Organisational culture - part 1

In this lesson

1. 0:00 Introduction to organisational culture
2. 0:34 The organisational iceberg model explained
3. 2:43 Three main elements of culture
4. 4:38 Johnson's Cultural Web framework
5. 7:46 How cultural elements create organisational paradigm

About this lesson

You'll also discover the three main elements of culture—behaviours, artefacts, and rituals—and how Johnson's Cultural Web brings these together to reveal the cultural paradigm that shapes how organisations operate. Organisational culture is fundamentally about the underlying beliefs, values and codes of practice that define how an organisation works. The iceberg metaphor is key here: what you see on the surface—observable behaviours, practices and dress codes—is only a small part of the picture. The majority of culture lies beneath the surface in the form of attitudes, philosophies and taken-for-granted assumptions. This explains why changing culture is so challenging; you can't simply mandate new behaviours when the deeper beliefs driving them remain unchanged. Johnson's Cultural Web provides a framework for understanding how culture is constructed. It maps six interconnected elements: stories (the organisation's history and narrative), symbols (logos, slogans, design), power structures (hierarchy and relationships), organisational structures (divisional or functional), control systems (procedures and protocols), and rituals and routines (collective behaviours like team meetings or annual events). These elements don't exist in isolation; they interact to create the cultural paradigm—the set of basic assumptions that defines what's acceptable and expected within the organisation. Understanding how they work together is essential for anyone looking to analyse or influence organisational culture.

Duration: 8m