Organizational culture and IT infrastructure in concurrence with Essay

Organizational culture and IT infrastructure in concurrence with knowledge management - Essay Example A culture does not typically change quickly, but in order to keep up with technology, an adaptable culture must be designed. In conducting the research for this paper, the focus has been placed on the following objectives: To identify and define organizational culture, IT infrastructure, and knowledge management. To create a framework of understanding on how these three aspects of an organization are effectively integrated. To conduct an analysis of these three concepts and formulate a working concept on how best to design and implement them within an organizational structure. Introduction The creation of IT infrastructure is designed to facilitate the management of knowledge in regard to how IT is implemented and in what ways the hardware and software will need to be attended. The choices that are made at this time will affect how responsibility is distributed and where responsibility will be held in regard to keeping systems up and running. Responsibility is in direct correlation t o knowledge and the level to which knowledge is managed and disseminated and can only be held when appropriate knowledge has been disseminated. Organizational culture is in direct alignment with how knowledge is managed and in how the IT infrastructure is designed in reference to its effective use. Literature Review Organizational culture is defined by Martin (2001) as a way to â€Å"explain ‘how things are done around here,’ the ways in which offices are arranged and personal items are or are not displayed, jokes people tell, the working atmosphere (hushed and luxurious or dirty and noisy), the relationships among people†¦aspects of working life† (p. 3). One of the primary factors in how a organizational culture is created is through the affect that leadership has upon the nature of the traditions, habits, and belief systems within a system. According to Schein (2004), â€Å"Culture is both a dynamic phenomenon that surrounds us at all time, being constant ly enacted and created by our interactions with others and shaped by leadership behavior, and a set of structures, routines, rules and norms that guide and constrain behavior† (p, 1). IT infrastructure is the â€Å"equipment, systems software, and services used in common across an organization regardless of mission, or project†¦the foundation on which mission, program, or project specific systems and capabilities are built† (Leonard, 2009, p. 139). Part of that structure is defined by the way in which the culture of an organization is developed and how that has influenced the management of information. In creating an IT infrastructure, an organization must also construct a way in which to manage the knowledge of its use at the various levels that this specific knowledge must be shared and integrated into formal use. According to Khosrowpour (2004), â€Å"Communication between IT and business should be pervasive throughout the organization, informal, regularly occu rring, and use rich methods such as e-mail, video-conferencing, and face-to-face†(p. 442). The report goes on to relay the idea that an important awareness has been reached about the connection between the organizational culture and the IT infrastruc