{"id":1564,"date":"2025-05-20T19:50:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T19:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=1564"},"modified":"2025-07-16T22:17:02","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T22:17:02","slug":"understanding-organizational-culture","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/chapter\/understanding-organizational-culture\/","title":{"raw":"What is Organizational Culture?","rendered":"What is Organizational Culture?"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nBy the end of this section, you should be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Define organizational culture.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Understand why organizational culture is essential.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Understand the different levels of organizational culture.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Understand different dimensions of organizational culture.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Understand the role of cultural strength.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Explore subcultures within organizations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nNow that you\u2019ve explored intercultural communication and how it shapes our interactions across cultural boundaries, let\u2019s focus on organizational culture, the shared values, norms, and practices that shape how communication flows within a workplace.\r\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"135\" data-end=\"527\">You can usually feel it when you walk into a collaborative, casual, formal, or fast-paced workplace. That\u2019s culture. Organizational culture is the invisible force that influences how people behave, communicate, and make decisions on the job. It\u2019s not just about office vibes or mission statements; it\u2019s about shared values, norms, and unwritten rules that shape daily life. In this section, you\u2019ll explore what culture means in an organizational context. You\u2019ll learn about its different layers, the key dimensions that define it, and what happens when a culture is strong or starts to fracture. We\u2019ll also examine subcultures and why different departments in the same company can operate almost like separate worlds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Organizational Culture<\/h2>\r\n<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2188\"]Organizational culture[\/pb_glossary] <\/a><\/span><\/strong>is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs showing employees appropriate and inappropriate behavior (Chatman &amp; Eunyoung, 2003; Kerr &amp; Slocum Jr., 2005). These values have a significant impact on both employee behavior and organizational performance.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><em>Organizational<\/em><\/span><em>\u00a0culture<\/em>\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">gained popularity in the 1980s, when Peters and Waterman\u2019s best-selling book,\u00a0<em>In Search of Excellence,<\/em><\/span>\u00a0argued<\/span> that company success could be attributed to a decisive, customer-oriented, empowering, and people-oriented organizational culture.<\/span> Since then, organizational culture has become the subject of numerous research studies, books, and articles. However, organizational culture is still a relatively new concept. In contrast to a topic such as leadership, which has a history spanning several centuries, organizational culture is a relatively young yet rapidly growing area within organizational behavior.\r\n\r\nCulture is, for the most part, invisible to individuals. Although it affects all employee behaviors, thinking, and behavioral patterns, individuals tend to become more aware of their organization\u2019s culture when compared to that of other organizations. If you have worked in multiple organizations, you can attest to this. Maybe the first organization you worked for was where employees dressed formally. It was utterly inappropriate to question your boss in a meeting; such behavior would only be acceptable in private. It was essential to check your e-mail at night and during weekends, or else you would face questions on Monday about where you were and whether you were sick. Contrast this company to a second organization where employees dress more casually. You are encouraged to raise issues and question your boss or peers, even in front of clients.\r\n\r\nWhat is more important is not to maintain impressions but to arrive at the best solution to any problem. It is widely acknowledged that family life is crucial, so it is acceptable to leave work a bit early to attend a family event. Additionally, you are not expected to work at night or over the weekends unless there is a deadline. These two hypothetical organizations illustrate that organizations have different cultures, and culture dictates what is right, acceptable behavior, and what is wrong and unacceptable.\r\n<div id=\"section_2\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Why Does Organizational Culture Matter?<\/h2>\r\nAn organization\u2019s culture may be one of its strongest assets and most significant liabilities. It has been argued that organizations with a rare and hard-to-imitate organizational culture benefit from it as a competitive advantage (Barney, 1986). In a management consulting firm, Bain &amp; Company, a 2007 survey revealed that worldwide business leaders identified corporate culture as an essential corporate strategy for business success (Why culture can mean life or death, 2007). This is no surprise to many leaders of successful businesses, who quickly attribute their company\u2019s success to their organization\u2019s culture. <em class=\"emphasis\">Culture, or shared values<\/em>, may be related to increased performance. Researchers have found a relationship between organizational culture and company performance, specifically in terms of success indicators such as revenue, sales volume, market share, and stock prices (Kotter &amp; Heskett, 1992; Marcoulides &amp; Heck, 1993). At the same time, it is essential to have a culture that fits with the demands of the company\u2019s environment. To the extent that shared values are appropriate for the company in question, company performance may benefit from a culture (Arogyaswamy &amp; Byles, 1987).\r\n\r\nFor example, if a company is in the high-tech industry, having a culture that encourages innovativeness and adaptability will support its performance. However, suppose a company in the same industry has a culture characterized by stability, a high respect for tradition, and a strong preference for upholding rules and procedures. In that case, the company may suffer due to its culture. In other words, just as having the \u201cright\u201d culture may be a competitive advantage for an organization, having the \u201cwrong\u201d culture may lead to performance difficulties, be responsible for organizational failure, and act as a barrier preventing the company from changing and taking risks.\r\n\r\nIn addition to impacting organizational performance, <em class=\"emphasis\">organizational culture serves as an effective control mechanism for shaping employee behavior<\/em>. Culture is more potent in controlling and managing employee behaviors than organizational rules and regulations. When problems are unique, rules tend to be less helpful. Instead, creating a customer service culture achieves the same result by encouraging employees to think like customers, knowing that the company's priorities in this case are clear: Keeping the customer happy is preferable to other concerns, such as saving the cost of a refund.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_3\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Levels of Organizational Culture<\/h2>\r\nOrganizational culture encompasses both aspects that are relatively more visible and those that may lie below one\u2019s conscious awareness. It can be viewed as comprising three interrelated levels (Schein, 1992).\r\n<figure>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"540\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19627\/6d47ef8331967f40fd140badabc451a0.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"The three levels, artifacts, values, and assumptions. \" width=\"540\" height=\"391\" \/> Figure 4.2.1 Organizational culture consists of three levels. Source: Adapted from Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\nAt the deepest level, below our awareness lie basic\u00a0assumptions. <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2191\"]Assumptions[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> are taken for granted and reflect beliefs about human nature and reality. At the second level, values exist. <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2190\"]Values[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> are shared principles, standards, and goals. Finally, at the surface, we have\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2193\"]artifacts[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span>,<\/strong> or visible, tangible aspects of organizational culture. For example, one of the basic assumptions employees and managers share in an organization might be that happy employees benefit their organizations. This assumption could translate into values such as social equality, high-quality relationships, and having fun. The artifacts reflecting such values might include an executive \u201copen door\u201d policy. This office layout features open spaces and gathering areas equipped with pool tables, and the company frequently holds picnics in the workplace.\r\n\r\nFor example, Alcoa Inc. designed its headquarters to reflect the values of making people more visible and accessible, and to promote collaboration (Stegmeier, 2008). In other words, understanding the organization\u2019s culture may begin by observing its artifacts, including the physical environment, employee interactions, company policies, reward systems, and other observable characteristics. When interviewing for a position, observing the physical environment, how people dress, where they relax, and how they talk to others is a good start to understanding the company\u2019s culture. However, simply examining these tangible aspects is unlikely to provide a comprehensive picture of the organization. A significant portion of what constitutes culture exists beyond one\u2019s level of awareness. At a deeper level, the values and assumptions that shape the organization\u2019s culture can be uncovered by observing how employees interact and their choices, as well as inquiring about their beliefs and perceptions regarding proper and appropriate behavior.\r\n<div id=\"section_1\" class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Dimensions of Culture<\/h2>\r\nWhich values characterize an organization\u2019s culture? Although culture may not be immediately observable, identifying a set of values that can be used to describe an organization\u2019s culture helps us identify, measure, and manage culture more effectively. For this purpose, several researchers have proposed various culture typologies. One typology that has received <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">considerable research attention is the\u00a0<em>Organizational Culture Profile<\/em> (OCP), which represents culture through<\/span>\u00a0seven distinct values (Chatman &amp; Jehn, 1991; O\u2019Reilly, Chatman, &amp; Caldwell, 1991). We will describe the OCP and two additional dimensions of organizational culture that are not represented in that framework but are critical to consider: service culture and safety culture.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div id=\"section_1\" class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n<figure>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"496\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19628\/e0d315fed5fb776d1b37ef84be9678cb.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Diagram of Organizational Culture: Innovatie, Aggressive, Outcome-Oriented, Stable, People-Oriented, Team-Oriented, Detial-Oriented. \" width=\"496\" height=\"489\" \/> Figure 4.2.2 Dimensions of Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) Source: Adapted from information in O\u2019Reilly, C. A., III, Chatman, J. A., &amp; Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 487\u2013516.