The George Washington Women in Business Organisation

Like every institution around the world, the George Washington University, has its own unique culture. The culture of the university defines the values and traditions that play an essential role in its institutions and how different stakeholder relate themselves to it. Indeed, various departments and faculties of the George Washington University (GWU) reflect its culture, among them also student organizations and clubs. This phenomenon can be demonstrated by the example of GW Women in Business (GWWIB) organization. As a subgroup within the GW university community it preserves the overall culture of the George Washington University, but also has it own goals, “artifacts and values, which may differ from the host’s institutional culture” (Kuh and Whitt, 1988, p. 27). One of the key goals of the GWWIB organization is to help young women to pursue their professional carriers by providing a network platform to its members with all the necessary recourses. Even though the GWWIB embeds the George Washington Universities’ culture it is organization, its main aim differs from the universities one helping female students to bridge the gap between academic and professional life.

The culture of the institution of GWU is influenced by a number of factors, but can not address all the interests of GWU students. For example, the GW university values a student-focused, dynamic community that is shaped by the culturally diverse environment of Washington D.C. (gwu.edu, 2016). However, as the university has so many different institutions it is not possible to address all needs of each student. These institutional voids are mostly filled by organizations founded and run by GW students. With a sufficient number of students who share the same problem that need to be solved, groups are formed. In other words, student subgroups reflect different “group responses to issues faced by […] students at the same institution” (Kuh and Whitt, 1988, p 86). Therefore, it is substantial to note that a problem is not a premise to establish an organization. Rather it can be a result of students’ needs and interest that are not addressed by the university’s institutions. Although GWU has study programs such as, the “Women Studies Program” or graduate courses like “Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership”, these are not sufficient enough to prepare young women for their future career. Beside these academic programs, the university offers a lot of job and internship fairs and has its own career service center, but it lacked in offering a unique (career) network only for female students. As a result, GWWIB was founded in summer 2006 by a small group of GWU female seniors who realized the need of an organization where interested women can spur their professional carriers (gwwib.org, 2016). Including GWU’s values and mission of fostering excellence in academic life and merging practical and theory by forming organizations, culture can be seen in this case as a “process and product”. Kuh and Whitt (1988) indicated in their book “The Invisible Tapestry” that culture is a product having “the network of meaning contained in its ideologies, norms and values” and a process where its forms are “communicated to members” (p. 15).

Thus the George Washington Women in Business organization plays an important role by filling the gap between academic and professional life of women. Its main goal is to bring all George Washington University undergraduate women together and provide a platform with recourses that are essential for a paramount career by focusing on “Carriers, Connections, and Community” (gwwib,org, 2016). In contrast to other organizations who have a very specific focus, George Washington Women in Business serve many different purposes. It is kind of a consolidated club, which focuses on career-perspectives and raises awareness about the organizations’ culture (Linsay, 2014, p. 66) Moreover, as noted by authors Kuh and Whitt (1988) within institutions at universities the language of men and women differs (p. 83). As a result, having an organization primarily for women will help to create a more relaxed atmosphere learning from each other and growing personally and professionally. Women who decide joining this organization demonstrate the ability to determine about their education and future carrier life. Furthermore, with the help of the organization, GWWIB members can benefit from the GWU institutional culture and combine it with the expertise of the organization to foster excellence in academic and professional life. Thus the organization is an important tool and possibility to meet new people, build relationships outside the classroom and to engage with people from the business world. As mentioned previously culture comprises product and process. The values and goals hold by the members of GWWIB can be seen as a process of understanding the organization culture. The outcome of this process is transmitted by its events, networking and community which results as a product of its own organization.

Essentially, the George Washington Women in Business organization reflects the GWU’s mission and values by aiming superiority in academic life, while also bridging theory learned at the university with professional life by networking. Although the George Washington University has a variety of different majors, events and programs which are coherent with their values, there are still subgroups who needs or interests are not addressed within the institution. This institutional void is filled by the GWWIB organization. By joining the organization, it offers not only its members great after graduations opportunities, but also offers young women more career opportunities and prepares them for competitive business world where they have to not only prove themselves their female colleagues but also to their male competitor.