Abstracts Category : Other

Exploring the relationship of meetings to organizational culture and values

by Miriam Volle

This mixed methods study explored the relationship between organizational culture expressed through values and meeting practices. Three organizations were studied using meeting observations, a staff survey and interviews. The study referenced four conceptual frameworks on the role of meetings in businessthat they played a <i>functional</i> role, represented an <i>interruption </i> in the flow of work, were a form of <i>organizational discourse </i> and were a component of <i>organizational culture</i>. Meetings were one of a number of methods the organizations used to reinforce their values and were a complex reflection of the life of the organization and expressed how it had chosen to work out its context, with the role of the managers surfacing as a critical avenue for values reinforcement. Values awareness proved to be an unreliable indicator of values integration. Studying meetings also emerged as a low-threat entre for OD practitioners to explore an organizations culture.