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\n<h2>Innovative Cultures<\/h2>\r\nAccording to the OCP framework, companies with innovative cultures are flexible and adaptable and experiment with new ideas. These companies are characterized by a flat hierarchy in which titles and other status distinctions tend to be downplayed. For example, W. L. Gore &amp; Associates Inc. is a company with innovative products such as GORE-TEX\u00ae (the breathable fabric that is windproof and waterproof), Glide dental floss, and Elixir guitar strings, earning the company the distinction of being elected as the most innovative company in the United States by <em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em> magazine in 2004. W. L. Gore consistently innovates and captures a significant market share in various industries, primarily due to its unique culture. In this company, employees do not typically have bosses, and risk-taking is encouraged by celebrating both failures and successes (Deutschman, 2004). Companies such as W. L. Gore, Genentech Inc., and Google encourage their employees to take risks by allowing engineers to devote 20% of their time to projects (Deutschman, 2004; Morris, Burke, &amp; Neering, 2006).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_3\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Aggressive Cultures<\/h2>\r\n<figure>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"250\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19629\/48ad58d870eb7164f917222814c3ccdf.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Headshot of Bill Gates \" width=\"250\" height=\"264\" \/> Figure 4.2.3 Microsoft, the company Bill Gates co-founded, has been described as having an aggressive culture. Wikimedia Commons\u2014public domain.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\nCompanies with\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2194\"]aggressive cultures[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span><\/strong> value competitiveness and outperforming competitors: By emphasizing this, they may fall short in corporate social responsibility. For example, Microsoft Corporation is often identified as a company with an aggressive culture. Over the years, the company has faced several antitrust lawsuits and disputes with competitors. In aggressive companies, people may use language such as \u201cWe will kill our competition.\u201d In the past, Microsoft executives often made statements such as \u201cWe are going to cut off Netscape\u2019s air supply.\u2026 Everything they are selling, we are going to give away.\u201d Its aggressive culture is cited as a reason for getting into new legal troubles before they are resolved (Greene, Reinhardt, &amp; Lowry, 2004; Schlender, 1998). Microsoft founder Bill Gates went on to establish the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, devoting his time to reducing poverty worldwide (Schlender, 2007). Has he brought the same competitive approach to philanthropy?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_4\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Outcome-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\r\nThe OCP framework describes <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2209\"]outcome-oriented cultures[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> as emphasizing achievement, results, and action as essential values. A good example of an outcome-oriented culture is Best Buy Co., Inc., which has a culture that emphasizes sales performance. Best Buy tallies revenues and other relevant figures daily by department. Employees are trained and mentored to effectively sell company products and learn how much money their department generates daily (Copeland, 2004). In 2005, the company introduced a results-oriented work environment (ROWE) program, which enables employees to work from anywhere and at any time. They are evaluated based on their results and the fulfillment of clearly outlined objectives (Thompson, 2005). Outcome-oriented cultures hold employees and managers accountable for success and utilize systems that reward employee and group output. In these companies, it is more common to see rewards tied to performance indicators than seniority or loyalty. Research indicates that organizations with a performance-oriented culture tend to outperform companies lacking such a culture (Nohria, Joyce, &amp; Roberson, 2003). At the same time, some outcome-oriented companies may have such a high drive for outcomes and measurable performance objectives that they may suffer negative consequences as a result. Companies that overreward employee performance, such as Enron Corporation and WorldCom, have experienced well-publicized business and ethical failures. When performance pressures lead to a culture where unethical behaviors become the norm, individuals perceive their peers as rivals, and short-term results are prioritized; the resulting unhealthy work environment becomes a liability (Probst &amp; Raisch, 2005).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_5\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Stable Cultures<\/h2>\r\n<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2196\"]Stable cultures[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span><\/strong> are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic. These organizations aim to coordinate and align individual efforts for the most significant levels of efficiency. When the environment is stable and confident, these cultures may help the organization be effective by providing stable and constant output levels (Westrum, 2004). These cultures prevent quick action, which may be a misfit to a changing and dynamic environment. Public sector institutions may be viewed as stable cultures. In the private sector, Kraft Foods Inc. is an example of a company with centralized decision-making and a rule-oriented culture that suffered due to a culture-environment mismatch (Thompson, 2006). Its bureaucratic culture is blamed for killing good ideas in the early stages and preventing the company from innovating. When the company initiated a change program to enhance the agility of its culture, one of its first actions was to combat bureaucracy with more bureaucracy: it created the new position of VP of Business Process Simplification, which was later eliminated (Boyle, 2004; Thompson, 2005, 2006).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_6\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">People-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\r\n<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2197\"]People-oriented cultures[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span><\/strong> value fairness, supportiveness, and respect for individual rights. These organizations truly live by the mantra \u201cpeople are their greatest asset.\u201d In addition to having fair procedures and management styles, these companies create an atmosphere where work is enjoyable and employees do not feel compelled to choose between their work and other aspects of their lives. In these organizations, there is a greater emphasis on and expectation of treating people with respect and dignity (Erdogan, Liden, &amp; Kraimer, 2006). One study of new accounting company employees found that, on average, employees stayed 14 months longer in companies with people-oriented cultures (Sheridan, 1992). Starbucks Corporation is an example of a people-oriented culture. The company pays employees above minimum wage, offers health care and tuition reimbursement benefits to its part-time and full-time employees, and has creative perks such as weekly free coffee for all associates. As a result of these policies, the company benefits from a turnover rate lower than the industry average (Weber, 2005; Motivation Secrets, 2003). <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Fortune magazine routinely ranks the company as one of the best workplaces<\/span>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_7\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Team-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\r\nCompanies with\u00a0<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2198\"]team-oriented cultures[\/pb_glossary] <\/strong>are collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees. For example, Southwest Airlines Company fosters a team-oriented culture by cross-training its employees, enabling them to assist one another when needed. The company also emphasizes training intact work teams (Bolino &amp; Turnley, 2003). Employees participate in twice-daily meetings called \u201cmorning overview meetings\u201d (MOM) and daily afternoon discussions (DAD), where they collaborate to understand the sources of problems and determine future courses of action. In Southwest\u2019s selection system, applicants not viewed as team players are not hired as employees (Miles &amp; Mangold, 2005).In team-oriented organizations, members have more positive relationships with their coworkers, particularly with their managers (Erdogan, Liden, &amp; Kraimer, 2006).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_8\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Detail-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\r\nOrganizations with\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2199\"]detail-oriented cultures[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span><\/strong> are characterized in the OCP framework as emphasizing precision and attention to detail. Such a culture provides a competitive advantage to companies in the hospitality industry by enabling them to differentiate themselves from others. For example, Four Seasons Hotels Ltd. and The Ritz-Carlton Company LLC are among hotels that keep records of all customer requests, such as which newspaper the guest prefers or the type of pillow they use. This information is put into a computer system to provide better service to returning customers. Any requests that hotel employees receive and overhear may be entered into the database to serve customers better. Recent guests to Four Seasons Paris who were celebrating their 21st anniversary were greeted with a bouquet of 21 roses on their bed. Such evident attention to detail is an effective way to impress customers and ensure repeat visits. McDonald\u2019s Corporation is another company that specifies in detail how employees should perform their jobs by including photos of exactly how French fries and hamburgers should look when appropriately prepared (Fitch, 2004; Ford &amp; Heaton, 2001; Kolesnikov-Jessop, 2005; Markels, 2007).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_9\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Service Culture<\/h2>\r\n<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2200\"]Service culture[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span><\/strong> is not one of the dimensions of OCP, but given the importance of the retail industry in the overall economy, having a service culture can make or break an organization. Some organizations we have illustrated in this section, such as Nordstrom, Southwest Airlines, Ritz-Carlton, and Four Seasons, are also famous for their service culture. In these organizations, employees are trained to serve the customer well; cross-training is the norm. Employees are empowered to resolve customer issues in a manner they deem appropriate. Because employees with direct customer contact are in the best position to resolve any problems, employee empowerment is truly valued in these companies. For example, Umpqua Bank, operating in the northwestern United States, is known for its service culture. All employees are trained in all tasks, enabling them to assist customers when needed. Branch employees may develop unique ways to serve customers better, such as opening their lobby for community events or keeping bowls full of water for customers\u2019 pets. The branches feature coffee for customers, Internet kiosks, and a service where withdrawn funds are given on a tray along with a piece of chocolate. They also reward employee service performance through bonuses and incentives (Conley, 2005; Kuehner-Herbert, 2003).\r\n\r\nWhat differentiates companies with a service culture from those without such a culture may be their proactive approach to solving customer-related problems. In other words, in these cultures, employees are engaged in their jobs and personally invested in improving customer experience. They identify issues and devise solutions without being explicitly instructed on what to do. For example, a British Airways baggage handler noticed that first-class passengers were waiting longer for their baggage, whereas standby passengers often received their luggage first. Noticing this tendency, a baggage handler notified his superiors about the problem, along with a suggestion to load first-class passenger luggage last (Ford &amp; Heaton, 2001). This solution was successful in cutting down the wait time by half. Such proactive behavior by employees who share company values will likely emerge frequently in companies with a service culture.\r\n<figure>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"548\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19632\/1a757020ed73d091befc53674ad657b4.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Chart displaying Southwest Airlines Passenger Growth between 1970 and 2010.\" width=\"548\" height=\"227\" \/> Figure 4.2.4 The number of passengers flying with Southwest Airlines grew from 1973 to 2007. In 2007, Southwest surpassed American Airlines as the most flown domestic airline. While price has played a role in this, their emphasis on service has been a key piece of their culture and competitive advantage\u2014source: Adapted from <a href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/Wikipedia\/commons\/6\/69\/Southwest-airlines-passengers.jpg.\">http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/Wikipedia\/commons\/6\/69\/Southwest-airlines-passengers.jpg.<\/a>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_10\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Safety Culture<\/h2>\r\nSome jobs are safety-sensitive. For example, logger, aircraft pilot, fishing worker, steel worker, and roofer are among the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the United States (Christie, 2005). Creating and maintaining a <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2201\"]safety culture[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> provides a competitive advantage in organizations performing safety-sensitive jobs. The organization can reduce accidents, maintain high morale and employee retention, and increase profitability by cutting workers\u2019 compensation insurance costs. Some companies suffer severe consequences when they cannot develop such a culture. For example, British Petroleum experienced an explosion in their Texas City, Texas, refinery in 2005, which led to the death of 15 workers while injuring 170. In December 2007, the company announced that it had already depleted the $ 1.6 billion fund allocated for claims related to this explosion (Tennissen, 2007). A safety review panel concluded that developing a safety culture was essential to avoid such occurrences in the future (Hofmann, 2007). In companies with a strong safety culture, there is a clear commitment to safety that begins at the management level and extends to lower levels. M. B. Herzog Electric Inc. of California, selected as one of America\u2019s safest companies by <em class=\"emphasis\">Occupational Hazards<\/em> magazine in 2007, has maintained a zero accident rate for the past three years. The company utilizes safety training programs tailored to specific job roles, and all employees are encouraged to identify and report any safety hazards they encounter while performing their duties. They are also asked to be an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspector for a day to become more aware of the hidden dangers in the workplace. Managers play a crucial role in promoting safe behaviors in the workplace, as they can motivate employees daily to exhibit safe behaviors and serve as safety role models. A recent study has shown that in organizations with a safety culture, leaders encourage employees to exhibit behaviors such as volunteering for safety committees, making recommendations to increase safety, protecting coworkers from hazards, whistleblowing, and in general trying to make their jobs safer (Hofman, Morgeson, &amp; Gerras, 2003; Smith, 2007).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_11\" class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Strength of Culture<\/h2>\r\nA\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\">[pb_glossary id=\"2202\"]strong culture[\/pb_glossary]<\/a><\/span> <\/strong>is shared by organizational members (Arogyaswamy &amp; Byles, 1987; Chatman &amp; Eunyoung, 2003). In other words, if most employees in the organization share a consensus regarding the company's values, it is possible to discuss the existence of a strong culture. A culture\u2019s content is more likely to affect how employees think and behave when the culture is strong. For example, cultural values that emphasize customer service will lead to higher-quality customer service if there is widespread agreement among employees on the importance of customer service-related values (Schneider, Salvaggio, &amp; Subirats, 2002).\r\n<figure>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"250\"]<img class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19634\/491a3f080ab246a1d51db3c29b6881e3.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Headshot of Walt Disney.\" width=\"250\" height=\"254\" \/> Figure 4.2.5 Walt Disney created a strong culture at his company, which has evolved since its founding in 1923.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Walt_disney_portrait.jpg\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a>\u2014public domain.[\/caption]<\/figure>\r\nIt is essential to recognize that a strong culture can act as either an asset or a liability for the organization, depending on the shared values. For example, imagine a company with a strongly outcome-oriented culture. If this value system matches the organizational environment, the company outperforms its competitors. On the other hand, a strong outcome-oriented culture coupled with unethical behaviors and an obsession with quantitative performance indicators may be detrimental to an organization\u2019s effectiveness. An extreme example of this dysfunctional type of strong culture is Enron. A strong culture may sometimes outperform a weak culture due to the consistency of its expectations. In a strong culture, members are aware of what is expected of them, and the culture effectively guides their behaviors. Research shows that strong cultures lead to more stable corporate performance in stable environments. However, in volatile environments, the advantages of cultural strength disappear (Sorensen 2002). One limitation of a strong culture is the difficulty of changing it.\r\n\r\nSuppose an organization with widely shared beliefs adopts a different set of values. In that case, unlearning the old and new values will be challenging because employees will need to adopt new ways of thinking, behaving, and responding to critical events. For example, the Home Depot Inc. had a decentralized, autonomous culture where many business decisions were made using \u201cgut feeling\u201d while ignoring the available data. When Robert Nardelli became CEO of the company in 2000, he decided to change its culture, starting with centralizing many of the decisions that were previously left to individual stores. This initiative encountered substantial resistance, and many high-level employees departed during his first year. Despite getting financial results such as doubling the company's sales, many of his changes were criticized. He left the company in January 2007 (Charan, 2006; Herman &amp; Wernle, 2007).\r\n\r\nA strong culture may also be a liability during a merger. During mergers and acquisitions, companies inevitably experience a clash of civilizations, as well as a clash of structures and operating systems. Cultural clashes become more problematic when both parties have distinct and robust cultures. For example, during the merger of Daimler AG with Chrysler Motors LLC to create DaimlerChrysler AG, the differing strong cultures of each company acted as a barrier to effective integration. Daimler had a strong engineering culture that was more hierarchical and emphasized the routine working of long hours. Daimler employees were accustomed to being part of an elite organization, as evidenced by their first-class travel on all business trips.\r\n\r\nOn the other hand, Chrysler had a sales culture where employees and managers were used to autonomy, working shorter hours, and adhering to budget limits, which meant only the elite flew first class. The different ways of thinking and behaving of these two companies introduced several unanticipated problems during the integration process (Badrtalei &amp; Bates, 2007; Bower, 2001). Differences in culture may be part of the reason that, in the end, the merger didn\u2019t work out.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"section_12\" class=\"mt-section\">\r\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Do Organizations Have a Single Culture?<\/h2>\r\nSo far, we have assumed that a company shares a single culture. However, you may have realized that this is an oversimplification. In reality, there might be multiple cultures within any given organization. For example, individuals working on the sales floor may experience a different culture from those working in the warehouse. A culture that emerges within various departments, branches, or geographic locations is called a <strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2221\"]subculture[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>. Subcultures may arise from the personal characteristics of employees and managers, as well as the other conditions under which work is performed. Within the same organization, marketing and manufacturing departments often have different cultures so that the marketing department may emphasize innovativeness.\r\n\r\nIn contrast, the manufacturing department may have a shared emphasis on detail orientation. In an interesting study, researchers uncovered five subcultures within a police organization. These subcultures differed depending on the level of danger involved and the type of background experience the individuals held, including \u201ccrime-fighting street professionals\u201d who did what their job required without rigidly following protocol and \u201canti-military social workers\u201d who felt that most problems could be resolved by talking to the parties involved (Jermier et al., 1991). Research has shown that employee perceptions regarding subcultures were related to employee commitment to the organization (Lok, Westwood, &amp; Crawford, 2005). Therefore, in addition to understanding the broader organization\u2019s values, managers must also try to understand the subculture's values to see their impact on workforce behavior and attitudes. Moreover, as an employee, you need to understand the type of subculture in the department where you will work and the company\u2019s overall culture.\r\n\r\nSometimes, a subculture may take the form of a\u00a0<strong>[pb_glossary id=\"2222\"]counterculture[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>. Defined as shared values and beliefs that directly oppose the values of the broader organizational culture (Kerr &amp; Slocum, 2005), countercultures are often shaped around a charismatic leader. For example, within a vastly bureaucratic organization, an enclave of innovativeness and risk-taking may emerge within a single department. The organization may tolerate a counterculture if it yields results and contributes positively to its overall effectiveness. However, its existence may be perceived as a threat to the broader organizational culture. In some cases, this may lead to actions that would undermine the managers' autonomy and erode the counterculture.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercises<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>Why do companies need culture?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Give an example of a strength and a weakness of a company culture.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>In what ways does culture serve as a controlling mechanism?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>If assumptions are below the surface, why do they matter?<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Share examples of artifacts you have noticed at different organizations.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Organizational culture is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that help individuals understand which behaviors are and are not appropriate within an organization.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Cultures can be a source of competitive advantage for organizations<em>.<\/em> Strong organizational cultures can be an organizing and controlling mechanism.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>And finally, organizational culture consists of three levels: assumptions, which are below the surface, values, and artifacts.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Culture can be understood in terms of seven dimensions, depending on what is most emphasized within the organization. For example, innovative cultures are flexible and adaptable and experiment with new ideas, while stable cultures are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Strong cultures can be an asset or a liability for an organization, but they can be challenging to change. Organizations may have subcultures and countercultures, which can be challenging to manage.