1. Organizational
Culture
CommunicationKnowledgeCenter@Outlook.com

2. Assignment
• Analyze the Corporate Identity Mix of your
organization and characterize the organization
according to Trompenaars’ Seven Value
Dimensions.
• Which of Trompenaars’ four extreme stereotypes of
corporate culture fit best to this organization?
• Always explain why you conclude something.
We chose to analyze Cid-mix because it seems easier to
observe communication, symbolism and behavior than to
observe the layers of Trompenaar’s onion-model.
To start with, this analysis will mainly entail semiotic analysis
of your organization’s site.

3. Fons Trompenaars
• Dutch author and consultant in the
field of cross-cultural
communication.[1]
• Ranked in the Thinkers50 [2] of the
most influential management
thinkers.
• Together with his colleague and co-
founder Charles Hampden-Turner,
Fons directs a consultancy.
Free after:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fons_T
rompenaars

4. “Culture, like an onion, consists of
layers that can be peeled off.”
(Trompenaars 2003 p25)

5. Corporate Identity Corporate Culture
• Visible elements (logo, • Visible elements (cloths,
slogan, behavior, etc.) refer food, language, behavior)
to deeper – invisible – refer to deeper – invisible –
personality, starting points, Norms & Values, and even
values. deeper laying Key Beliefs.
• Instrument for management • Result of group of people
to influence Corporate Image living/ working together.
(& culture).
• Top-down. • Bottom-up.

6. Culture: Show that you
belong to the group

7. Culture: Show that you
belong to the group

8. Hofstede Trompenaars
5 Value Dimensions 7 Value Dimensions
1. Collectivism – 1. Universalism – Particularism
Individualism 2. Individualism –
2. Femininity – Masculinity Communitarianism
3. Uncertainty Avoidance 3. Neutral – Affective
(High/Low) 4. Specific – Diffuse
4. Power Distance 5. Achievement – Ascription
(High/Low) 6. Sequential – Synchronic
5. Long-term orientation – 7. Internal – External Control
Short-term orientation
Values describe what is valuable, what is worth pursuing.
Value Dimensions describe dilemmas: you have to choose
between 2 desirable situations.

9. Assignment
• Analyze the Corporate Identity Mix of this
organization and characterize the
organization according to Trompenaars’
Seven Value Dimensions.
Before, you may have analyzed an advertisement and
concluded which of Hofstede’s value dimension was
applicable.
This assignment is similar but more complicated: analyze site
(and other Corporate Identity elements) and conclude which
dilemma is applicable.
To start with, this analysis will mainly entail semiotic analysis
of your organization’s site.

10. Decide which is
most true for
your
organization
Universalism Particularism
• General rules and obligations • “Particular”
are a strong source of moral circumstances are more
reference. important than rules.
• Follow the rules even when • Bonds of particular
friends are involved and look relationships (family,
for “the one best way” of friends) are stronger than
dealing equally and fairly. abstract rule.
• Our standards are the only
right ones; we will try to
make others follow our
standards.

11. Decide which is
Individualism most true for Communitarianism
your
• Individual needs and organization. • Needs and wants of the
wants prevail. (Semiotic group/ organization
analysis of site prevails.
may be helpful.)

12. Decide which is
Neutral most true for Affective
your
• Keep emotions for • Express emotions.
organization
yourself. • USA
• Many Asian countries.
• Poker faces.

13. Decide which is
most true for
your
Specific organization Diffuse
• We have to give meaning to
what our relationship is
about.
• We have a relationship.
• People are human
resources. • People are human beings.
• Professional life versus • Your status is valid
private life. everywhere.
• “Dr.” only at university, • Always “Dr.”
outside: “Fons”. • Holistic.
• Analytic. • Pursuing greater value for all
• Emphasize shareholder of us.
value. • German.
• USA.

