| Abstract: | The dynamics of their external environment constantly forces organisations to adapt, although it would certainly be desirable for them to stay ahead of trends and, having managed to do so, implement effective strategies. Many organizations strive to meet this challenge. However, it seems that organizations become so focused on strategy that they sometimes overlook the importance of organizational culture. All the more so, as it is difficult to see its advantages when it cannot be, and is not, expressed with figures and indicators (as is possible for sales, production etc.). This dissertation is an attempt to diagnose the organizational culture of a financial institution operating on the domestic market - in terms of showing the differences between the reality and the expectations of employees. The main objective of the study was to determine the potential presence of a cultural gap and its likely impact on the functioning of the organisation. For this purpose, two theoretical models of organisational culture by F. Trompenaars and Ch. Hampden-Turner and K. Cameron and R. Quinn were translated into the research questions. The conducted research provided a lot of data concerning organisational culture of the studied financial institution, both in the qualitative and quantitative terms. The results of the study lead to several conlusions. Within organisations, there may exist cultural gaps between employees’s expectations of the organisational culture and the actual cultural reality. The differences may impact the organisation’s development and attempts at marginalising them may consequently translate into improvement in the organisation’s effectiveness. Despite its negative overtones, the cultural gap does provide an opportunity for an organisation to develop, given, of course, that appropriate management actions are taken. An important conclusion from the conducted research is also the fact that high level managers do not have sufficient knowledge about organizational cultures, which on the one hand may constitute an obstacle to efficient, competitive functioning of the organization on the market, an on the other may impact the image of the organization as an employer, with all the consequences of the fact. The results of the study not only contribute to the general output of sociological sciences - especially in terms of describing, interpreting and showing the expectations regarding various dimensions of organizational culture had by employees on various levels of the studied financial institution - but they also have the application aspect and can constitute a basis for organizational change. Therefore, the final results of the study are at the same time an attempt to formulate recommendations which may lead to a marginalization of the cultural gap. |