The culture level model of the U.S. organizational psychologist Edgar H. Schein (1995) distinguishes three levels of culture based on their visibility. According to Schein, the essence of culture manifests itself in its basic premises, which lie hidden beneath a surface of artifacts and emphasized values.
Context Corporate Culture
Schein introduces the culture level model in the context of corporations. Corporate cultures are approximately closed systems that can be distinguished from other cultures. Their subsystems, processes and mechanisms can be seen through more easily than is the case in society. In addition, there are economic interests of corporate management that may make it necessary to change the corporate culture (Schein 1995: pp. 18-20).
Schein’s understanding of culture
Schein defines culture as a „pattern of shared basic premises“ (Schein 1995: p. 25). