Are you ready to uncover some myths around the topic of “collaborative organizational culture”?

“Collaborative organizational culture” has been discussed frequently in recent years. However, much of the information that has accumulated around this topic does not fully reflect the truth. Due to this uncertainty, we set out to identify the most common myths.

Myth #1: Organizational culture is the same as organizational climate

Myth #2: “Collaborative organizational culture” means collaborating with one another

Myth #3: Collaboration tools are the means to create a “collaborative organizational culture”

Can you tell myths from reality?

Myth #1: False

Below is a comparison of organizational culture and organizational climate.

Organizational culture
At its core, organizational culture consists of basic assumptions that reflect the belief systems of an organization’s members concerning human behavior, relationships, reality, and truth. These factors shape the meaning and identity of an organization.

Organizational climate
In contrast, organizational climate is described as the shared perception of the environment within an organization. It influences behavior and general attitudes between members of the organization.

In summary, organizational culture itself is not directly visible, but its effects become apparent through the organizational climate.

Myth #2: Not false, but not entirely true

While this statement does not fully reflect reality, it does contain a kernel of truth. A collaborative organizational culture does include collaboration, but it is not defined by collaboration alone. A collaborative culture can be described as being open to the knowledge of others and having the capability not only to use internally available knowledge, but also to expand it through external knowledge sources and to share both existing and new knowledge with others.

Collaboration is therefore the result of a collaborative organizational culture that encompasses specific values, principles, and behaviors. These values are designed not only to promote cooperation, but also to meet the collaborative expectations shaped by the characteristics of the organizational culture. This results in behaviors committed to openness in dealing with knowledge as well as to the creation of a foundation of trust.

Myth #3: False

Before addressing the solution, the term collaboration tools must first be explained.

Any collaboration software that supports efficient communication and coordination of employees within an organization is considered a collaboration tool.

Examples include Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Slack. The objective of these tools is to enable location independent work by making information accessible to everyone. Collaboration tools do not have a direct impact on organizational culture, as they operate on the surface level of an organization and cannot influence the underlying assumptions of its members. Organizational culture, on the other hand, forms the foundation upon which collaboration tools are used and applied. Accordingly, the use of collaboration tools is strongly influenced by organizational culture, not the other way around.

It is crucial that the values of the organizational culture align with those of the implemented IT systems. If this alignment is missing, system conflicts arise. These conflicts manifest when members of the organization attempt to adapt the system according to their own values shaped by the organizational culture. Management plays a decisive role in defining and enforcing organizational values and aligning them with the benefits of the IT systems adopted by the organization.

Are there parallels between SIAM and collaborative organizational cultures?

A SIAM ecosystem consists of multiple service providers who, due to their differing organizational cultures, pursue different objectives. To enable effective collaboration, a shared “One Team” culture must be established, driven and exemplified by the service integrator. This role ensures collaboration, knowledge exchange, bidirectional communication, and an open mindset.
You may have noticed something at this point. These characteristics correspond closely to those of a collaborative organizational culture.

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Source references:

1. Schein, Edgar H. 1990. „Organizational culture.” American Psychologist 109-119.
2. Ashforth, Blake E. 1985. „Climate formation: Issues and extensions.” The Academy of Management Review 837-847.
3. Gratz, Annalies. 2013. Kulturelle Bedingungen wissensbasierter Kollaborationen. Diplomica Verlag GmbH.
4. Sanchez, Marisa. 2012. „A Collaborative Culture.” OD PRACTITIONER 7-12.
5. https://blog.hubspot.de/sales/collaboration-tools
6. Leidner, Dorothy E., and Timothy Kayworth. 2006. „Review: A review of culture in information systems research: toward a theory of information technology culture conflict.” MIS Quarterly.