Organisations Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisations Design - Essay Example ctively silence criticism and concerns by the rank and file, a culture that mocked and ignored ethical compliance issues, and numerous other elements that reduced their effective impulse control, morality, concern over their actions and ability to perceive the inevitable consequences of their actions. Definition of Culture Schein defines culture thusly: â€Å"a pattern of basic assumptions...developed by a given group as it learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration...considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to...think† (1985, p. 9). Culture can be considered to be separate from but clearly intertwined with institutional characteristics. Institutional decisions to scuttle external auditing and accounts is an institutional decision. The sentiments behind that decision that laugh at external controls and view them as unnecessary is a cultural trait of the organisation. ... . ethics – successful, driven, focused, philanthropic and responsible† (Sims and Brinkmann, 2003). Just as the company had seemed to be the darling of Wall Street and invulnerable to failure, it also seemed to be a truly responsible company. Of course, it is important to note that not everyone bought into Enron's golden story. Greg Palast, an investigative journalist for The Guardian, had been writing exposes on Enron for years (2004). Palast in a retrospective on Enron in 2002 argued that Enron's collapse was predictable due to a combination of lackluster media criticism that continued after the crisis, a culture of political irresponsibility and a sense of political entitlement, arrogance, and other factors: One tabloid...called Baxter a "hero"...[T]his is the Baxter who last year quietly crawled out of Enron...then dumped his stock on unsuspecting buyers... There have been a lot of misplaced tears in the Affair Enron. The employees were shafted, no doubt about it. But the shareholders? I didn't hear any of them moan when Enron stock shot up through the roof when the company, joined by a half dozen other power pirates, manipulated, monopolised and muscled the California electricity market a year ago...Enron and half a dozen others skinned purchasers for more than $12bn in excess charges....Enron sold 500 megawatts of power to the state for delivery over a 15-megawatt line...[T]he company knew darn well the juice couldn't make it over the line, causing panic in the state - customers would then pay 10 times the normal cost... The federal regulator caught that one. Within weeks of taking office, George Bush demoted the troublesome official. Lay boasted to one candidate expected to replace the sacked regulator that