User:Jenm

2012-10-28T22:05:18Z

Jenm: Created page with "Jen M. is currently an MLIS student interested in Library 2.0, active learning, web design, reference, and leadership."

Jen M. is currently an MLIS student interested in Library 2.0, active learning, web design, reference, and leadership.

Organizational Culture and Knowledge

2012-10-28T20:52:12Z

Jenm: /* Communities of Practice and Knowledge Sharing */

== What is Organizational Culture? ==

Edgar Schein defines culture as the "shared assumptions" of a group of any people. Essentially, as people live with each other, they build general assumptions about what is appropriate or inappropriate behavior. These behaviors develop over time either through systems of punishment and reward or through group knowledge exchange.

A good way to understand cultural behaviors is to describe them in "ought to" statements. For instance, "one ought not wear white sports socks with black dress shoes." In Western Society, failing to abide by this norm will result in the likely punishment of public ridicule or, if you are a celebrity, a spot in the "fashion disasters" section of a gossip magazine.

Organizational Culture, then, is the shared assumptions found inside an organization. These assumptions can include anything from appropriate language ("we ought to call the people we serve 'patrons' rather than 'customers'"), distribution of rewards ("higher paid positions ought to go to individuals carrying a professional degree"), to the broader purpose ("libraries ought to protect freedom of information").

Culture should be distinguished, however, from the espoused values of an organization. For instance, an organization may have a mission statement that refers to "customer focus," but have behaviors that suggest otherwise. It is important to recognize culture through behaviors rather than words. Thus, "how," "when," "where" and "by whom" something is said may be more important to understanding a culture than "what" is said.

== Libraries as Cultural Entities ==

== Cultural Entities Within Libraries ==

== Communities of Practice and Knowledge Sharing ==

Grass roots community efforts are engaging in interesting techniques to mine the knowledge of individuals so to help them solve their particular problems. These methods can be adapted to the workplace. Some examples:

[http://www.theworldcafe.com/ World Cafe] assumes that major change begins with the conversations of small groups of people. A very effective cross between talking to friends in a restaurant and musical chairs.

[http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu/ Appreciative Inquiry] asks people to identify their ideal world and then commit to taking steps toward that ideal world. Very inspiring and action-focused method of creating communities of practice.

[http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/effectiveprac/effectivepractices.htm ACRL's Effective Practices Clearinghouse]

ACRL is frequently looked to and contacted for descriptions of effective practices in the academic library profession. The goal of the Effective Practices Clearinghouse is to recognize effective practices in academic libraries in areas such as programs, services, facilities, technology, and initiatives and share them so they are accessible to academic librarians and the entire education community.

[http://www.scotlandscolleges.ac.uk/organisational/communities-of-practice/librarians-cop.html Librarians CoP] "The Librarians Community of Practice represents library and information staff in Scotland's colleges. It seeks to capitalise on the expertise within the colleges for the benefit of the whole sector." (Retrieved from http://www.scotlandscolleges.ac.uk/organisational/communities-of-practice/librarians-cop.html)

[[Category:Management and Leadership]]

Wiki User List

2012-10-23T19:23:25Z

Jenm:

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki - User contributions [en]

User:Jenm

Organizational Culture and Knowledge

Wiki User List