Organizational Culture: Critical Questions for Researchers and Practitioners

Abstract

Organizational culture is a complex field. Diverse approaches have been developed in the past, without giving a definitive answer to some crucial aspects. Rather than trying to finalize the discussion, the authors indicate which are the critical questions that every researcher and practitioner should clarify. The questions are: Is organizational culture the right concept for the research or consultancy project?; Which definition or approach of organizational culture will be used?; Which are the dimensions and domains of organizational culture?; Which cultures are intended to be studied: national? organizational? departmental? or professional?; Which is the appropriate research method?; At which level should the data gathered be analysed?; Which is the ideal culture for an organization?