OGRANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Presented By:
Shashank Tiwari
Shashank@Tiwari.info

Symbols

SYMBOLS
A symbol is anything that carries a particular meaning recognized by
people who share a culture (a flag, a word, a flashing red light, a
raised fist, an animal etc).
* non-verbal gestures can be very symbolic and diverse.
-Diverse meanings can be given to different variations of the
same object, for example, the winking of an eye.

STORY-TELLING IN
AN ORGANIZATION

WHAT IS STORY-TELLING ?
Way of passing down lessons, history & morals
Influences people to act, think, and behave a certain way
Relating past & present events
Based on true events but can be exaggerated

Larry Prusak
Executive Director, Institute for Knowledge Management

STORY-TELLING IN AN
ORGANIZATION
Passed on by old employees to new employees
Stories of the organizations founders or other dominant leaders are the most
common ones
Organizations heroes, employees relate the current system due to events
that had happened in the past and stories are the medium that carries the
legacies
Rich carriers of organizational culture that give meaning and identity to
organizations and help orient new employees

STORY-TELLING SHAPES
THE ORGANIZATION
CULTURE

 What stories do people currently tell about your organization?

What reputation is communicated amongst your customers and other stakeholders?
What do stories say about what your organization believes in?
What do employees talk about when they think of the history of the company?
What stories do they tell new people who join the company?
What heroes, villains and mavericks appear in the stories?

OBJECTIVES OF VALUES
1. Nourishment of Human Spirit
2. Change of Human Nature
3. Scope for Improvement
4. Strengthen Relationships
5. Self Management
6. Business Growth
7. Gives Direction
8. Provides Feedback
9. Building Culture
10.Socialization
11.Decision Making

IMPORTANCE OF VALUES
1. Effects Individuals Thoughts and Action
2. Influence Employees Motivation
3. Relates to Belief System
4. Form Basis for Identity
5. Works as Binding force
6. Influence Attitude and Behavior
7. Creates Credibility
8. Provides Guidelines for Decision Making and
Conflict Resolution

VALUES

NIKE

NIKE

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

AIRLINES

WALT DISNEY COMPANY

The building design and bright colours convey the values of

creativity, imagination to Walt Disney Company and people
working in it.

USING FURNITURE AND DECORATION AS

SYMBOLS TO COMMUNICATE VALUES

Reception area in
office filled with
awards and
trophies indirectly
reveals the
passion for
achievement in
the organization
A reception area
which is warmly
lit with plants
gives a homely
feeling and
indicates people
oriented company

CLOSED V/S OPEN OFFICE SPACE

Closed offices that
provides employees
independent area of
work boosts creativity
and experimentation
Open office spaces
where employees can
all see each other and
hear each other,
indirectly gives the
value of collaboration
Organizational
symbols have the
power to facilitate or
hinder smooth
organizational
functioning

HOW STORIES COMMUNICATE

VALUES
Story of Azim Premji, Wipro Limited
Values like Fair, Professional & Involvement was communicated
Blink of Eye Decision Making
Customer Relationship
Dignity of all roles

ETHICS
Ethics is studying and talking about what is right and wrong, good and bad. It
is also studying what makes something good or bad. This helps decide
whether other things are good or bad.
- Wikipedia

WHY IS ETHICS IMPORTANT IN

ORGANIZATION?
Ethics are the principles and values an individual uses to
govern his activities and decisions.
In an organization, a code of ethics is a set of principles that
guide the organization in its programs, policies and decisions
for the business.
The ethical philosophy an organization uses to conduct
business can affect the reputation, productivity and bottom line
of the business.

Theres a hidden peacock

looking to the right
representing the
companys motto to look
forward, and not back.

The arrow was introduced to

underscore speed and
precision, which are part of
the positioning of the
company.

The bottom right corner of the logo is

broken up in such a way so that the
serif on the bottom of the M
displays an equal sign, representing
the value of equality.

The collar of Wendys shirt seems to

have a secret message spelling out
the word mom, which one would
think ties into the brands identity of
selling old-fashioned hamburgers just
like mom used to make.

It symbolizes Equality & Justice in Indi

EXAMPLE OF SYMBOLISM
The layout of corporate headquarter, types of automobiles top executives are
given, and the presence or absence of corporate aircraft are a few examples
of material symbols. These materialistic symbols shows the ethical values of
organization how they care about there employees and consumers or
stakeholders.

LIMITATIONS OF SYMBOL USED TO

SHOW ETHICS
Unethical manipulation
Empty or meaningless actions
Omnipresence
Divisions

 Every company has stories that Leadership like to share to demonstrate the
way they want to operate
One of the best ways to learn is by modelling another person Rewarded
behaviour give your employees plenty of models by celebrating true stories
Company culture comes from the stories we tell each other whether that
stories ethical narrative is another matter

BELIEFS
Ways beliefs get created:
Experience
Intuition
Tenacity
Authority
Scientific method

WHAT IS BELIEF?
Trust, Faith or confidence in
someone or something

HOW BELIEF WORKS ?

Belief has three importance parts to it
1) Believer (The person who is believing)
2) Belief
3) Believing on(The thing or person)

IN CASE OF ALIBABA
Believer

Jack Ma

Belief

Position Alibaba as a global website not just

a domestic website

Believing on

Himself

Belief

Action

Results

Belief (Alibaba as a global website)

Action 1) Need to learn the hard working spirit of
silicon valley
2)Breaking the 8a.m to 5p.m work spirit
Result ( on 9 September 2014, Alibabas market
value was measured as 231 US billion $

CONCLUSION
Organizational culture is the careful reading and analysis of
organizational symbols
Symbols serve four functions in organizations
1. They reflect underlying aspects of culture
2. Generating emotional responses from organizational
members
3. Representing organizational values
4. They integrate the entire organization in one system of
signification

 Stories helps the company to grow from strength to

strength
It encourages employees to ran the extra mile to
meet customer expectations.
It helps employees seeking to find meaning &
purpose in what they do