Discuss the three elements described in your text which contribute to the root metaphor perspective

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The first is that organizational culture is complex. Edgar Schein (1985) put forward the
notion that "culture is a deep phenomenon... complex and difficult to understand" (p. 5).
Contrary to the culture-as-variable perspective, the root-metaphor perspective treats
organizational culture as a multilevel construction with surface and deep levels. The
surface level of culture consists of fairly tangible and concrete elements, such as rites,
rituals, ceremonies, architecture, clothing, decorations, logos, slogans, stories, and
language use. The culture-as-variable perspective often considers culture only at this
surface level; if a leader can change the surface level then he has changed the culture. But
that perspective often overlooks the deeper levels of organizational culture.
The second element of organizational culture is that it is a communicative construction.
From the root metaphor perspective, organizational culture is not something that is
dictated by the management of the organization (as some in the variable camp would
argue); it is, instead, constructed and reconstructed as members of the organization
interact together and confront their environment. This perspective assumes that
organizational culture is a sociohistorical construction (Deetz, 1982). In other words,
organizational culture is created and recreated as people interact (communicate) over
time.The third element of organizational culture is that it consists of subcultures and
countercultures. The culture-as-variable perspective proposes the idea that there is one
overarching culture shared by all members of the organization. The root-metaphor
perspective acknowledges that although many members may share certain organizational
values, organizational culture is not monolithic; instead it is appropriate to consider that
the culture of an organization may consist (naturally) of subcultures and countercultures.