Organizational culture
Definition
Organizational culture is Organizational culture encompasses an organization’s traditions, values, norms, attitudes and behaviour, in particular as influences on its internal and external interactions Source: Planning and Execution of Knowledge Management Assist Missions for Nuclear Organizations
Summary
Description
In knowledge management, an organization’s culture is extremely important - if it is not based on qualities such as trust and openness, then knowledge management initiatives are unlikely to succeed. In the nuclear industry some organizations use organizational culture surveys, which help managers to know the extent to which the organizational climate supports the sharing of knowledge.
Source: Planning and Execution of Knowledge Management Assist Missions for Nuclear Organizations
Description
Organizational culture is defined in this report as, a mixture of an organization’s traditions, values, attitudes and behaviours. It is similar to the personality and character of an individual. It reflects the visions, values and beliefs of organizations and has a significant impact on the success of knowledge management programmes — if it is not based on qualities such as trust and openness, then knowledge management initiatives are unlikely to succeed. Some organizations use organizational culture surveys, to assist managers to know the extent to which the organizational climate supports the sharing of knowledge — a culture which stimulates and nurtures the sharing and use of knowledge.
Many people see knowledge as power, fearing that if they share their knowledge they will lose their importance and marketability. Organizations can try to overcome this deep seated concern by providing incentives to workers to share their knowledge. However, incentives are not enough to overcome cultures that reward and promote workers who hoard knowledge or that foster competition among employees or groups that should be complementary.
Trust plays an important role in the sharing and use of knowledge. If people believe they will benefit from sharing their knowledge — either directly or indirectly — they are more likely to share. The use to which people put the knowledge of others often depends on whether they know and trust the source of the knowledge.
Source: Guide on nuclear knowledge management
