What is the relation between national identity and corporate culture?

Culture has a strong significance in our life, the way we act, we talk, our beliefs and traditions have all been shaped by our culture. So, as part of any nation we are touched by what authors call national identity that is, the culture that characterizes a national group, influences the behavior of its members and differentiates them from other groups.

In a few years from now, once we graduate we will become part of a company or we will establish one of our own. Either way we will be touched by another form of culture that happens inside organizations, and it is known as corporate culture which is “the total sum of the values, customs, traditions and meanings that make a company unique. Corporate culture is often called "the character of an organization" since it embodies the vision of the company’s founders. The values of a corporate culture influence the ethical standards within a corporation, as well as managerial behavior” [1].

But what is the relation between national identity and corporate culture?

I think that corporate culture is molded by national identity. This is due to the fact that within organizations the founders, CEO’s, and managers are the ones in charge of coming up with and applying the customs, values, and symbols that they want for their company to make it an excellent place to work in. It is about what the members of a certain organization think about the corporation and feel towards it. Those values and costumes implemented can be strongly influenced by the ones that they have grown up with, the ones that they have learned through their life, and they will use them as guiding principles to run their companies.
We should give importance to corporate culture because it can determine whether your company will be successful or not.

As culture differs from country to country, corporate culture also differs from a company to another. Watch the clip above and think how working in Google differs from working in a company in your hometown.


[1]. Montana, P., Charnov, B. (2008) Management (4th ed.), Barrons Educational Series, Hauppauge:NY