Question

_____ refer to discernible symbols of an organization's culture, such as the office design and layout, company dress code, and company benefits and perks, like stock options, personal parking spaces, or the private company dining room.

Answer 1

Observable artifacts are physical symbols of an organization's culture, encompassing office design, dress code, and benefits. They signify the underlying values and norms of the culture, influencing workplace behavior and expectations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symbols that are discernible in an organization's culture are known as observable artifacts. These include various aspects like the office design and layout, company dress code, and company benefits and perks such as stock options, personal parking spaces, or the private company dining room. These artifacts are part of the physical, or material, culture of an organization and serve as a tangible reflection of the underlying values, beliefs, and norms that constitute the organization's culture.

Observable artifacts are just one layer of organizational culture, as identified by Ostroff, Kinicki, and Tamkins. They stand alongside espoused values and basic assumptions, growing from the organization's foundational ideas. These elements of culture shape employees' expectations and interactions within the workplace, influencing behavior and contributing to the overall company culture.