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nArogyaswamy, B., &amp; Byles, C. H. (1987). Organizational culture: Internal and external fits.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Journal of Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">13<\/em>, 647\u2013658.\r\n\r\nBadrtalei, J., &amp; Bates, D. L. (2007). Effect of organizational cultures on mergers and acquisitions: The case of DaimlerChrysler.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">International Journal of Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">24<\/em>, 303\u2013317.\r\n\r\nBarney, J. B. (1986). Organizational culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">11<\/em>, 656\u2013665.\r\n\r\nBolino, M. C., &amp; Turnley, W. H. (2003). Going the extra mile: Cultivating and managing employee citizenship behavior.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Executive<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">17<\/em>, 60\u201371.\r\n\r\nBower, J. L. (2001). Not all M&amp;As are alike\u2014and that matters.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">79<\/em>, 92\u2013101.\r\n\r\nBoyle, M. (2004, November 15). Kraft\u2019s arrested development.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">150<\/em>, 144.\r\n\r\nCharan, R. (2006, April). Home Depot\u2019s blueprint for culture change.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 60\u201370.\r\n\r\nChatman, J. A., &amp; Eunyoung Cha, S. (2003). Leading by leveraging culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">California Management Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">45<\/em>, 19\u201334.\r\n\r\nChatman, J. A., &amp; Jehn, K. A. (1991). Assessing the relationship between industry characteristics and organizational culture: How different can you be?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">37<\/em>, 522\u2013553.\r\n\r\nChristie, L. (2005). America\u2019s most dangerous jobs. Survey: Loggers and fisherman still take the most risk; roofers record sharp increase in fatalities. CNN\/Money. Retrieved from\u00a0<a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2005\/08\/26\/pf\/jobs_jeopardy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener nofollow\">http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2005\/08\/26\/pf\/jobs_jeopardy\/<\/a>.\r\n\r\nConley, L. (2005, April). Cultural phenomenon.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">93<\/em>, 76\u201377.\r\n\r\nCopeland, M. V. (2004, July). Best Buy\u2019s selling machine.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business 2.0<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">5<\/em>, 92\u2013102.\r\n\r\nDeutschman, A. (2004, December). The fabric of creativity.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">89<\/em>, 54\u201362.\r\n\r\nErdogan, B., Liden, R. C., &amp; Kraimer, M. L. (2006). Justice and leader-member exchange: The moderating role of organizational culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">49<\/em>, 395\u2013406.\r\n\r\nFitch, S. (2004, May 10). Soft pillows and sharp elbows.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Forbes<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">173<\/em>, 66\u201378.\r\n\r\nFord, R. C., &amp; Heaton, C. P. (2001). Lessons from hospitality that can serve anyone.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational Dynamics<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">30<\/em>, 30\u201347.\r\n\r\nGreene, J., Reinhardt, A., &amp; Lowry, T. (2004, May 31). Teaching Microsoft to make nice?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Week<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">3885<\/em>, 80\u201381.\r\n\r\nHerman, J., &amp; Wernle, B. (2007, August 13). The book on Bob Nardelli: Driven, demanding.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Automotive News<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">81<\/em>, 42.\r\n\r\nHofmann, M. A. (2007, January 22). BP slammed for poor leadership on safety.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Insurance<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">41<\/em>, 3\u201326.\r\n\r\nHofmann, D. A., Morgeson, F. P., &amp; Gerras, S. J. (2003). Climate as a moderator of the relationship between leader-member exchange and content specific citizenship: Safety climate as an exemplar.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Journal of Applied Psychology<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">88<\/em>, 170\u2013178.\r\n\r\nJermier, J. M., Slocum, J. W., Jr., Fry, L. W., &amp; Gaines, J. (1991, May). Organizational subcultures in a soft bureaucracy: Resistance behind the myth and facade of an official culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organization Science<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">2<\/em>, 170\u2013194.\r\n\r\nKerr, J., &amp; Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2005). Managing corporate culture through reward systems.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Executive<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">19<\/em>, 130\u2013138.\r\n\r\nKolesnikov-Jessop, S. (2005, November). Four Seasons Singapore: Tops in Asia.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Institutional Investor<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">39<\/em>, 103\u2013104.\r\n\r\nKotter, J. P., &amp; Heskett, J. L. (1992).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Corporate culture and performance<\/em>. New York: Free Press.\r\n\r\nKuehner-Herbert, K. (2003, June 20). Unorthodox branch style gets more so at Umpqua.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">American Banker<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">168<\/em>, 5.\r\n\r\nLok, P., Westwood, R., &amp; Crawford, J. (2005). Perceptions of organisational subculture and their significance for organisational commitment.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Applied Psychology: An International Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">54<\/em>, 490\u2013514.\r\n\r\nMarcoulides, G. A., &amp; Heck, R. H. (1993, May). Organizational culture and performance: Proposing and testing a model.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational Science<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">4<\/em>, 209\u2013225.\r\n\r\nMarkels, A. (2007, April 23). Dishing it out in style.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">142<\/em>, 52\u201355.\r\n\r\nMiles, S. J., &amp; Mangold, G. (2005). Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Horizons<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">48<\/em>, 535\u2013545.\r\n\r\nMorris, B., Burke, D., &amp; Neering, P. (2006, January 23). The best place to work now.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">153<\/em>, 78\u201386.\r\n\r\nMotivation secrets of the 100 best employers. (2003, October).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">HR Focus<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">80<\/em>, 1\u201315.\r\n\r\nNohria, N., Joyce, W., &amp; Roberson, B. (2003, July). What really works.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">81<\/em>, 42\u201352.\r\n\r\nO\u2019Reilly, C. A., III, Chatman, J. A., &amp; Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">34<\/em>, 487\u2013516.\r\n\r\nProbst, G., &amp; Raisch, S. (2005). Organizational crisis: The logic of failure.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Executive<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">19<\/em>, 90\u2013105.\r\n\r\nSchlender, B. (1998, June 22). Gates\u2019 crusade.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">137<\/em>, 30\u201332.\r\n\r\nSchlender, B. (2007, December 10). Bill Gates.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">156<\/em>, 54.\r\n\r\nSchneider, B., Salvaggio, A., &amp; Subirats, M. (2002). Climate strength: A new direction for climate research.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Journal of Applied Psychology<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">87<\/em>, 220\u2013229.\r\n\r\nSheridan, J. (1992). Organizational culture and employee retention.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">35<\/em>, 1036\u20131056.\r\n\r\nSmith, S. (2007, November). Safety is electric at M. B. Herzog.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Occupational Hazards<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">69<\/em>, 42.\r\n\r\nSorensen, J. B. (2002). The strength of corporate culture and the reliability of firm performance.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Administrative Science Quarterly<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">47<\/em>, 70\u201391.\r\n\r\nSchein, E. H. (1992).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational culture and leadership<\/em>. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.\r\n\r\nStegmeier, D. (2008).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Innovations in office design: The critical influence approach to effective work environments<\/em>. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.\r\n\r\nTennissen, M. (2007, December 19). Second BP trial ends early with settlement.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Southeast Texas Record<\/em>.\r\n\r\nThompson, J. (2005, September). The time we waste.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Management Today<\/em>, pp. 44\u201347.\r\n\r\nThompson, S. (2006, September 18). Kraft CEO slams company, trims marketing staff.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Advertising Age<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">76<\/em>, 3\u201362.\r\n\r\nWeber, G. (2005, February). Preserving the counter culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Workforce Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 28\u201334.\r\n\r\nWestrum, R. (2004, August). Increasing the number of guards at nuclear power plants.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Risk Analysis: An International Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">24<\/em>, 959\u2013961.\r\n\r\nWhy culture can mean life or death for your organization. (2007, September).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">HR Focus<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 9.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Attributions<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\nThis page titled\u00a0<a class=\"internal mt-self-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Management\/Organizational_Behavior\/15%3A_Organizational_Culture\/15.2%3A_Understanding_Organizational_Culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"internal noopener\">15.2: Understanding Organizational Culture<\/a>\u00a0is shared under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CC BY-NC-SA 3.0<\/a>\u00a0license and was authored, remixed, and\/or curated by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Management\/Organizational_Behavior\/15%3A_Organizational_Culture\/15.2%3A_Understanding_Organizational_Culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Anonymous<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>By the end of this section, you should be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Define organizational culture.<\/li>\n<li>Understand why organizational culture is essential.<\/li>\n<li>Understand the different levels of organizational culture.<\/li>\n<li>Understand different dimensions of organizational culture.<\/li>\n<li>Understand the role of cultural strength.<\/li>\n<li>Explore subcultures within organizations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve explored intercultural communication and how it shapes our interactions across cultural boundaries, let\u2019s focus on organizational culture, the shared values, norms, and practices that shape how communication flows within a workplace.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"135\" data-end=\"527\">You can usually feel it when you walk into a collaborative, casual, formal, or fast-paced workplace. That\u2019s culture. Organizational culture is the invisible force that influences how people behave, communicate, and make decisions on the job. It\u2019s not just about office vibes or mission statements; it\u2019s about shared values, norms, and unwritten rules that shape daily life. In this section, you\u2019ll explore what culture means in an organizational context. You\u2019ll learn about its different layers, the key dimensions that define it, and what happens when a culture is strong or starts to fracture. We\u2019ll also examine subcultures and why different departments in the same company can operate almost like separate worlds.