14. Achievement Ascription
• Status is result of • Status is result of virtue,
achievement. age, class, gender,
education, etc.
• Status from “what you • Status from “who you
do”. are”.
• Promote products for • Promote products for
their performance. Decide which is their status, national
most true for importance, etc.
your
• USA organization • Many Asian countries

15. Sequential time Synchronic time
• Series of passing events. • Past, present and future
• Punctual. are interrelated.
• Time management is • Ideas about the future
important. and memories of the past
• Short term orientation. both shape present
action.
• “Mañana”.
• Long term orientation.
Decide which is
most true for
your
organization

16. Internal Control External Control
• People force their will • Environment determines
upon nature. what people have to do.
• Nature is a controllable • Nature is an organism.
machine: stimulus  • People are subjugated to
response nature.
• People orient their
actions towards others:
Decide which is “other directed”.
most true for • Focus on environment
your rather than on yourself.
organization

17. Assignment
• Analyze the Corporate Identity Mix of this
organization and characterize the
organization according to Trompenaars’
Seven Value Dimensions.
• Which of Trompenaars’ four extreme
stereotypes of corporate culture fit best to this
organization?
• Always explain why you conclude something.

18. 4 extreme stereotypes of
corporate culture (Trompenaars 2003 p106-111)
Incubator Guided Missile
• Person oriented • Task orientation
• Power of the individual • Power of knowledge/ expertise
• Self realization • Commitment to tasks
• Commitment to oneself • Management by Objectives
• Professional recognition • Pay for Performance
Score yes/ no for your organization on each characteristic & read
Trompenaar’s descriptions. Then decide which extreme stereotype fits best.
Example of possible scores in following slides.
Family Eiffel Tower
Power-orientation Role-orientation
Personal relationships Power of position/ role
Entrepreneurial Job description/ evaluation
Affinity/ trust Roles and procedures
Power of person Order and predictability

19. Extreme stereotype of corporate culture
Incubator
Yes. Person oriented
•
No. Power of the individual
•
•
No. Self realization
No. Commitment to oneself
•
Yes. Professional recognition
•
•
No. Like a leaderless team.
•
Yes. Individualization is most
important .
•
No. Organization exists only
to serve the needs of its
members.

20. Extreme stereotype of corporate culture
Guided Missile
• Task orientation
No.
•
Yes.Power of knowledge/ expertise
Yes.Commitment to tasks
•
•
No.Management by Objectives
•
No.Pay for Performance
•
No.Everything focused at reaching a
goal.
No.Not very centralized.
•
•
No.Very formalized.
•
No.Achievement and effectiveness
are more important than demands
of authority, procedures or

21. Extreme stereotype of corporate culture
Family
•
No. Power-orientation
•
No. Personal relationships
•
No. Entrepreneurial
•
No. Affinity/ trust
•
No. Power of person
•
No. Very centralized around
“father”/ “mother”: spider
in web.
No. Not very formalized.
•

22. Extreme stereotype of corporate culture
Eiffel Tower
• Role-orientation
Yes.
•
Yes.Power of position/ role
•
Yes.Job description/ evaluation
• Roles and procedures
Yes.
Yes.
• Order and predictability
•
Yes.Steep, stately and very robust.
•
Yes.Very formalized.
• Very centralized.
Yes.
Yes.
• Respect for authority based on
respect for functional position and
status.
• Order an predictability are important.
Yes.

23. Further reading
Trompenaars, Fons & Peter Woolliams (2003) Business Across
Cultures, Capstone Publishing Ltd, Chichester
• Chapter 2 The organization of meaning: introducing value dimensions
(37 p’s)
•Chapter 3 Further value dimensions (38 p’s)
•Chapter 4 Corporate culture (53 p’s)
www.cultureforbusiness.com
http://www.itapintl.com/facultyandresources/articlelibrarymain/the-use-
and-misuse-of-questionnaires-in-intercultural-training.html
http://www.chairt.com/compared.html