Assessment of organizational culture: a tool for professional success

Assessing the culture, or shared norms, of an institution to learn about its values, beliefs, and practices can be very useful in determining one's "fit" within an organization. It can also be helpful to those engineering change and to those interested in shaping an institutional image that attracts and retains qualified staff. This article discusses the concept of organizational culture, provides suggestions for assessment, and explicates this information through some familiar examples. Implications of organizational culture assessment are also discussed as they apply to the roles of staff nurse, nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, faculty member, and nurse executive. Consideration is also given to nursing as a profession.