Corporate Cultures

Corporate Cultures

 Deal and Kennedy’s study found four types of corporate cultures that are particularly defined by two factors: speed of feedbacks and/or rewards and the degree of risk that the company embarks on.

Tough-Guy Macho culture: This refers to a type of work environment that offers quick feedback and high risk. People who are individualists and enjoy taking risks are best fit for corporations with this culture. Consequences that may arise here include high levels of stress and short term orientation outlooks by the members as a result of a fast paced environment. Team work may also be stifled because most members will not be particularly interested in assisting those that are slow to pick up.

Process culture: On the other hand, this refers to a type of work environment that is slow in feedback and rewards and low on risks. When decisions are made, it takes a significantly long time before consequences show and each decision have little impact on the overall performance of the company. Because of this, employees are to be more focused on the processes of their work because of the rather lax environment they are in. Some problems that may arise from this type of culture include bureaucracies and laziness as a result of a too comfortable and secure environment.

Work-hard, Play-hard culture: Here is a culture that offers quick feedback but low risk. As opposed to the Macho culture, this culture type encourages team work because the stress coming from the high amount of work in this environment is levelled off with collaboration and group work of the members.

Bet-Your-Company culture: This culture type refers to one that offers slow feedbacks and rewards but high risks. Decisions have substantial effects to the company but those effects cannot be felt until a long time has passed. Corporations with this type of culture usually have large expenditures because of long term planning, preparations, processes, and waiting in order to arrive at results.

 On the other hand, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld found a different set of four different types of