In one of his books ‘Gods of Management – The Changing Work of Organizations’, Charles Handy, a British management consultant, teacher writer and broadcaster, linked four different types of organizational culture with four personality types represented by an appropriate Greek God including Zeus, Apollo, Athena and Dionysus.
1. ZEUS CULTURE
Entrepreneurial, power oriented, non-bureaucratic, often little in the way of formal organization.
Zeus represents the Power Culture. Zeus, the patron God, was the center of things, charismatic, feared and respected, and controlled by alternating destructive thunderbolts when displeased and with showers of gold when seducing. Power Culture the power usually revolves around one person and is frequently found in small entrepreneurial family organizations. They have few rules and procedures, and ends are more important than the means. Power culture is associated with autocratic leadership and power is concentrated in the center of the organization. Decision-making is quick, because there is little or no bureaucracy and/or participation in the decision-making process. Motivational methods are likely to focus on financial incentives and bonuses to reward exceptional performance which can encourage risky short-term decision-making.
EXAMPLES: Signs of power cultures include reserved parking spots for executives and/or private toilets.
2. APOLLO CULTURE
Ordered and structured organization, operating within clearly defined and well-known rules and hierarchies; classic bureaucracy or public service organization.
Apollo represents the Role Culture. Apollo, the patron god, was the god of order and of laws. Role Culture is often stereotyped as bureaucracy as it usually has a tall, rigid hierarchy. This culture dominates large corporate organizations and is characterized by clearly delineated rules, roles, and procedures, and management by hierarchy. Staff operate within the rules and show little creativity. Each individual has clear delegated authority. Power and influence come from a persons’ position in the hierarchy. Decision-making is often slow and risk-taking is frowned upon. Job roles are clearly specified in formal job descriptions. This culture works best in stable, predictable markets and industries.
EXAMPLES: It tends to be the most common culture in schools, colleges and universities.
3. ATHENA CULTURE
Very different approach to the concept of management: emphasis is on achieving the task in hand through a problem-solving culture, with little concern about the organizational structure or rules; power and influence depends on expertise and achievement, and successful participation in team-work, not status in the organization.
Athena represents the Task Culture. Athena was the young and energetic warrior goddess, patron also of explorers and of craftsmen. Task Culture is collaborative and task-based, drawing upon flexible teams of professionals who solve particular problems, and then move on to the next ones. The emphasis is on getting the job done. This culture is the precursor of project management and project teams. It is characterized by flexibility, adaptability and empowerment. Team members are encouraged to be creative and there may be a strong team spirit which can lead to a very motivating environment where intrinsic needs are met. Groups are formed to solve particular problems, and lines of communication are similar to a matrix structure.
EXAMPLES: Typically, the Athena culture has worked best in management consultancies, advertising agencies, and other fields where ideas are the product and where expertise can be applied in very specific ways. Teams are made up of people from different departments.
4. DIONYSUS CULTURE
Emphasis is on individualism, not on the organization at all; the organization exists only to enable the individual to achieve, not the other way round; no `boss’ at all in the normal sense, though for practical purposes one of the professionals will probably be elected or appointed by the group (often for only a limited, fixed-time period) to be the nominal Head and coordinator or the organization.
Dionysus represents the Person Culture. Dionysus was the god of wine and song, and represented a self-orientated and self-motivated existential ideology amongst the Greek pantheon. Person Culture exists where individuals within the organization believe they are superior to it and simply do what they want; where laissez faire leadership predominates. This is the culture of ‘wine and song’, typified by independent specialists who enter the organization only to achieve their own purposes. It works best where individual talent is at a premium and people are encouraged to work independently. This culture is geared toward meeting individual employee’s self-actualization needs. Given this, there may be some conflict between individual goals and those of the whole organization, but this is the most creative type of culture. Little emphasis on teamwork as each individual is focused on their own tasks and projects.
EXAMPLES: This type of culture can be found in a scientific research environment or in professional partnerships. People who thrive in this type of environment will often find it difficult to work effectively in a more structured organization. Typical organizational culture of professional practices such as a medical partnership or barristers’ chambers.
In short, this classification of the internal philosophies and organizational cultures of management systems is based on analogy with four of the leading Gods of Greek mythology.
