About this course: Behind the success and failure of teams lies team culture. But what exactly is culture? How and why does it contribute to success and failure? In this course, you learn how to recognize aspects of team culture of which most people are typically unaware. It is often these seemingly unimportant aspects that have the greatest effect on the outcomes of group tasks. Your recognition of them enables you to form, join and lead teams more effectively. You also come to appreciate the role of ritual and symbols in the daily operation of teams, as well as in situations of change and crisis. Knowledge of the ideas and information in this class enables you to be a better team player and a more effective team leader.
Created by: University of Pennsylvania
Taught by: Greg Urban, Ph.D., Professor
Anthropology
| Basic Info |
Course 1 of 5 in the
Culture-Driven Team Building Specialization.
|
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 4 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Course Overview
Behind the success and failure of teams lies team culture. But what exactly is culture? How and why does it contribute to success and failure? In this course, you learn how to recognize aspects of team culture of which most people are typically unaware. It is ...
2 readings
WEEK 2
Why Culture Matters in Organizations
In this unit, we will begin by defining the "team" and then proceed to explore what enables teams to function, the role that culture plays in every team, and how "habitus" and "cultural fit" could affect our performance in specific teams.
13 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Why Culture Matters in Organizations
WEEK 3
Crossing Cultural Boundaries
Sometimes we must take a step back and view cultural differences from perspectives different from what we're used to. Cultural boundaries exist everywhere. Differences can be found within one culture as well. Have you ever considered that a smile isn't just a ...
12 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Corporations in Culture
WEEK 4
Team Rituals and Symbols
Rituals and symbols can be found in every team. They can evoke affect, or feeling, as you will see. Speech, or stories have symbolic meaning too and can do wonders to motivate a group of individuals. In this unit we will examine a number of rituals and symbols...
12 videos, 2 readings
Graded: Rituals & Symbols in Organizational Culture
WEEK 5
Effecting Cultural Continuity and Change
In this unit, we will examine inertia, change, and metaculture, introduce interest as a force at work on the motion of culture as well as provide a conclusion to the concepts covered in this course.
12 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Effecting Cultural Continuity & Change
FAQs
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Creators
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.
Pricing
| Audit | Purchase Course | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to course materials | Available | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Not available | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Not available | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Not available | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Some terms are a little bit complicated to understand, but covers basic information and helps you to understand some things and also have a new way to see the culture around you, with really helpful ways of use it.
Thoroughly enjoyed the insights and approach!
Excellent introduction to team culture for leaders. Understanding different cultures for businesses in a global stage is essential to build products and services that are true to the cultures of the origin and also destination.
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This was a great class that I highly recommend to anyone that wants understand how culture and ritual
affect and influence teams.