Every organization has a culture, and every organization’s culture is unique. Two organizations could have similar cultures, but they would still be different. That’s because culture is a collection of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs of the members within the organization. Since different organizations are made up of different members their culture invariable differ.

One of the ways to decipher the culture of an organization is by analysing its artifacts (observable clues). There are four categories of artifacts discussed in the chapter. It’s common to confuse rituals and ceremonies. However, you’ll find it easier if you remember that rituals are like programmed habits/routines (like brushing your teeth every day), whereas ceremonies are big events.

The concepts of subculture and counterculture are sometimes overlooked. All organizations contain subcultures within them. Think of these as pockets of like-minded individuals brought together by a variety of factors, which could be occupational, demographic, personal interest, etc. Sometimes, the subcultures support the dominant culture, at other times they don’t. When subcultures have values, beliefs and assumptions that run “counter” to the dominant culture of the organization they are referred to as “countercultures.”

Another thing to watch out for relates to strong cultures and performance. There is a section in the text that extols the virtues of having a strong organizational culture. All the potential benefits are discussed. On the face of it, it would seem a good thing to have. However, many forget about the downside of a culture that may be too strong. Don’t overlook that part. Also, the relationship between the strength of an organization’s culture and its performance is not so easily established even by OB scholars. So, try and resist the temptation to simplify this relationship.