Chapter 43 - Organizational Culture or Organizational Cult?

Key Takeaways

1. At its core, this case describes how Big Sky is a unique place to work. In fact, being a Big Sky team member influences how you think, feel, behave and judge the behaviors of others (you see the organization and its members as a family and while you can fight against your siblings, you will stand behind them when threatened from the outside and you can never "fire" a family member). Communication scholars describe this as the social construction of an organizational reality—communication influences how members perceive the organization, interact with each other, connect with its mission, vision and values and how actions and behaviors are understood as true or false, right or wrong, ethical or unethical. A main takeaway is for readers to consider their own life and the organizations to which they belong (e.g., university, church, friend groups, organized teams, or creative units such as theatre, band or forensics), to determine which one most influenced their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (and in what ways), and lastly, how they judge those who do not act in ways prescribed by that group.
2. This case includes an intentionally implicit reference to the notion of unobtrusive control, or the idea that in organizations, employees can be controlled subtly and/or unknowingly by their organization. Here, unobtrusive control can be seen when the employees willingly work 60-70 hour workweeks because they 'love' Big Sky. Are there practices in place by Big Sky that encourage employees to sacrifice so much time for the organization?
3. Organizational identification is also a main takeaway of this case. Organizational identification is a phenomenon that occurs when an employee feels a oneness with his organization, and thus, acts in ways that benefit the organization. There are obvious advantages to high levels of identification (e.g., employee investment in the company, employee commitment), but there can also be drawbacks (e.g., employees may blindly defend the company, employees’ values align so closely with the company that they may not recognize organizational faults). Readers are encouraged to think about possible positive and negative consequences of identifying strongly with Big Sky.
4. Traditionally, when managers exert overt control or micromanage, organizational members resist by slowing down their work, mismanaging organizational resources, talking badly about management, and so on. These acts are known as organizational resistance. In the cases of Big Sky and Pullman, management did not engage in overt control acts or micromanagement. Students ought to think about how and whether team members show resistance in these types of organizations.
5. Hopefully, readers will recognize that David Burnham's heart is in the right place—he cares deeply for his employees. With his focus on seeing Big Sky as a family, he is naturally positioned as a father-figure dedicated to protecting his family. However, children often do not appreciate parent-imposed rules (e.g., curfews), traditions (e.g., church attendance or unique family rituals), or values (e.g., making judgments regarding friends or how you spend your time). While Burnham weaves a compelling tale and states that Big Sky team members "love me, this company, and what we stand for," one has to expect that being a member of the Big Sky family has negative consequences (just as being a member of any family does). Readers should reflect on some of the negative (likely unintended) consequences of being a Big Sky team member.