Organizational culture is a trending topic in academic research, in organization theory and management practice. Culture is central in all aspects of organizational life. Even if it receives little attention, how people in an organization think, value and act is guided by ideas and beliefs of a cultural (socially shared) nature. Senior organizational members are always, in one way or another, ‘managing culture’ – underscoring what is important and what is less so and framing how the corporate world should be understood.

In most contemporary organizations, corporate culture receives a lot of attention and is seen as crucial. However, even in those cases where top managers have a strong awareness of the significance of culture, there is often a lack of a deeper understanding of how people and organizations function in terms of culture. Culture is significant and complex and difficult to use in a thoughtful way. It is often difficult to attain a high level of cultural awareness to guide actions.

Still, a strong case can be made for taking an interest in corporate culture in relation to performance. Managers frequently ascribe successes such as rapid growth to their culture. It is tempting to emphasize the significance of corporate cultures for performance, growth and success.