Understanding the Essence of Schein Culture: A Comprehensive Guide
Organizational culture is critical to the success of any business or company. Every organization has its unique values, beliefs, and practices that shape how the entity operates. Understanding the essence of organizational culture is crucial in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organization.
One of the most popular models for understanding organizational culture is the Schein Culture framework. Edgar Schein, a renowned author, and professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management developed the model. The Schein Culture framework seeks to explain how an organization’s culture comes to be and its impact on business performance.
The Basics of Schein Culture
Schein Culture is a three-level model that explains how a company’s culture is formed. The levels are:
1. Artefacts – this level includes the visible and tangible elements of culture like symbols, structures, and processes.
2. Espoused values – these are the stated beliefs and attitudes that guide behavior in the organization.
3. Basic underlying assumptions – these are the unconscious beliefs, values, and assumptions that drive behavior.
To understand the Schein Culture model, one must start with an analysis of the artefacts within the organization. These artefacts are the visible aspects of culture, such as office décor, dress codes, communication style, and mood in the workplace. Studying and understanding these artefacts can provide critical insights into the company’s culture.
The Importance of Espoused Values
Espoused values, the second level of the Schein Culture model, are the beliefs, attitudes, and values that guide behavior in the organization. These values are often stated in a company’s mission statement or guidelines. Espoused values provide guidance to employees on how to act in different situations.
For example, if a company values customer service, then employees know that they should prioritize customer satisfaction when dealing with clients. If a company values innovation, then employees know that the company encourages risk-taking and creativity.
In some cases, companies profess values that are not consistent with their actions. For instance, a company that claims to value customer service but takes no concrete action to ensure their clients’ satisfaction. Such contradictions can often be identified by examining the company’s artefacts.
The Significance of Basic Underlying Assumptions
The last level of the Schein Culture model is basic underlying assumptions. These are the deep-rooted, unconscious beliefs, assumptions, and values that shape behavior in the organization. While these beliefs are not explicitly stated, they guide behavior in every aspect of the organization.
Basic underlying assumptions are difficult to identify because they are so deeply ingrained within the organization. However, they have a significant impact on the organization’s policies, processes, and outcomes. For example, an organization that assumes that their employees need to be micromanaged may have strict rules for managing employee behavior and performance.
Case Study: Schein Culture at Google
Google has one of the most celebrated organizational cultures globally and offers an excellent case study for understanding the Schein Culture model. Google’s culture is built on a foundation of values like innovation, customer focus, and employee empowerment. The company’s artefacts, such as the open office spaces, relaxed dress codes, and free snacks, articulate the priority placed on employee satisfaction and engagement.
Google’s culture is also driven by deep-seated assumptions, like the belief in data-driven decision-making that has informed their process of employee management and driven their success in handling data.
Conclusion
Organizational culture plays a fundamental role in shaping business performance. Understanding the essence of Schein Culture is critical for organizations that want to enhance their performance. The Schein Culture model provides a comprehensive framework for examining a company’s culture and identifying the causes of their successes and failures. By analyzing artefacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions, companies can better understand the complexity of their own cultures and implement measures to improve performance.
