Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2025

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48 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

Dimension 3: Strict Versus Easygoing This dimension deals with the amount of internal control, structure and discipline

job. Employees are usually highly educated (which facilitates identifying with their profession) and are long-term directed in terms of career goals. Dimension 5: Open Systems Versus Closed Systems This dimension relates to the approachability and accessibility of an organization and the ease with which outsiders and newcomers are admitted. In an open system culture, newcomers are immediately welcomed, and people are open both to insiders and outsiders. People are inclusive and take the approach that anyone will fit in well with the organization. Open cultures have managers and leaders who are approachable, and there tends to be higher employee satisfaction. In a closed system culture, newcomers have to prove themselves, and the organization feels exclusive, even among insiders. Dimension 6: People Oriented Versus Job-Oriented This dimension is related to management philosophy and a preference toward people or the job. In people-oriented cultures (also called employee-oriented cultures ), the organization assumes a broad responsibility for the welfare and well-being of its employees. Employees feel that personal problems are taken into consideration during negotiations, even if it is at the expense of work productivity. In job-oriented cultures (also called work oriented culture ), the organization assumes responsibility for the employees’ job performance and nothing more. There is pressure to perform the work tasks even at the expense of employees. People in job-oriented cultures perceive that the organization is only interested in the

within an organization. An organization with strict culture (also called tight control culture ) is filled with workers who are punctual and cost-conscious. Supervisors know exactly what their employees do, and management can coordinate all the work activities of various departments according to a central strategy. There is a fair amount of planning, which leads to efficiency and productivity. People delegate work to others with detailed instructions. An organization with an easygoing culture (also called a loose control culture ) has workers who are more independent and autonomous. Different departments may operate without much coordination between one another. Their approach to work is fluid, unpredictable and less formal, and these characteristics facilitate high levels of innovation.

Dimension 4: Professional Versus Parochial This dimension refers to how people identify themselves in relation to the organization they work for.

In parochial cultures (also called local cultures ), employees identify with the organizations they work for. Employees have a strong social need to fit in and be like everybody else. Employees feel that the organization’s culture influences them while they are at their jobs and while they are away from their jobs. There is pressure to act, look and talk in a certain way, and employees tend to be less educated and are short-term directed in terms of career goals. In professional cultures, employees identify with their profession and/or the content of the

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