However, as is the case with leadership, a consensus of the definition of culture remains elusive. Cross disciplinary research has not resolved variety of definitions. RLG takes the position that any definition should be in fundamental agreement with the area that claims “culture” as the primary concept of the field. This field is cultural anthropology. Therefore, the definition of culture by organization researchers most derived from anthropology is preferred. Edgar Shein has set the example which we follow.

Our community shares the concept of cultures as described by Schein. He defines culture as:

“A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved problems of external adaptation and internal integration that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.” Schein, Pg 12.

RLG, in collaboration with the Schweiger-Larkey Group, has designed an organizational assessment to answer this need of measuring culture. We therefore have modified our working definition to reduce complexity as follows: “Organizational culture is defined as the basic values, beliefs, and assumptions that members of organization hold.”
While there is disagreement as to the specific characteristics in the various interdisciplinary fields that include the study of a subset of culture characteristics, experts in business, organizations, and leadership agree on the basic definition used in these reports. In addition, RLG cultural analysis and research assume three level of analysis – artifacts, espoused values, and presuppositions (see Schein, 1992).

One important distinction is the difference between the formal organization dimensions (e.g., level of authority, organizational structure, organizational design, standard process and procedures) from the informal perception of organization dimensions. Certainly, primary sources of measuring culture include scientific observation, examination of company documents, and in depth interviews. However, perception of the organization’s values, beliefs, and assumptions cannot be analyzed by measuring only actual organizational formal structures and behavior. A comprehensive analysis of an organization’s culture must be measured surfacing human perceptions of cultural dimensions identified over the past twenty years of research.

Fifteen dimensions reasonably capture the consensus of organizational researchers.
The Schweiger-Larkey Organization Cultural Index (SLOCI) is provided by RLG to measure these fifteen dimensions of organization culture. Both individual and group reports are included. Priority ratings by the decision-makers will be combined with the data to create the impact and strategic sections of the report.

Example reports and additional information is provided below.