<\/p>\n<h2>Organizational Culture<\/h2>\n<p><strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2188\">Organizational culture<\/a> <\/a><\/span><\/strong>is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs showing employees appropriate and inappropriate behavior (Chatman &amp; Eunyoung, 2003; Kerr &amp; Slocum Jr., 2005). These values have a significant impact on both employee behavior and organizational performance.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><em>Organizational<\/em><\/span><em>\u00a0culture<\/em>\u00a0<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"><span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">gained popularity in the 1980s, when Peters and Waterman\u2019s best-selling book,\u00a0<em>In Search of Excellence,<\/em><\/span>\u00a0argued<\/span> that company success could be attributed to a decisive, customer-oriented, empowering, and people-oriented organizational culture.<\/span> Since then, organizational culture has become the subject of numerous research studies, books, and articles. However, organizational culture is still a relatively new concept. In contrast to a topic such as leadership, which has a history spanning several centuries, organizational culture is a relatively young yet rapidly growing area within organizational behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Culture is, for the most part, invisible to individuals. Although it affects all employee behaviors, thinking, and behavioral patterns, individuals tend to become more aware of their organization\u2019s culture when compared to that of other organizations. If you have worked in multiple organizations, you can attest to this. Maybe the first organization you worked for was where employees dressed formally. It was utterly inappropriate to question your boss in a meeting; such behavior would only be acceptable in private. It was essential to check your e-mail at night and during weekends, or else you would face questions on Monday about where you were and whether you were sick. Contrast this company to a second organization where employees dress more casually. You are encouraged to raise issues and question your boss or peers, even in front of clients.<\/p>\n<p>What is more important is not to maintain impressions but to arrive at the best solution to any problem. It is widely acknowledged that family life is crucial, so it is acceptable to leave work a bit early to attend a family event. Additionally, you are not expected to work at night or over the weekends unless there is a deadline. These two hypothetical organizations illustrate that organizations have different cultures, and culture dictates what is right, acceptable behavior, and what is wrong and unacceptable.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section_2\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Why Does Organizational Culture Matter?<\/h2>\n<p>An organization\u2019s culture may be one of its strongest assets and most significant liabilities. It has been argued that organizations with a rare and hard-to-imitate organizational culture benefit from it as a competitive advantage (Barney, 1986). In a management consulting firm, Bain &amp; Company, a 2007 survey revealed that worldwide business leaders identified corporate culture as an essential corporate strategy for business success (Why culture can mean life or death, 2007). This is no surprise to many leaders of successful businesses, who quickly attribute their company\u2019s success to their organization\u2019s culture. <em class=\"emphasis\">Culture, or shared values<\/em>, may be related to increased performance. Researchers have found a relationship between organizational culture and company performance, specifically in terms of success indicators such as revenue, sales volume, market share, and stock prices (Kotter &amp; Heskett, 1992; Marcoulides &amp; Heck, 1993). At the same time, it is essential to have a culture that fits with the demands of the company\u2019s environment. To the extent that shared values are appropriate for the company in question, company performance may benefit from a culture (Arogyaswamy &amp; Byles, 1987).<\/p>\n<p>For example, if a company is in the high-tech industry, having a culture that encourages innovativeness and adaptability will support its performance. However, suppose a company in the same industry has a culture characterized by stability, a high respect for tradition, and a strong preference for upholding rules and procedures. In that case, the company may suffer due to its culture. In other words, just as having the \u201cright\u201d culture may be a competitive advantage for an organization, having the \u201cwrong\u201d culture may lead to performance difficulties, be responsible for organizational failure, and act as a barrier preventing the company from changing and taking risks.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to impacting organizational performance, <em class=\"emphasis\">organizational culture serves as an effective control mechanism for shaping employee behavior<\/em>. Culture is more potent in controlling and managing employee behaviors than organizational rules and regulations. When problems are unique, rules tend to be less helpful. Instead, creating a customer service culture achieves the same result by encouraging employees to think like customers, knowing that the company&#8217;s priorities in this case are clear: Keeping the customer happy is preferable to other concerns, such as saving the cost of a refund.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_3\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Levels of Organizational Culture<\/h2>\n<p>Organizational culture encompasses both aspects that are relatively more visible and those that may lie below one\u2019s conscious awareness. It can be viewed as comprising three interrelated levels (Schein, 1992).<\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 540px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19627\/6d47ef8331967f40fd140badabc451a0.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"The three levels, artifacts, values, and assumptions.\" width=\"540\" height=\"391\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 4.2.1 Organizational culture consists of three levels. Source: Adapted from Schein, E. H. (1992). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.<\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the deepest level, below our awareness lie basic\u00a0assumptions. <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2191\">Assumptions<\/a><\/strong> are taken for granted and reflect beliefs about human nature and reality. At the second level, values exist. <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2190\">Values<\/a><\/strong> are shared principles, standards, and goals. Finally, at the surface, we have\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2193\">artifacts<\/a><\/a><\/span>,<\/strong> or visible, tangible aspects of organizational culture. For example, one of the basic assumptions employees and managers share in an organization might be that happy employees benefit their organizations. This assumption could translate into values such as social equality, high-quality relationships, and having fun. The artifacts reflecting such values might include an executive \u201copen door\u201d policy. This office layout features open spaces and gathering areas equipped with pool tables, and the company frequently holds picnics in the workplace.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Alcoa Inc. designed its headquarters to reflect the values of making people more visible and accessible, and to promote collaboration (Stegmeier, 2008). In other words, understanding the organization\u2019s culture may begin by observing its artifacts, including the physical environment, employee interactions, company policies, reward systems, and other observable characteristics. When interviewing for a position, observing the physical environment, how people dress, where they relax, and how they talk to others is a good start to understanding the company\u2019s culture. However, simply examining these tangible aspects is unlikely to provide a comprehensive picture of the organization. A significant portion of what constitutes culture exists beyond one\u2019s level of awareness. At a deeper level, the values and assumptions that shape the organization\u2019s culture can be uncovered by observing how employees interact and their choices, as well as inquiring about their beliefs and perceptions regarding proper and appropriate behavior.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section_1\" class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Dimensions of Culture<\/h2>\n<p>Which values characterize an organization\u2019s culture? Although culture may not be immediately observable, identifying a set of values that can be used to describe an organization\u2019s culture helps us identify, measure, and manage culture more effectively. For this purpose, several researchers have proposed various culture typologies. One typology that has received <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">considerable research attention is the\u00a0<em>Organizational Culture Profile<\/em> (OCP), which represents culture through<\/span>\u00a0seven distinct values (Chatman &amp; Jehn, 1991; O\u2019Reilly, Chatman, &amp; Caldwell, 1991). We will describe the OCP and two additional dimensions of organizational culture that are not represented in that framework but are critical to consider: service culture and safety culture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 496px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19628\/e0d315fed5fb776d1b37ef84be9678cb.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Diagram of Organizational Culture: Innovatie, Aggressive, Outcome-Oriented, Stable, People-Oriented, Team-Oriented, Detial-Oriented.\" width=\"496\" height=\"489\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 4.2.2 Dimensions of Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) Source: Adapted from information in O\u2019Reilly, C. A., III, Chatman, J. A., &amp; Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit. Academy of Management Journal, 34, 487\u2013516.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<h2>Innovative Cultures<\/h2>\n<p>According to the OCP framework, companies with innovative cultures are flexible and adaptable and experiment with new ideas. These companies are characterized by a flat hierarchy in which titles and other status distinctions tend to be downplayed. For example, W. L. Gore &amp; Associates Inc. is a company with innovative products such as GORE-TEX\u00ae (the breathable fabric that is windproof and waterproof), Glide dental floss, and Elixir guitar strings, earning the company the distinction of being elected as the most innovative company in the United States by <em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em> magazine in 2004. W. L. Gore consistently innovates and captures a significant market share in various industries, primarily due to its unique culture. In this company, employees do not typically have bosses, and risk-taking is encouraged by celebrating both failures and successes (Deutschman, 2004). Companies such as W. L. Gore, Genentech Inc., and Google encourage their employees to take risks by allowing engineers to devote 20% of their time to projects (Deutschman, 2004; Morris, Burke, &amp; Neering, 2006).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Aggressive Cultures<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19629\/48ad58d870eb7164f917222814c3ccdf.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Headshot of Bill Gates\" width=\"250\" height=\"264\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 4.2.3 Microsoft, the company Bill Gates co-founded, has been described as having an aggressive culture. Wikimedia Commons\u2014public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Companies with\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2194\">aggressive cultures<\/a><\/a><\/span><\/strong> value competitiveness and outperforming competitors: By emphasizing this, they may fall short in corporate social responsibility. For example, Microsoft Corporation is often identified as a company with an aggressive culture. Over the years, the company has faced several antitrust lawsuits and disputes with competitors. In aggressive companies, people may use language such as \u201cWe will kill our competition.\u201d In the past, Microsoft executives often made statements such as \u201cWe are going to cut off Netscape\u2019s air supply.\u2026 Everything they are selling, we are going to give away.\u201d Its aggressive culture is cited as a reason for getting into new legal troubles before they are resolved (Greene, Reinhardt, &amp; Lowry, 2004; Schlender, 1998). Microsoft founder Bill Gates went on to establish the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, devoting his time to reducing poverty worldwide (Schlender, 2007). Has he brought the same competitive approach to philanthropy?