Schein's model of organizational culture

Abstract

The Schein's Model of Organizational Culture is a method which aims at explaining the concept of culture and the way it affects organizations.

It was introduced by Edgar Schein in 1980 in his endeavor to explain why people behave differently in various organizations.

The idea behind the method

Each company has its own culture as a unique identity. Edgar Schein realised that the culture of an organization affects how the people involved in it feel in the organization and how they perform for the organization.

Based on this observation, Schein introduced the Organizational Culture Model. Organizational culture is defined as a pattern of bassic assumptions that that a group has invented, discovered or developed in learning to cope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, and that have worked well enough to be considered valid, and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.

One of the concerns Schein had when defining the model was to make understand that culture is more complex than it seems. He thought that it is tempting to say that culture is just the way a company does the things, the company climate and the reward system. He pointed out that all of those are manifestations of the culture, but none is the culture at the level where culture matters.

Culture can be analysed at several different levels, with the term level meaning the degree to which the cultural phenomenon is visible to the observer. These levels range from the very tangible open manifestations that one can see and feel to the deeply embedded, unconscious, basic assumptions defined as te essence of culture. In between these layers are various espoused beliefs, values, norms and rules of behavious that members of the culture use as a way of depicting the culture to themselves and others.

Three levels in organizational culture

Behaviours and artifacts is the most manifest level of culture, consisting of the constructured physical and social environment of an organization. These mark the surface of the culture and they are the visible elements in the organization. Physical artifacts are presented in the architecture and interior arrangements, physical space and office design. Besides, language gives away culture through modes of speaking, slogans and expressions. Technology is also a part of the culture, since it reflects the values through operations, materials and knowledge. As it also is social practices, leadership practices and work tradtitions. They can be recognized by people not part of the culture but can be difficult to understand easily by everyone since they can be confusing.