·
The official mission, vision,
or values statement or a similar document that defines the
organization’s overall purpose.
(So make sure you choose an
organization that has these documents / statements on their website. If the
organization does not have a website or these documents in a public place, it
means this organization is NOT eligible for this assignment.)
·
Experiences of others in the
organization. Interview two (or more) other members to understand organizational stories,
ceremonies, rituals or metaphors with which they are familiar. Also, ask them to describe (in their own
words) the organization’s mission, vision, or values (depending on which
document you chose above).
·
Your own experiences and
observations in the organization. If you are / were part of this organization, are
there other stories, ceremonies, rituals, or metaphors with which you are
familiar? How would you describe the
real purpose of your organization? What observations did you make in this
organization?
Refer to the theories and/or concepts found in chapter 5 (culture) and chapter 7 (socialization)
to help with your analysis throughout the paper.
·
Introduction –
o Name of organization that
will be used for purposes of analysis.
Feel free to choose a pseudonym.
o Type of organization (social, business, educational,
religious, fraternal, etc.)
o Activities of the organization
(What does the organization “do?”)
o Mission,
vision, or values statement of organization (Choose one.)
o A clear,
thesis/preview statement of your
paper
· Perceived Values – Based on your interviews and observations, what are the perceived
values of this organization?
o Stories – Describe one or more stories recounted. What values are emphasized through the
stories?
o Metaphors – What metaphor(s) did people use to
describe the org? Are there competing metaphors?
o Rituals – Describe some of the rituals. What values do they reflect?
o How do members describe the mission/vision/values of
the organization? (Choose one based on your chosen/included document.)
·
Espoused Values – Based on the organization’s official
documents (i.e., values or mission), what is the culture?
o Are members’ perceptions of the mission/vision/values
consistent with the formal/espoused statement?
o What are the differences and similarities between the
members’ perception of the organizational mission/vision/values and the
organization’s official statement of mission/vision/values?
o What reasons could you find for this similarity or
difference?
· Conclusion –
o Conclude your paper with a summary of your findings.
o Discuss the implications of these differences and similarities
for the overall organization.
