An artifact is defined as a man-made object that has some kind of cultural significance.

Work-related
artifacts include our processes, policies, and procedures, as well as our technologies, daily interactions,
and the environments we create. They can even be found in the methods in which we address each
other, the way we conduct ourselves in meetings, our tone of voice on the telephone, and our
interactions in the lunch room.

A recent infographic perfectly sums up the concept of organizational artifacts, and the importance of
managing not just the visible ones, but the underlying ones as well. Just as the iceberg that sunk the
Titanic, up to 90% of an organization’s artifacts and values that make up its culture are often below the
surface. This means that those steering the ship (in the case of the Titanic), or the leaders responsible
for the buoyant vessel that is your business, are only seeing one-tenth of the artifacts that make up the
culture of their organization.

Inter organizational culture is boundary spanners culture, and involves the interaction between
customers' boundary spanners and the relevant people.

With the right leadership and a cultivated culture, artifacts can positively ignite your organization.
Without proper leadership, they can be your biggest liability. Being mindful that your organization is
constantly creating these artifacts, while making an effort to foster the positive, effective, and
productive ones, is crucial.

In order to be developed, inter-organizational relationships, as well as organizational cultures, rely on

communication, learning, trust, commitment, and shared meanings and symbols. This book discusses
the emergence and development of an inter-organizational culture, in which meanings, beliefs, and
values of people from different companies interact. It proposes that inter-organizational culture can be
seen as a culture of intersection, because of the association of cultural perspectives between suppliers
and intermediaries. The more the parties are motivated to maintain the relationship, the more willing
they are to invest in that relationship, which minimizes the risk of dissolution, promotes interaction, and
contributes to cultural changes.
Symbols: A symbol is an object, act or event that conveys meaning to others. Symbols associated with
corporate culture convey the organisation's important values.

Stories: A story is a narrative based on true events that is repeated frequently and shared among
organizational employees. Stories are told to new employees to keep the organisation's primary values
alive, stories guide the vision of the organisation, instilling values, enhancing quality, and encouraging
workers to strive to better themselves.

Heroes: A hero is a figure who exemplifies the deeds, character and attributes of a strong corporate
culture, role models for employees to follow. Organizations with strong cultures take advantage of
achievements to define heroes who uphold key values.

Slogans: A slogan is a phrase or sentence that succinctly expresses a key corporate value. Cultural values
can also be discerned in written public statements, such as corporate mission statements or other
formal statements that express the core values of the organisation.

Ceremonies: A ceremony is a planned activity that makes up a special event and is conducted for the
benefit of an audience. Managers hold ceremonies to provide dramatic examples of organisation values.
Ceremonies are special occasions that reinforce valued accomplishments, create a bond among people
by allowing them to share an important event, and anoint and celebrate heroes.