Taking the assessment test seemed to be an interesting experience, as the results or outcomes of the tests or surveys are highly anticipated. Like all other activities that try to explicate and solidify behaviors into clear illustrations or representations – these, including self-assessment tests and quizzes – the results of the McGinty/Moss and Denison tests were most anticipated.The need for the assessments is also realized, motivating the desire to accomplish them, as the evaluation or assessment of organizational culture is instrumental to determining the efficiency or desirability of the culture within the organization opening up possibilities of improvement. (Heathfield, 2008) Specifically, tests or survey about organizational culture help the organization in establishing organizational goals, objectives, and strategies, that guides it to the realization of success.
The remainder of this text will discuss the results of the two assessment surveys and how these results relate to the real dimensions or situations within an identified organization. For the McGinty/Moss test, the numbers with the most “true” answers were from numbers 1-5 and 6-10, while majority of the answers in numbers 11-15 were “false. These particular results of the test means that the culture within the organization is deliberative or traditional (from responses to numbers 1-5) and established or stable (from responses to 6-10) During the process of answering the “True or False” questions and answering what the questions might hold for the culture of the organization, I was not surprised that the results stated the conventionality and stability within the organization I belong to, as the workings of the organization exhibit such features and characteristics.The processes and operations, as well as other practices that fuel the growth and development of the organization follow a thorough step-by-step process wherein various aspects and considerations are looked into, from the SWOT analysis, to other evaluation and assessment processes in order to determine the feasibility of plans and projects. In addition, the organization I work for has been around for many years, allowing it to become aware of the ins and outs of business.
The Denison Culture Inventory revealed that the culture within the organization I work for is mission-oriented (with 16 percent), wherein all the goals and objectives within the organization are made known to all its members. Organizational practices and operations, and every other aspect, are guided by the mission it has established. The next most dominant cultural feature is consistency (with 14 percent) which reveals that the organization is consistent in implementing its rules and policies. The least dominant cultural features are involvement and adaptability (both with 11 percent).This means that the members of the organization are not deeply involved with the activities implemented by the organization and the organization’s adaptability to trends and changes, as well as the impositions of clients and partners, are not greatly considered.
(“Denison Culture Survey: Self-Assessment,” 2007) I believe that the results of this particular test are not highly reliable as there were debatable questions which could have been transformed in order to fit the context of the organization.The idea, that involvement and adaptability as the least dominant cultural features of the organization is not accurate. The assessment lacks the depth and validity as tests for organizational culture. Questions were limited, and do not dig into the overall culture of the organization. 5 to 15 questions that are open to interpretations and implications do not fully relay information on organizational culture.
Therefore, ascertaining the quality of organizational culture should be done through various tests or assessments, through various means. Confirming the cultural qualities of the organization as a valid and reliable information source should be borne out of consistent tests that review the organization fully. However, the good thing about the assessment is that the organization obtains ideas on how it will be able to change or transform its culture for the better.
