Practise IB Business Management HL 2.5.2 by applying types of organizational culture concepts to exam-style questions.
General Pierce delegated the responsibility for investigating the feasibility of the two projects down the chain of command to Colonel Michael Donovan, Head of the Civil Engineering Group. Colonel Donovan identified a suitable piece of land for the construction site: Beral's only botanical gardens, ideally located and owned by the local government. He calculated that both projects would cost the same (Appendix 3). As a result, the decision about whether to build a university or a hospital would not be based upon cost, but upon other factors.
In further discussions with local officials, Colonel Donovan found that Kos' concerns were shared by others. After completing a critical path analysis, he reported to General Pierce that constructing either a university campus or a hospital was feasible within 25 to 30 weeks. He added that the officers in the Civil Engineering Group were excited by the opportunity to lead the project. The project also had the support of the troops, who would feel empowered and would welcome working in new flexible matrix structures. It would, however, require careful workforce planning and training: some peacekeeping troops would need extra training in construction skills and safety procedures. Colonel Donovan concluded that both types of facilities were greatly needed in Loyka and would offer important benefits. The issue was which one to choose.
Given her experience of previous UWP Missions, General Pierce ordered Colonel Donovan to conduct a formal social and environmental audit of the construction of both facilities and to carry out additional primary research. She asked him to prepare and distribute a survey to 2000 local residents for a more valid and reliable indication of the local community's opinion of which was needed more, a university or a hospital. She also wanted focus groups to discuss the two options. Some of the focus groups were to consist of men only, some of women only, and some of both men and women.
After spending weeks gathering data, Colonel Donovan had few doubts. He recommended that the hospital should be built as soon as possible. He still needed to decide what method of production to use. He was considering cell production, where each cell would be responsible for the construction of a separate section of the hospital. On completion, the hospital would provide immediate important benefits to the local population. If the main objection of the local population was the concern that most of the doctors would be male, the UWP, he argued, should do everything it could to recruit female doctors, even if only for the short term. However, the local governor who agreed to contribute the piece of land for the construction site preferred the new university campus rather than a hospital. A new university would be prestigious and contribute to the long-term development of Loyka by training future professionals. It could also attract private capital for future public-private partnerships in research and development (R\&D).
Comparison of the two construction projects
| Hospital | University | |
|---|---|---|
| Land | Free | Free |
| Building | $2000000 | $3000000 |
| Furniture and equipment | $1100000 | $100000 |
| Construction time | 30 weeks | 25 weeks |
Results from the survey
| Hospital | University | |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly support | 28% | 24% |
| Support | 24% | 25% |
| Neutral/undecided | 11% | 21% |
| Oppose | 20% | 20% |
| Strongly oppose | 17% | 10% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
Explain one advantage and one disadvantage of the organizational culture of military organizations such as the UWP Mission.
A military organization may be considered to have a role culture. The ranks define peoples' jobs and roles. The tall organizational structure and many levels of hierarchy also lend itself to role culture.
However, the project teams such as the SAS, SBS, Green Berets and other non-traditional specialized military units are much more task culture orientated.
The organizational culture of military organizations such as the UWP Mission has the following advantages:
- the culture is characterised by a desire for stability and control as well as formal rules and policy, so it is congruent with a tall structure and an autocratic leadership style (such as General Ron Meiri)
- orders are always followed, so the organization can be very efficient with regard to operations and tactics, as it is goal-orientated and results-orientated (for example, if they decide to build the hospital, it will happen)
- the organization promotes from within, so staff know the routes for promotion and have a strong sense of respect for seniority (as showed by the relationship between Colonel Michael Donovan and General Diane Pierce)
- accept any other relevant advantage.
The organizational culture of military organizations such as the UWP Mission has the following disadvantages:
- the focus on well-established norms and values means that the organization could ignore the norms and values of the society where it operates (here: possible tension with Loykese culture)
- the stable culture of the military implies a resistance to change, be it as a result of internal or of external forces (so even the arrival of General Diane Pierce with her situational leadership style could create some tension with some staff more used to an autocratic leadership style)
- new ideas are not sought and are rarely welcome (so even if some members of the civil engineering group under Colonel Michael Donovan have valid ideas or objections, they are not likely to raise them)
- accept any other relevant disadvantage.
Accept any other relevant explanation.
Mark as 2+2.
Award [1 mark] for each correct advantage/disadvantage identified and [1 mark] for an appropriate explanation of that advantage/disadvantage up to a maximum of [2 marks].
N.B. Candidates that only focus on organizational structures can only achieve a maximum of [2 marks].