Georgia Institute of Technology Organizational Communication Discussion

You will recall from the lecture on Organizational Culture that an organization’s culture is a “system of knowledge” that guides the behavior of its employees/members. This knowledge system includes: language (jargon), beliefs, values, clothing, norms, rules and policies, attitudes, etc. For this discussion you are asked to compare and contrast the cultures of TWO organizations. They couldboth be organizations where you have been employed, but they need not be. For example, they might also be an organization where you have worked and a religious/spiritual organization where you are a member. Or a sorority and a recreational organization. Or a student organization and a community group. You get the idea. Any two formal organizations. Further, they need not be organizations where you were actually a member/employee at both. For example, you may wish to consider an organization that you are/were a part of, and then also interview a friend or relative about the culture of an organization where theywork or are a member.

In what ways are the cultures of the two organizations similar? In what ways are theydifferent? How does each organization’s culture impact the communication that takes place between its members? If you could “wave a magic wand” and change any aspect of either organization’s culture, what would it be? If you were members at both, did you ever experience “Culture Shock” when moving from one to the other?