Organizational Culture: Origins and Weaknesses

This paper is a brief but critical survey of some theories of organizational culture. It outlines the theories of culture borrowed from anthropology by social scientists interested in 'complex organizations', and locates these theories in an historical debate regarding their 'proper&#...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organization studies 1988-10, Vol.9 (4), p.453-473
Main Author: Meek, V. Lynn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Australia
Complex Organizations
Corporate culture
Organizational behavior
Organizational Culture
Sociology
Studies
Theoretical Problems
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Summary:This paper is a brief but critical survey of some theories of organizational culture. It outlines the theories of culture borrowed from anthropology by social scientists interested in 'complex organizations', and locates these theories in an historical debate regarding their 'proper' use. The paper argues the need for a conceptual distinction between culture and social structure, and asserts that the culture of organizational life cannot be analyzed in terms of a universal unitary concept. The argument concludes by suggesting 'conceptual tools' for interpreting culture — symbol, ideational systems, myth and ritual — and how they might be used in analysis.
ISSN:0170-8406
1741-3044
DOI:10.1177/017084068800900401