Kudler Fine Foods
Running Head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organizational Behavior
University of Phoenix
Kudler Fine Foods is a local upscale specialty food store in the San Diego metropolitan area. The company has locations at La Jolla, Del Mar, and Encinitas. Kathy Kudler is the founder and President of the company. The organizational behavior aspects of Kudler Fine Foods will be examined and explored specifically in regard to its apparent organizational culture, organizational structure, impact of leadership, and causal agents that could effect organizational change. Apparent Culture at Kudler Fine Foods “Organizational culture is a system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs, and norms that unite the members of an organization” (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002, chap. 5, p. 108). An organization’s culture can be described in three levels – visible culture, espoused values, and core beliefs (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002). Kudler 's organizational culture will be examined in terms of these three levels.
The first level consists of visible culture. That is, what an observer can hear, feel, or see (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002). At Kudler Fine Foods the organization requires that its employees should be clean, well groomed, and wear appropriate clothes, including uniforms (Kudler Fine Foods, N.D.). A neat and clean appearance is the primary manner in which the visible culture of Kudler Fine Foods is expressed. No less important is the appearance of Kudler 's stores, which are designed in such a way that conveys the sophistication of its specialized products aimed at a discerning consumer populace.
The second level consists of espoused values which “are not readily observed but instead are the way managers and employees explain and justify their actions and decisions” (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002, chap. 5, p. 109). At Kudler Fine Foods this second level of organizational culture is expressed by management 's belief that the conditions,
Organizational Behavior
University of Phoenix
Kudler Fine Foods is a local upscale specialty food store in the San Diego metropolitan area. The company has locations at La Jolla, Del Mar, and Encinitas. Kathy Kudler is the founder and President of the company. The organizational behavior aspects of Kudler Fine Foods will be examined and explored specifically in regard to its apparent organizational culture, organizational structure, impact of leadership, and causal agents that could effect organizational change. Apparent Culture at Kudler Fine Foods “Organizational culture is a system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs, and norms that unite the members of an organization” (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002, chap. 5, p. 108). An organization’s culture can be described in three levels – visible culture, espoused values, and core beliefs (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002). Kudler 's organizational culture will be examined in terms of these three levels.
The first level consists of visible culture. That is, what an observer can hear, feel, or see (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002). At Kudler Fine Foods the organization requires that its employees should be clean, well groomed, and wear appropriate clothes, including uniforms (Kudler Fine Foods, N.D.). A neat and clean appearance is the primary manner in which the visible culture of Kudler Fine Foods is expressed. No less important is the appearance of Kudler 's stores, which are designed in such a way that conveys the sophistication of its specialized products aimed at a discerning consumer populace.
The second level consists of espoused values which “are not readily observed but instead are the way managers and employees explain and justify their actions and decisions” (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin, 2002, chap. 5, p. 109). At Kudler Fine Foods this second level of organizational culture is expressed by management 's belief that the conditions,
References: Gomez-Mejia, L., & Balkin, D. (2002). Management (8th edition). New York: McGraw Hill University of Phoenix (N.D.). Kudler Fine Foods Intranet Page. Retrieved October 5, 2008 from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/Kudler/KudlerHome002.h tml