In this mini-series, we are looking at the challenges of managing across a diverse range of geographic and cultural boundaries. We have already looked at the key writers on National Culture. Today we turn to organisational culture theory.
Probably one of the most extensive writers of recent years is Edgar Schein of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MiT) who has over the years provided much insight into the complexities of understanding and managing cultures within organisations. He introduced the concept of Culture as an iceberg, in that those things that are observable on the surface are but a small percentage of the issues that are occurring underneath the surface.
Schein describes culture as multi-layered. At the visible layer we see artifacts and symbols that represent culture, which in turn come from beliefs and attitudes. These all stem from basic assumptions that are deep-rooted and often held at the sub-conscious level. We don’t often think about how culture is expressed in organisations, and yet its influence is everywhere. From the organisational structures, to the brand identity to the communications and visual art observable within the office. It all speaks to the values and underlying assumptions of what this culture represents. Apple and Google are probably the best proponents of culture as a tangible asset to be encouraged and encompassed by all employees. Other headquarters such as banking and insurance, exude power and status messages to maintain status quo. One sector is about game-changing and the other is about the old order. Both are valid, just different.
Schein went on to describe Three Cultures that arise in distinct occupational communities. The Executive culture is about hierarchy and control. The Engineering culture is concerned with design and process. The Operators culture is concerned with the hands-on day-job, whether that be manufacturing or service based.
When we look at how global companies today are often a made up of many legacy companies that have come together through acquisitions, each with their own distinct history and culture, this therefore poses some challenges for the post-merger integration efforts.
What we at Agents2Change have found useful is some a cultural mapping exercise to help explain the key differences that occur across organisations. We will look at this in more detail in our next and final instalment in this Culture series.
What experiences have you had with cross cultural conflicts? Does this model help explain the reasons for those conflicts? Please share your thoughts or experiences on cross cultural management here, or email us if you would like to find out more about our work in this area at [email protected]
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