Abstract
The presentation of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has led all organizations worldwide to rethink their strategies and even the products and services they offered, with the aim of surviving and overcoming the economic and social difficulties that guarantee their permanence in the market. The practices framed in the Sustainable Development Goals are more current than ever, given the need to respond to the demands imposed by healthcare, while humanity's battle against the virus is taking place. This chapter details the results found in a case study investigation in a Colombian organization of the textile sector that accesses the national and international market. Its objective was to determine the values of the culture that have guided the management of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to achieve economic and social sustainability. It was evident that values such as solidarity promoted by the founder and integrated into the organizational culture have directed the management of the company in times of pandemic, avoiding the dismissal of its workers.
TopThe Role Of Values In Organizational Culture
According to Schein (2009), values make up the component of culture that indicates what is considered important in the organization, they reflect what the company ideally wants to be and how it wants to present itself publicly. For this reason, values constitute behavioral guidelines for the members of an organization and their follow-up is required for a new member to be accepted into their work group (Ravasi and Schultz, 2006).
Shared values in the organization influence its business practices and decision-making (Rosenthal and Masarech, 2003). However, the values that are considered key do not change, although the strategy does (Rosenthal and Masarech, 2003). The founder of the organization has an important role in defining the key values and the executive level is in charge of disseminating them (Schein, 1983). Values can also be determined from the observation of failed or successful consequences of actions taken in the organization (Schein, 1983).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Respect: Treatment that allows the development of people in the social environment in which they are (PMI, 2006 AU41: The in-text citation "PMI, 2006" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). Tolerance to the customs and culture of the people (PMI, 2006 AU42: The in-text citation "PMI, 2006" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Sustainable Development: That growth capable of satisfying the needs and demands of the present generation without compromising the possibility that future generations will also satisfy their own needs in the short and long term (World Commission on Development and Environment, 1987 AU45: The in-text citation "Development and Environment, 1987" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Corporate Social Responsibility: The reflection of the way in which companies take into account the repercussions that their activities have on society, and in which they affirm the principles and values by which they are governed, both in their own internal methods and processes as in their relationship with other actors (International Labour Organization- ILO, 2006 ).
Sustainability: Adoption of business strategies and activities that meet the needs of the company and stakeholders today, while protecting, sustaining and enhancing the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future (Deloitte and Touche, 1992 AU43: The in-text citation "Deloitte and Touche, 1992" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ; cited by Silvius et al., 2014 AU44: The in-text citation "Silvius et al., 2014" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).