Abstract

There has been a significant rise in interest in corporate culture in recent years, partly because of the failure of the «codes, dilemmas, and decision-making» focus of so much business ethics education – and partly because of the positive emphasis on culture by business leaders and writers.

The book that stands apart from all others on this topic is Edgar H. Schein’s classic “Organizational Culture and Leadership” in its third edition.

Schein gives us 400 pages of brilliant insight, drawing not just from great sociologists and anthropologists but from social psychologists and organizational behavior experts.

His book runs counter to the more popular view that a strong culture makes more money or that we can rationally plan and execute cultural change. E.H. Schein argues that we should “ not confuse culture with other useful concepts, such as “climate”, “values” or “corporate philosophy".

Schein organized his study in three sections.

First he defines organizational culture (and leadership).

In part two hi goes into great detail unpacking the “dimensions of culture”.

In part three, Schein turns to the leadership role culture building and changing.

Culture is to organizations what character is to individuals, Schein says.

Culture is phenomena beneath the surface that constrain and guide behavior.

Leadership creates and changes culture but culture also effects and even      defines leadership in organizations. It is a critical reciprocal relationship.