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_4\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Outcome-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\n<p>The OCP framework describes <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2209\">outcome-oriented cultures<\/a><\/strong> as emphasizing achievement, results, and action as essential values. A good example of an outcome-oriented culture is Best Buy Co., Inc., which has a culture that emphasizes sales performance. Best Buy tallies revenues and other relevant figures daily by department. Employees are trained and mentored to effectively sell company products and learn how much money their department generates daily (Copeland, 2004). In 2005, the company introduced a results-oriented work environment (ROWE) program, which enables employees to work from anywhere and at any time. They are evaluated based on their results and the fulfillment of clearly outlined objectives (Thompson, 2005). Outcome-oriented cultures hold employees and managers accountable for success and utilize systems that reward employee and group output. In these companies, it is more common to see rewards tied to performance indicators than seniority or loyalty. Research indicates that organizations with a performance-oriented culture tend to outperform companies lacking such a culture (Nohria, Joyce, &amp; Roberson, 2003). At the same time, some outcome-oriented companies may have such a high drive for outcomes and measurable performance objectives that they may suffer negative consequences as a result. Companies that overreward employee performance, such as Enron Corporation and WorldCom, have experienced well-publicized business and ethical failures. When performance pressures lead to a culture where unethical behaviors become the norm, individuals perceive their peers as rivals, and short-term results are prioritized; the resulting unhealthy work environment becomes a liability (Probst &amp; Raisch, 2005).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_5\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Stable Cultures<\/h2>\n<p><strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2196\">Stable cultures<\/a><\/a><\/span><\/strong> are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic. These organizations aim to coordinate and align individual efforts for the most significant levels of efficiency. When the environment is stable and confident, these cultures may help the organization be effective by providing stable and constant output levels (Westrum, 2004). These cultures prevent quick action, which may be a misfit to a changing and dynamic environment. Public sector institutions may be viewed as stable cultures. In the private sector, Kraft Foods Inc. is an example of a company with centralized decision-making and a rule-oriented culture that suffered due to a culture-environment mismatch (Thompson, 2006). Its bureaucratic culture is blamed for killing good ideas in the early stages and preventing the company from innovating. When the company initiated a change program to enhance the agility of its culture, one of its first actions was to combat bureaucracy with more bureaucracy: it created the new position of VP of Business Process Simplification, which was later eliminated (Boyle, 2004; Thompson, 2005, 2006).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_6\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">People-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\n<p><strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2197\">People-oriented cultures<\/a><\/a><\/span><\/strong> value fairness, supportiveness, and respect for individual rights. These organizations truly live by the mantra \u201cpeople are their greatest asset.\u201d In addition to having fair procedures and management styles, these companies create an atmosphere where work is enjoyable and employees do not feel compelled to choose between their work and other aspects of their lives. In these organizations, there is a greater emphasis on and expectation of treating people with respect and dignity (Erdogan, Liden, &amp; Kraimer, 2006). One study of new accounting company employees found that, on average, employees stayed 14 months longer in companies with people-oriented cultures (Sheridan, 1992). Starbucks Corporation is an example of a people-oriented culture. The company pays employees above minimum wage, offers health care and tuition reimbursement benefits to its part-time and full-time employees, and has creative perks such as weekly free coffee for all associates. As a result of these policies, the company benefits from a turnover rate lower than the industry average (Weber, 2005; Motivation Secrets, 2003). <span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Fortune magazine routinely ranks the company as one of the best workplaces<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_7\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Team-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\n<p>Companies with\u00a0<strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2198\">team-oriented cultures<\/a> <\/strong>are collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees. For example, Southwest Airlines Company fosters a team-oriented culture by cross-training its employees, enabling them to assist one another when needed. The company also emphasizes training intact work teams (Bolino &amp; Turnley, 2003). Employees participate in twice-daily meetings called \u201cmorning overview meetings\u201d (MOM) and daily afternoon discussions (DAD), where they collaborate to understand the sources of problems and determine future courses of action. In Southwest\u2019s selection system, applicants not viewed as team players are not hired as employees (Miles &amp; Mangold, 2005).In team-oriented organizations, members have more positive relationships with their coworkers, particularly with their managers (Erdogan, Liden, &amp; Kraimer, 2006).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_8\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Detail-Oriented Cultures<\/h2>\n<p>Organizations with\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2199\">detail-oriented cultures<\/a><\/a><\/span><\/strong> are characterized in the OCP framework as emphasizing precision and attention to detail. Such a culture provides a competitive advantage to companies in the hospitality industry by enabling them to differentiate themselves from others. For example, Four Seasons Hotels Ltd. and The Ritz-Carlton Company LLC are among hotels that keep records of all customer requests, such as which newspaper the guest prefers or the type of pillow they use. This information is put into a computer system to provide better service to returning customers. Any requests that hotel employees receive and overhear may be entered into the database to serve customers better. Recent guests to Four Seasons Paris who were celebrating their 21st anniversary were greeted with a bouquet of 21 roses on their bed. Such evident attention to detail is an effective way to impress customers and ensure repeat visits. McDonald\u2019s Corporation is another company that specifies in detail how employees should perform their jobs by including photos of exactly how French fries and hamburgers should look when appropriately prepared (Fitch, 2004; Ford &amp; Heaton, 2001; Kolesnikov-Jessop, 2005; Markels, 2007).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_9\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Service Culture<\/h2>\n<p><strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2200\">Service culture<\/a><\/a><\/span><\/strong> is not one of the dimensions of OCP, but given the importance of the retail industry in the overall economy, having a service culture can make or break an organization. Some organizations we have illustrated in this section, such as Nordstrom, Southwest Airlines, Ritz-Carlton, and Four Seasons, are also famous for their service culture. In these organizations, employees are trained to serve the customer well; cross-training is the norm. Employees are empowered to resolve customer issues in a manner they deem appropriate. Because employees with direct customer contact are in the best position to resolve any problems, employee empowerment is truly valued in these companies. For example, Umpqua Bank, operating in the northwestern United States, is known for its service culture. All employees are trained in all tasks, enabling them to assist customers when needed. Branch employees may develop unique ways to serve customers better, such as opening their lobby for community events or keeping bowls full of water for customers\u2019 pets. The branches feature coffee for customers, Internet kiosks, and a service where withdrawn funds are given on a tray along with a piece of chocolate. They also reward employee service performance through bonuses and incentives (Conley, 2005; Kuehner-Herbert, 2003).<\/p>\n<p>What differentiates companies with a service culture from those without such a culture may be their proactive approach to solving customer-related problems. In other words, in these cultures, employees are engaged in their jobs and personally invested in improving customer experience. They identify issues and devise solutions without being explicitly instructed on what to do. For example, a British Airways baggage handler noticed that first-class passengers were waiting longer for their baggage, whereas standby passengers often received their luggage first. Noticing this tendency, a baggage handler notified his superiors about the problem, along with a suggestion to load first-class passenger luggage last (Ford &amp; Heaton, 2001). This solution was successful in cutting down the wait time by half. Such proactive behavior by employees who share company values will likely emerge frequently in companies with a service culture.<\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 548px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19632\/1a757020ed73d091befc53674ad657b4.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Chart displaying Southwest Airlines Passenger Growth between 1970 and 2010.\" width=\"548\" height=\"227\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 4.2.4 The number of passengers flying with Southwest Airlines grew from 1973 to 2007. In 2007, Southwest surpassed American Airlines as the most flown domestic airline. While price has played a role in this, their emphasis on service has been a key piece of their culture and competitive advantage\u2014source: Adapted from <a href=\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/Wikipedia\/commons\/6\/69\/Southwest-airlines-passengers.jpg.\">http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/Wikipedia\/commons\/6\/69\/Southwest-airlines-passengers.jpg.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_10\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Safety Culture<\/h2>\n<p>Some jobs are safety-sensitive. For example, logger, aircraft pilot, fishing worker, steel worker, and roofer are among the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the United States (Christie, 2005). Creating and maintaining a <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2201\">safety culture<\/a><\/strong> provides a competitive advantage in organizations performing safety-sensitive jobs. The organization can reduce accidents, maintain high morale and employee retention, and increase profitability by cutting workers\u2019 compensation insurance costs. Some companies suffer severe consequences when they cannot develop such a culture. For example, British Petroleum experienced an explosion in their Texas City, Texas, refinery in 2005, which led to the death of 15 workers while injuring 170. In December 2007, the company announced that it had already depleted the $ 1.6 billion fund allocated for claims related to this explosion (Tennissen, 2007). A safety review panel concluded that developing a safety culture was essential to avoid such occurrences in the future (Hofmann, 2007). In companies with a strong safety culture, there is a clear commitment to safety that begins at the management level and extends to lower levels. M. B. Herzog Electric Inc. of California, selected as one of America\u2019s safest companies by <em class=\"emphasis\">Occupational Hazards<\/em> magazine in 2007, has maintained a zero accident rate for the past three years. The company utilizes safety training programs tailored to specific job roles, and all employees are encouraged to identify and report any safety hazards they encounter while performing their duties. They are also asked to be an OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspector for a day to become more aware of the hidden dangers in the workplace. Managers play a crucial role in promoting safe behaviors in the workplace, as they can motivate employees daily to exhibit safe behaviors and serve as safety role models. A recent study has shown that in organizations with a safety culture, leaders encourage employees to exhibit behaviors such as volunteering for safety committees, making recommendations to increase safety, protecting coworkers from hazards, whistleblowing, and in general trying to make their jobs safer (Hofman, Morgeson, &amp; Gerras, 2003; Smith, 2007).