The good news is that while the topic of organizational culture may not be something many are familiar with it is interesting to learn about. In my view, culture is the single most important concept of organizational life, because it regulates how everything happens within the organization. How we lead, communicate, motivate, and generally behave in any given organization is mitigated by that organization’s culture. What’s acceptable at XYZ, may be frowned upon at ABC corporation. Individuals who are able to interpret, and adapt quickly to suit an organization’s culture are destined to do well.

Remember the part in chapter one that described the field of OB as multidisciplinary? This is the chapter where the influence of anthropologists is most felt. Work organizations are very much like mini tribal societies. In fact, this view of modern work organizations is called the cultural/interpretive perspective. Each organization has its own set of beliefs, assumptions, and values (these are the content part) which are expressed or manifested through various observable symbols (these are artifacts). Isn’t that a lot like a tribe?

This chapter could be the most useful one you will ever study, because understanding your present or future workplace is one of the best ways to avoid difficulties as you build your career. That should be incentive enough for you to really bite into this chapter. Those are my words of wisdom.