aims to determine the organizational structure and organizational culture of a successful construction company from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, the paper provides an insight into their interdependence and impact on the overall business operations of the company. The questionnaire examined the main dimensions of organizational structure: formalization, centralization, standardization and specialization. Cameron and Quinn’s Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument was used to examine the organizational culture at the company, while the analysis of the company’s business efficiency was informed by Kaplan and Norton’s Key Performance Indicators: financial, internal business processes, customer, and learning and growth perspectives. After the reliability of the measuring scales used were confirmed by calculating the Cronbach alpha coefficient, the Relative Importance Index determined which dimensions of the organizational structure and culture, and which efficiency indicators have the greatest influence on the design of the company's business system. According to the subjective opinion of the employees who participated in this research, the company can be characterized as hierarchical, highly formalized and structured, and customer-oriented.
References
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09 Jul 2017
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study of a large industrial project of a leading organization is presented, where the authors look at the developments in Lean implementation in the Project over time, based on observations on such dynamics and understand the strategies which might help to mainstream Lean philosophy introduction in other similar organizations and construction projects.
Abstract: In line with the trend of spread of Lean Construction concepts in the recent past, Lean construction philosophy was introduced in a large industrial project of a leading organisation about two years back. The drive by the top management, augmented by efforts of the Lean champions in the project team, helped the project team to transition from the conventional project delivery method to the Lean Construction method. The present study looks at the developments in Lean implementation in the Project over time, based on observations on such dynamics and understanding the strategies which might help to mainstream Lean philosophy introduction in other similar organisations and construction projects. A detailed case study based approach was adopted to this end. The mentoring coach closely observed the behavioural developments of the Project team over time. Data for analysis included primary observations by the mentoring coach, minutes of the various meetings of the project team under study and oneonone interactions with various team members. The analysis gave some significant insights on how to continue the initial momentum gained towards sustained Lean implementation on construction projects and in organisations.
3 citations
"Assessment of Organizational Cultur..." refers background in this paper
...al in Lean culture, reported that the behaviour of people changed once they realised that they are not under the direct watch of top management (Delhi et al. 2017)....
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...In a study conducted by Delhi et.al in Lean culture, reported that the behaviour of people changed once they realised that they are not under the direct watch of top management (Delhi et al. 2017)....
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