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_11\" class=\"mt-section\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Strength of Culture<\/h2>\n<p>A\u00a0<strong><span class=\"margin_term\"><a class=\"glossterm\"><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2202\">strong culture<\/a><\/a><\/span> <\/strong>is shared by organizational members (Arogyaswamy &amp; Byles, 1987; Chatman &amp; Eunyoung, 2003). In other words, if most employees in the organization share a consensus regarding the company&#8217;s values, it is possible to discuss the existence of a strong culture. A culture\u2019s content is more likely to affect how employees think and behave when the culture is strong. For example, cultural values that emphasize customer service will lead to higher-quality customer service if there is widespread agreement among employees on the importance of customer service-related values (Schneider, Salvaggio, &amp; Subirats, 2002).<\/p>\n<figure>\n<figure style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"internal\" src=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/@api\/deki\/files\/19634\/491a3f080ab246a1d51db3c29b6881e3.jpg?revision=1\" alt=\"Headshot of Walt Disney.\" width=\"250\" height=\"254\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 4.2.5 Walt Disney created a strong culture at his company, which has evolved since its founding in 1923.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Walt_disney_portrait.jpg\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a>\u2014public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<p>It is essential to recognize that a strong culture can act as either an asset or a liability for the organization, depending on the shared values. For example, imagine a company with a strongly outcome-oriented culture. If this value system matches the organizational environment, the company outperforms its competitors. On the other hand, a strong outcome-oriented culture coupled with unethical behaviors and an obsession with quantitative performance indicators may be detrimental to an organization\u2019s effectiveness. An extreme example of this dysfunctional type of strong culture is Enron. A strong culture may sometimes outperform a weak culture due to the consistency of its expectations. In a strong culture, members are aware of what is expected of them, and the culture effectively guides their behaviors. Research shows that strong cultures lead to more stable corporate performance in stable environments. However, in volatile environments, the advantages of cultural strength disappear (Sorensen 2002). One limitation of a strong culture is the difficulty of changing it.<\/p>\n<p>Suppose an organization with widely shared beliefs adopts a different set of values. In that case, unlearning the old and new values will be challenging because employees will need to adopt new ways of thinking, behaving, and responding to critical events. For example, the Home Depot Inc. had a decentralized, autonomous culture where many business decisions were made using \u201cgut feeling\u201d while ignoring the available data. When Robert Nardelli became CEO of the company in 2000, he decided to change its culture, starting with centralizing many of the decisions that were previously left to individual stores. This initiative encountered substantial resistance, and many high-level employees departed during his first year. Despite getting financial results such as doubling the company&#8217;s sales, many of his changes were criticized. He left the company in January 2007 (Charan, 2006; Herman &amp; Wernle, 2007).<\/p>\n<p>A strong culture may also be a liability during a merger. During mergers and acquisitions, companies inevitably experience a clash of civilizations, as well as a clash of structures and operating systems. Cultural clashes become more problematic when both parties have distinct and robust cultures. For example, during the merger of Daimler AG with Chrysler Motors LLC to create DaimlerChrysler AG, the differing strong cultures of each company acted as a barrier to effective integration. Daimler had a strong engineering culture that was more hierarchical and emphasized the routine working of long hours. Daimler employees were accustomed to being part of an elite organization, as evidenced by their first-class travel on all business trips.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, Chrysler had a sales culture where employees and managers were used to autonomy, working shorter hours, and adhering to budget limits, which meant only the elite flew first class. The different ways of thinking and behaving of these two companies introduced several unanticipated problems during the integration process (Badrtalei &amp; Bates, 2007; Bower, 2001). Differences in culture may be part of the reason that, in the end, the merger didn\u2019t work out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"section_12\" class=\"mt-section\">\n<h2 class=\"editable\">Do Organizations Have a Single Culture?<\/h2>\n<p>So far, we have assumed that a company shares a single culture. However, you may have realized that this is an oversimplification. In reality, there might be multiple cultures within any given organization. For example, individuals working on the sales floor may experience a different culture from those working in the warehouse. A culture that emerges within various departments, branches, or geographic locations is called a <strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2221\">subculture<\/a><\/strong>. Subcultures may arise from the personal characteristics of employees and managers, as well as the other conditions under which work is performed. Within the same organization, marketing and manufacturing departments often have different cultures so that the marketing department may emphasize innovativeness.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, the manufacturing department may have a shared emphasis on detail orientation. In an interesting study, researchers uncovered five subcultures within a police organization. These subcultures differed depending on the level of danger involved and the type of background experience the individuals held, including \u201ccrime-fighting street professionals\u201d who did what their job required without rigidly following protocol and \u201canti-military social workers\u201d who felt that most problems could be resolved by talking to the parties involved (Jermier et al., 1991). Research has shown that employee perceptions regarding subcultures were related to employee commitment to the organization (Lok, Westwood, &amp; Crawford, 2005). Therefore, in addition to understanding the broader organization\u2019s values, managers must also try to understand the subculture&#8217;s values to see their impact on workforce behavior and attitudes. Moreover, as an employee, you need to understand the type of subculture in the department where you will work and the company\u2019s overall culture.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, a subculture may take the form of a\u00a0<strong><a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_1564_2222\">counterculture<\/a><\/strong>. Defined as shared values and beliefs that directly oppose the values of the broader organizational culture (Kerr &amp; Slocum, 2005), countercultures are often shaped around a charismatic leader. For example, within a vastly bureaucratic organization, an enclave of innovativeness and risk-taking may emerge within a single department. The organization may tolerate a counterculture if it yields results and contributes positively to its overall effectiveness. However, its existence may be perceived as a threat to the broader organizational culture. In some cases, this may lead to actions that would undermine the managers&#8217; autonomy and erode the counterculture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Exercises<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ol>\n<li>Why do companies need culture?<\/li>\n<li>Give an example of a strength and a weakness of a company culture.<\/li>\n<li>In what ways does culture serve as a controlling mechanism?<\/li>\n<li>If assumptions are below the surface, why do they matter?<\/li>\n<li>Share examples of artifacts you have noticed at different organizations.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Organizational culture is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that help individuals understand which behaviors are and are not appropriate within an organization.<\/li>\n<li>Cultures can be a source of competitive advantage for organizations<em>.<\/em> Strong organizational cultures can be an organizing and controlling mechanism.<\/li>\n<li>And finally, organizational culture consists of three levels: assumptions, which are below the surface, values, and artifacts.<\/li>\n<li>Culture can be understood in terms of seven dimensions, depending on what is most emphasized within the organization. For example, innovative cultures are flexible and adaptable and experiment with new ideas, while stable cultures are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic.<\/li>\n<li>Strong cultures can be an asset or a liability for an organization, but they can be challenging to change. Organizations may have subcultures and countercultures, which can be challenging to manage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">References<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>Arogyaswamy, B., &amp; Byles, C. H. (1987). Organizational culture: Internal and external fits.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Journal of Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">13<\/em>, 647\u2013658.<\/p>\n<p>Badrtalei, J., &amp; Bates, D. L. (2007). Effect of organizational cultures on mergers and acquisitions: The case of DaimlerChrysler.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">International Journal of Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">24<\/em>, 303\u2013317.<\/p>\n<p>Barney, J. B. (1986). Organizational culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">11<\/em>, 656\u2013665.<\/p>\n<p>Bolino, M. C., &amp; Turnley, W. H. (2003). Going the extra mile: Cultivating and managing employee citizenship behavior.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Executive<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">17<\/em>, 60\u201371.<\/p>\n<p>Bower, J. L. (2001). Not all M&amp;As are alike\u2014and that matters.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">79<\/em>, 92\u2013101.<\/p>\n<p>Boyle, M. (2004, November 15). Kraft\u2019s arrested development.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">150<\/em>, 144.<\/p>\n<p>Charan, R. (2006, April). Home Depot\u2019s blueprint for culture change.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 60\u201370.<\/p>\n<p>Chatman, J. A., &amp; Eunyoung Cha, S. (2003). Leading by leveraging culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">California Management Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">45<\/em>, 19\u201334.<\/p>\n<p>Chatman, J. A., &amp; Jehn, K. A. (1991). Assessing the relationship between industry characteristics and organizational culture: How different can you be?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">37<\/em>, 522\u2013553.<\/p>\n<p>Christie, L. (2005). America\u2019s most dangerous jobs. Survey: Loggers and fisherman still take the most risk; roofers record sharp increase in fatalities. CNN\/Money. Retrieved from\u00a0<a class=\"link external\" href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2005\/08\/26\/pf\/jobs_jeopardy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener nofollow\">http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2005\/08\/26\/pf\/jobs_jeopardy\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Conley, L. (2005, April). Cultural phenomenon.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">93<\/em>, 76\u201377.<\/p>\n<p>Copeland, M. V. (2004, July). Best Buy\u2019s selling machine.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business 2.0<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">5<\/em>, 92\u2013102.<\/p>\n<p>Deutschman, A. (2004, December). The fabric of creativity.