FEATURED PAPER

Diagnosing Ercoe’s Organizational Culture and Indicating Members’ Preferred Culture

By Tadesse Beyene Okbagaber

Eritrea

Abstract

This research examined the existing and preferred organizational culture of the Eritrean Center for Organizational Excellence (Ercoe) and indicated the cultural practice that fits to implement its strategic plan. Organizational culture is commonly held in-the-mind of organizational members. It is reflected by basic assumptions, rituals and values. These will be the basis for how to perceive, think, feel, behave and expect others to behave in the organization. The target population for the survey was comprised of Ercoe’s full time experts working as management trainers and consultants.  The organizational culture of Ercoe was measured using personal interviews of the management team with an Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) developed by Quinn (1998). The research indicated that the existing organizational culture of Ercoe lied on the clan (collaborate culture) with 40.1 average followed by 23.8 for adhocracy (create culture). Also members’ preferred organizational culture was found to be the clan and adhocracy by 36.7 and 30.2 averages respectively. In order to attract the private sector, Ercoe should work hard towards its goal - to enhance market share locally and to penetrate in regional and international markets.

Key Words: Organizational Culture, Management, Leadership

Overview of Organizational Culture

Organizational culture, in any organization including Ercoe, is profound stuff that is largely unwritten, unspoken, unknown even to organizational members. So is it possible to really know Ercoe’s organizational culture? While admittedly it would be a daunting (and some might claim impossible) task to fully account for all components of the organization’s culture, the dominant attributes can generally be identified. In diagnosing the main attributes of Ercoe’s organizational culture, the Cameron (1999) framework has been used. He outlined four cultural quadrants as the hierarchy, market, adhocracy and clan which can be summarized as follows.

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About the Author Tadesse Beyene Okbagaber Author Mr. Tadessse Beyene Okbagaber is a Management Trainer and Consulting Expert at Eritrea Center for Organizational Excellence (Ercoe) in Asmara, Eritrea.  He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership from UNISA, University of South Africa and is a Graduate with BA Degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Asmara, Eritrea.  He completed a Diploma in Electricity and Electronics from the University of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Mr. Okbagaber has attended various trainings including total quality management, environmental management and sustainable development, developing and managing projects, qualitative and quantitative research methodology, interaction leadership and presentation skills, leadership, etc.   Tadesse has 6 years of teaching experience; 8 years in managing projects, branch offices and enterprises; 7 years chairing the infrastructure committee in regional parliament; and 6 years in providing management training and consultancy for public, parastatals, and Non-governmental Organizations. He has coordinated learning projects for construction companies, the Ministry of Marine Resources, Eritel and Eritrean Airlines. Other activities have included management and consultancy services in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) & Good Hygienic Practice (GHP) for Delta Water Purification Company; pastoralist organizational structure and management functions for PENHA; business plan development for pastoralist center for PENHA; preparation of job descriptions for NUEYS officers; strategic plan development for public and private organizations; survey to assess KAP for HIV/AIDS; and survey on the impact of media campaigning on youth.  Takesse Okbagaber can be contacted at nanta121@yahoo.com.