CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND QUALITY IN ORGANIZATIONS

CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND QUALITY IN ORGANIZATIONS A. Definition of Quality Culture According to Malinowski (1983) culture is the tools, customs of a social group, human thoughts and beliefs or in other words a way of life where humans are in a better condition to overcome real and specific problems they face while adapting to the environment in order to meet their needs. According to Kunda (1992), Van Maanen and Kunda (1989), culture is a social mechanism that guides or can be used as a basis for moving its members to understand, think and feel on the right and correct path. So culture is a pattern and social mechanism that is run by an organization to take care of its members and can be used as a firm basis for moving its members to carry out their work well (Rita, 2003). Based on the definition above, it can be concluded that culture is a set of knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, behaviors, thoughts, and capabilities and habits (customs) that are shared by members of a group or organization that form a world view and the way group members think and behave towards others and are used to adapt to the environment in order to meet their needs. When associated with quality, quality culture is as stated by Goetsch and Davis, (1994:122) is an organizational value system that produces an environment that is conducive to the formation and continuous improvement of quality. Quality culture consists of philosophy, beliefs, attitudes, norms, values, traditions, procedures, and expectations to improve quality. Ambro (2004) sees quality culture as a corporate culture in an organization that focuses on work supervisors, motivation to form a positive impression of themselves and efforts to meet the principles of worker needs in relationships with others. According to Sinclair and Collins (1994), quality culture is a form of cultural management that advocates quality change through increased commitment and cooperation of workers in the organization. Aspects in organizational theory that involve changes in organizational values and norms are matters that are closely related to transformation towards realizing a culture. Aspects that influence this cultural change are motivation, rewards, policies and values, in the workplace and organizational structure (Dean and Evans (1994). Drummond (1992) argues that quality culture is a management approach that is oriented towards learning and every worker has the opportunity to improve knowledge and skills to ensure organizational progress. B. Concept of Organizational Culture The further development of the concept of culture was continued by many organizational experts. So that the word culture finally became a close part of various aspects of organizational development. Today, the term organizational culture is known. Organizational culture is the daily manifestation of the values and traditions that underlie the organization. This can be seen in how employees behave, employee expectations of the organization and vice versa, and what is considered reasonable in terms of how employees carry out their work. Brown (1988) concluded that organizational culture refers to the formulation of beliefs, values, and ways of learning from experiences that are built throughout the history of the organization and are manifested in every material arrangement and behavior of each member of the organization. Meanwhile, The Jakarta Consulting Group defines organizational culture as 'values that are the basis for human resources in carrying out their obligations and also their behavior within the organization'. These values will provide the answer whether an action is right or wrong and whether a behavior is recommended or not. These values serve as a basis for behavior (Susanto, 2008). Kotter and Heskett (1998) also explained three concepts of organizational culture, namely: 1. Strong culture Organizations that have a strong culture are characterized by the tendency of almost all managers to adopt a set of values and methods of running the organization's business. New employees adopt these values very quickly. A new executive can be corrected by his subordinates, as well as by his boss, if he violates organizational norms. The style and values of a culture that tends not to change much and its roots are deep, even if there is a change of manager. In organizations with a strong culture, employees tend to march to the same drummer. Shared values and behaviors make people feel comfortable at work, a sense of commitment and loyalty makes people try harder. A strong culture provides the structure and control needed, without having to rely on a stifling formal bureaucracy that can suppress the growth of motivation and innovation. 2. Strategically fit culture Explicitly states that the direction of culture must align and motivate members, if it is to improve organizational performance. The main concept used here is "fit". So, a culture is considered good if it fits its context. What is meant by context can be the objective conditions of the organization or its business strategy. 3. Adaptive culture Starting from the logic that only a culture that can help organizations anticipate and adapt to environmental changes will be associated with superior performance over time. This adaptive culture is a culture with a risk-taking, trusting, and proactive approach to individual life. Members actively support each other's efforts to identify all problems and implement solutions that can work. There is a sense of shared confidence. Its members believe, without hesitation, that they can effectively manage new problems and opportunities that they will encounter. Widespread enthusiasm, a spirit to do whatever it takes to achieve organizational success. These members are receptive to change and innovation. This type of culture values and encourages entrepreneurship, which can help an organization adapt to a changing environment by enabling it to identify and exploit new opportunities. An example of a company that has developed this adaptive culture is Digital Equipment Corporation with a culture that promotes innovation, risk taking, honest discussion, entrepreneurship, and leadership at multiple levels in the hierarchy.