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fast Company<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">89<\/em>, 54\u201362.<\/p>\n<p>Erdogan, B., Liden, R. C., &amp; Kraimer, M. L. (2006). Justice and leader-member exchange: The moderating role of organizational culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">49<\/em>, 395\u2013406.<\/p>\n<p>Fitch, S. (2004, May 10). Soft pillows and sharp elbows.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Forbes<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">173<\/em>, 66\u201378.<\/p>\n<p>Ford, R. C., &amp; Heaton, C. P. (2001). Lessons from hospitality that can serve anyone.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational Dynamics<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">30<\/em>, 30\u201347.<\/p>\n<p>Greene, J., Reinhardt, A., &amp; Lowry, T. (2004, May 31). Teaching Microsoft to make nice?\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Week<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">3885<\/em>, 80\u201381.<\/p>\n<p>Herman, J., &amp; Wernle, B. (2007, August 13). The book on Bob Nardelli: Driven, demanding.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Automotive News<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">81<\/em>, 42.<\/p>\n<p>Hofmann, M. A. (2007, January 22). BP slammed for poor leadership on safety.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Insurance<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">41<\/em>, 3\u201326.<\/p>\n<p>Hofmann, D. A., Morgeson, F. P., &amp; Gerras, S. J. (2003). Climate as a moderator of the relationship between leader-member exchange and content specific citizenship: Safety climate as an exemplar.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Journal of Applied Psychology<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">88<\/em>, 170\u2013178.<\/p>\n<p>Jermier, J. M., Slocum, J. W., Jr., Fry, L. W., &amp; Gaines, J. (1991, May). Organizational subcultures in a soft bureaucracy: Resistance behind the myth and facade of an official culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organization Science<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">2<\/em>, 170\u2013194.<\/p>\n<p>Kerr, J., &amp; Slocum, J. W., Jr. (2005). Managing corporate culture through reward systems.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Executive<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">19<\/em>, 130\u2013138.<\/p>\n<p>Kolesnikov-Jessop, S. (2005, November). Four Seasons Singapore: Tops in Asia.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Institutional Investor<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">39<\/em>, 103\u2013104.<\/p>\n<p>Kotter, J. P., &amp; Heskett, J. L. (1992).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Corporate culture and performance<\/em>. New York: Free Press.<\/p>\n<p>Kuehner-Herbert, K. (2003, June 20). Unorthodox branch style gets more so at Umpqua.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">American Banker<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">168<\/em>, 5.<\/p>\n<p>Lok, P., Westwood, R., &amp; Crawford, J. (2005). Perceptions of organisational subculture and their significance for organisational commitment.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Applied Psychology: An International Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">54<\/em>, 490\u2013514.<\/p>\n<p>Marcoulides, G. A., &amp; Heck, R. H. (1993, May). Organizational culture and performance: Proposing and testing a model.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational Science<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">4<\/em>, 209\u2013225.<\/p>\n<p>Markels, A. (2007, April 23). Dishing it out in style.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">U.S. News &amp; World Report<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">142<\/em>, 52\u201355.<\/p>\n<p>Miles, S. J., &amp; Mangold, G. (2005). Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Business Horizons<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">48<\/em>, 535\u2013545.<\/p>\n<p>Morris, B., Burke, D., &amp; Neering, P. (2006, January 23). The best place to work now.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Fortune<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">153<\/em>, 78\u201386.<\/p>\n<p>Motivation secrets of the 100 best employers. (2003, October).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">HR Focus<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">80<\/em>, 1\u201315.<\/p>\n<p>Nohria, N., Joyce, W., &amp; Roberson, B. (2003, July). What really works.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Harvard Business Review<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">81<\/em>, 42\u201352.<\/p>\n<p>O\u2019Reilly, C. A., III, Chatman, J. A., &amp; Caldwell, D. F. (1991). People and organizational culture: A profile comparison approach to assessing person-organization fit.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Academy of Management Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">34<\/em>, 487\u2013516.<\/p>\n<p>Probst, G., &amp; Raisch, S. (2005). 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Herzog.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Occupational Hazards<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">69<\/em>, 42.<\/p>\n<p>Sorensen, J. B. (2002). The strength of corporate culture and the reliability of firm performance.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Administrative Science Quarterly<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">47<\/em>, 70\u201391.<\/p>\n<p>Schein, E. H. (1992).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Organizational culture and leadership<\/em>. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.<\/p>\n<p>Stegmeier, D. (2008).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Innovations in office design: The critical influence approach to effective work environments<\/em>. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.<\/p>\n<p>Tennissen, M. (2007, December 19). Second BP trial ends early with settlement.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Southeast Texas Record<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson, J. (2005, September). The time we waste.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Management Today<\/em>, pp. 44\u201347.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson, S. (2006, September 18). Kraft CEO slams company, trims marketing staff.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Advertising Age<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">76<\/em>, 3\u201362.<\/p>\n<p>Weber, G. (2005, February). Preserving the counter culture.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Workforce Management<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 28\u201334.<\/p>\n<p>Westrum, R. (2004, August). Increasing the number of guards at nuclear power plants.\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">Risk Analysis: An International Journal<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">24<\/em>, 959\u2013961.<\/p>\n<p>Why culture can mean life or death for your organization. (2007, September).\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">HR Focus<\/em>,\u00a0<em class=\"emphasis\">84<\/em>, 9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Attributions<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p>This page titled\u00a0<a class=\"internal mt-self-link\" href=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Management\/Organizational_Behavior\/15%3A_Organizational_Culture\/15.2%3A_Understanding_Organizational_Culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"internal noopener\">15.2: Understanding Organizational Culture<\/a>\u00a0is shared under a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CC BY-NC-SA 3.0<\/a>\u00a0license and was authored, remixed, and\/or curated by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/biz.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Management\/Organizational_Behavior\/15%3A_Organizational_Culture\/15.2%3A_Understanding_Organizational_Culture\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Anonymous<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_1564_2188\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2188\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>is a system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs showing employees appropriate and inappropriate behavior.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2191\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2191\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2190\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2190\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>are shared principles, standards, and goals.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2193\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2193\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>visible, tangible aspects of organizational culture.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2194\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2194\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These type of companies value competitiveness and outperforming competitors.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2209\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2209\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>emphasizing achievement, results, and action as essential values.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2196\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2196\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These type of companies are predictable, rule-oriented, and bureaucratic.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2197\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2197\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These type of companies value fairness, supportiveness, and respect for individual rights.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2198\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2198\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These type of companies are collaborative and emphasize cooperation among employees.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2199\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2199\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>These type of companies are characterized in the OCP framework as emphasizing precision and attention to detail.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2200\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2200\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>In these type of companies, employees are trained to serve the customer well; cross-training is the norm.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2201\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2201\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>In these types of companies, there is a strong commitment to safety starting at the management level and trickling down to lower levels.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2202\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2202\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>In these types of companies,  if most employees in the organization show consensus regarding the company's values, it is possible to talk about the existence of a strong culture.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2221\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2221\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>A culture that emerges within various departments, branches, or geographic locations.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_1564_2222\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_1564_2222\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>shared values and beliefs that directly oppose the values of the broader organizational culture.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":169,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-1564","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":1573,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/169"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2715,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1564\/revisions\/2715"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/1573"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/1564\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=1564"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=1564"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/2250organizationalcommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=1564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}