Is corporate

culture an
overused
phrase? 
S2019006551Z Zhongqian Han
20172163 Danyu Zhang
S2019003932X Xinyu Yang
WHAT IS CORPORATE CULTURE

Inclusive?
 
Great?

Toxic?

Fearful?
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WHAT IS CORPORATE CULTURE

KEY TAKEAWAYS
● Corporate culture refers to the Values and
Norms that determine how a company's 
employees and management interact.
●  
Corporate culture is also influenced by 
national cultures and traditions,
economic trends, international trade,
company size, and products.
● Corporate cultures, whether shaped 
intentionally or grown organically, reach to 
the core of a company’s ideology and
practice, and affect every aspect of a 
business. 3
WHAT IS CORPORATE CULTURE

GLOBALISATION

CROSS-CULTURE CULTURE SHOCK

4
THE IMPORTANCE OF
GOOD CORPORATE
CULTURE
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CORPORATE
CULTURE 
For the employee:
• Increase the wellbeing of
employees
• A well-functioning culture
assists with onboarding
• Increase the creativity and
productivity
• Better motivation for work
For the company:
• Corporate culture transforms
the company into a team
• Higher reputation
(identification) and stand out
among the industry
• Higher Employee Retention
rate and lower HR costs
• Guarantee the ethical
behaviour of employee thus
maintaining reputation and
sustainability. 9
MOST IMPORTANT VALUE DRIVERS AT
U.S. FIRMS

CORPORATE CULTURE

STRATEGIC PLAN

OPERATING PLAN

CEO

MARKETING

PRODUCTION PROCESS

FINANCE FUNCTION

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

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Graham, J.R., Harvey, C.R., Popadak, J. and Rajgopal, S. 2017, ‘Corporate culture: Evidence from the 0
field’, National Bureau of Economic Research.
DO ALL FIRMS HAVE EFFECTIVE
CULTURES?

YES

NEED
CONSIDERABLE
WORK OR
SUBSTANTIAL NEED SOME
OVERHAUL WORK

1
Graham, J.R., Grennan, J., Harvey, C.R. and Rajgopal, S. 2016. ‘Corporate culture: The 1
interview evidence’. Duke I&E Research Paper,2016-42, pp.16-70.
IS “CORPORATE
CULTURE” OVERUSED?
IS CORPORATE CULTURE OVERUSED?

"Culture" was the most popular word of 2014, according to Merriam Webster's dictionary.

The report from experienced managers views:

Corporate culture is not a specific term;
Corporate culture becomes a buzzword 1
3
1 Culture is the humanizing element in an
organization:
Leader is core part of culture display : more communication and right image

Josh Bersin(2015): the factor most highly correlated with an individual's recommendation
of their company as a place to work was "quality and trust in leadership."

Shawn (2015): Several mistakes managers should avoided:

• Focusing on resistors;
• Under-communicating;
• Thinking in silos;
• Spreading negativity;
• Downplaying relationship;
• Overlooking social needs
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4
 Recruitment is a good way of culture test :
2 employee is always the most important
Cable et al (2000): Applicants’ culture beliefs were related to several preinterview information
source that recruiters can manage, but they were less related to information resource that firms
cannot control.

Braddy, Meade, & Kroustalis (2006): For international recruitment, both website design features
and information about organizational values, policies, awards, and goals affected viewers’
perceptions of organizational culture.

Zappons: Create Fun and A Little Wiredness; Southwest Airlines: ask for a fun joke

- If team members who are constantly undermining their managers, or spreading

negativity, it may be time to let them go;

- Not just brilliant skills, more important is culture fitting;

- Training for skills is easy, changing characteristics is hard 1

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3 Maintaining a healthy culture is an ongoing
process:
a) Looking at the current culture, and finding the area to improve

b) Deciding a direction for at least 3 years:

Short-term planning: Craig & Michael (2018): three deadly attitude -- Short-term
orientation, shallow thinking, & quick-fix expectation

c) Setting a goal & value in details:

more motivated employees?

Marty (2015): managers should avoid using a laissez- faire approach, and should avoid ignoring
culture misfits.

d) Keep changing: culture is not a fixed rules to obey

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regularly review quarterly or semiannually 6
Conclusi
on

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 Corporate Institutions

Informal Formal

Corporate Culture Formal Institutions

Values Management Practices

Norms Governance

Effective Culture
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Positive Outcomes
CREATIVITY (INNOVATION)

Adaptability (+)
VALUES
Result-oriented (-)

Organic new ideas development (+)
NORMS
Comfort in offering critiques (+)

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HOW TO IMPROVE CORPORATE
CULTURE?
 Leaders must define and live corporate values.

- Encourage employees to live values day to day.

- Need employees at all levels to buy in.

 Company must invest in culture.

- Dedicate time and resources to install and reinforce.

- Recognize, celebrate, and even promote employees who live the culture.

 Continuous, long-term commitment

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References
Braddy, P., Meade, W., & Kroustalis, A. ,2006. Organizational recruitment website effects on viewers’
perceptions of organizational culture. Journal of Business and Psychology, 20(4), 525-543.  Retrieved from
https://link-springer-com.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/content/pdf/10.1007/s10869-005-9003-4.pdf
Cable, D., Aiman-Smith, L., Mulvey, P., & Edwards, J., 2000. The Sources and Accuracy of Job Applicants'
Beliefs about Organizational Culture. The Academy of Management Journal,43(6), 1076-1085. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.simsrad.net.ocs.mq.edu.au/stable/1556336/
Cavico, D.F.J. and Mujtaba, B.G., 2016. Volkswagen emissions scandal: a global case study of legal, ethical,
and practical consequences and recommendations for sustainable management. Global Journal of Research
in Business & Management Vol, 4(2).
Graham, J.R., Harvey, C.R., Popadak, J. and Rajgopal, S. 2017, ‘Corporate culture: Evidence from the field’,
National Bureau of Economic Research.
Graham, J.R., Grennan, J., Harvey, C.R. and Rajgopal, S. 2016. ‘Corporate culture: The interview evidence’.
Duke I&E Research Paper,2016-42, pp.16-70.
Hickman, C.R. & Silva, Michael A, 1985. Creating excellence: managing corporate culture, strategy, and
change in the new age / by Craig R. Hickman and Michael A. Silva., London: Allen & Unwin.Retrieved from
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351065306
Josh Bersin, 2015, The Geeks Arrive In HR: People Analytics Is Here, Retrieved from 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshbersin/2015/02/01/geeks-arrive-in-hr-people-analytics-is-here/#1161a8167
3b4
Marty Fukuda, 2015, The 2 Most Common Company Culture Mistakes You Need to Avoid, Retrieved from 
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248231
Shawn Murphy, 2015,  Avoid These 10 Mistakes When Building Your Company's Culture, Retrieved from 
https://www.inc.com/shawn-murphy/10-culture-building-mistakes-all-great-leaders-avoid.html
2
Sue Wigston, 2016, 6 Common Mistakes That Organizations Make During a Culture Transformation,
Retrieved from 
1
https://www.eaglesflight.com/blog/6-common-mistakes-that-organizations-make-during-a-culture-transformat
Th a n k YO U
IS CORPORATE
IS C O R P O R A T E
CULTURE AN
CULTURE AN
OVERUSED
OVERUSED PHRA SE?
PHRASE? 
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