Schema

Schemata (plural of schema) are knowledge structures a person forms from past experiences, allowing the person to respond to similar events more efficiently in the future by guiding the processing of information. A person's schemata are created through interaction with others, and thus inherently involve communication.


Stanley G. Harris argues that five categories of in-organization schemata are necessary for organizational culture:

Self-in-organization schemata: a person’s concept of themselves within the context of the organization, including her/his personality, roles, and behavior.

Person-in-organization schemata: a person’s memories, impressions. and expectations of other individuals within the organization.

Organization schemata: subset of person schemata, a person’s generalized perspective on others as a whole in the organization.

Object/concept-in-organization schemata: knowledge an individual has of organization aspects other than of other persons.

Event-in-organization schemata: a person’s knowledge of social events within an organization.

All of these categories together represent a person’s knowledge of an organization. Organizational culture is created when the schematas (schematic structures) of differing individuals across and within an organization come to resemble each other (when any one person's schemata come to resemble aby other person's schemata because of mutual organizational involvement). This is primarily done through organizational communication, as individuals directly or indirectly share knowledge and meanings.