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Conor John Fitzsimons

Culture: A Working Definition

A culture is a mindset shared by almost all members of some social group. This mindset is something passed from generation to generation and it shapes our perception of the world. The mindset encompasses

  • a sense of self and space,
  • communication,
  • language,
  • dress and appearance,
  • food and feeding habits,
  • time and time consciousness,
  • relationships,
  • values and norms,
  • beliefs and attitudes,
  • mental processes and learning,
  • work habits and practices.

Business Is Steeped In Culture

The mindset or cultural influence impacts business strongly in three different areas:

  • Organisational Factors, e.g. structure, systems and processes, development and execution of strategy,
  • Management Behaviours & Styles, e.g.Leadership, meeting management, and decision making,
  • Business Functions and Processes, e.g. Product development, marketing and human resources.

"Company Cultures Differ On Process"

Differences between national cultures tend to centre on attitude (e.g. how we think and feel about things), while those between company cultures tend to centre on process (e.g. how we do things).

Companies´ increasing emphasis on ethics and values is blurring this distinction.

“There are truths on this side of the Pyrenees which are falsehoods on the other” - Blaise Pascal

Jeff Killeen, then Chief Operating Officer of barnesandnoble.com, formulated the company strategy in a speech to staff in 1998 as:

“You're not just here to sell books. You're here to annihilate the competition, to kill it dead!”.

Such a simple and short goal appeals to many Americans. When shown this strategy statement Germans become uneasy because of the implied lack of social responsibility.