ABSTRACT
Edgar Schein suggests that organisational culture may be analysed at three levels where level refers to the degree of visibility of the phenomena in question. These levels, which range from very tangible, overt manifestations, to deeply embedded unconscious assumptions; Schein describes these as artefacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions. Artefacts, as described by Schein, consist of the phenomena which one sees, hears and feels when encountering a new group. They also include the visible behaviour of the group and the organisational processes by which such behaviour is made routine. Minimum staffing agreements were established for nursing and direct care and these were rigidly enforced by management and the union, irrespective of actual work demands within units. Allied Health positions were accorded the lowest priority. The Health Services Agreement established for the total Mayday Hills Hospital for the 1988/89 year represents the final point at which specific objectives were established for the Training Centre.
