Questions for review

1. Which of the definitions of corporate culture appeals to you the most? Why?

2. What do you think strong corporate culture means?

3. What is meant by a value?

4. What core values underpinning the way people do business can you name?

5. Do people’s values change in the course of time? What does it depend on?

6. What values do you find most important? Why?

7. Why do companies consider corporate culture a powerful strategic tool?

8. Why is corporate culture a key component in the achievement of an organization’s mission?

9. Why is a company’s image like an orchestra? What impression can it create?

10. What is meant by business intangibles? Why are they important?

11. What is organizational climate? Is it the same as the corporate culture? Why, why not?

12. What specific values can a company have? On what are they based? What may they concern?

13. How are corporate culture and success related?

14. Comment on the statement: “Often companies succeed because their employees can identify, embrace, and act on the values of the organization.”

15. How can cultural environment influence organizational climate? What else can affect corporate culture?

16. What values would you adhere to in your business? Could you walk over someone in achieving your goals?

17. What values would you prefer in your business partner?

18. Agree or disagree with the following statement: “A company’s culture is often buried so deeply inside rituals, assumptions, attitudes, and values that it becomes transparent to an organization’s members only when, for some reason, it changes.” (Rob Goffee, US writer, consultant, and academic)

Lexical minimum

Key terms and concepts

Corporate culture

Organizational climate

moral norms

cultural values

Words

1. mission

2. belief

3. intangibles

4. integrity

5. unity

6. respect for

7. compassion for

8. challenge

9. tolerance

10. rigidity

11. flexibility

12. paternalism

13. sociability

14. to underpin

15. solidarity

16. cohesive

17. fast-paced

18. highly-skilled

19. nebulous

20. transparent

21. contemporary

22. to embrace

23. to undergo

24. to react to

25. to adhere to

26. timely

Word-combinations

1. company’s image

2. core values

3. behavior patterns

4. implicit assumptions

5. personal rapport

6. to have an effect on smth

7. at the heart

8. shared values

9. to be critical to smb

10. in high demand

11. to exercise skills

12. at the bottom/top of

13. to value seniority

14. to promote from within

15. to work for the benefit

16. to stand the test of the public

17. to handle conflicts

18. to take for granted

19. to fit into the group

20. to be sensitive and responsive to

21. mutual respect

22. reserved clubs

23. personal excellence

24. imposed /voluntary discipline

25. to reach consensus

26. to be accountable to smb

27. to take on challenges

28. to be committed to

29. to pride oneself on

30. to be sensitive to

31. overall favourability

32. to be well aware of

33. to ensure loyalty

34. to facilitate communication

35. to be keen on smth

36. training and developing opportunity

37. networked/mercenary/

fragmented/communal organization

38. to work one’s way up the ranks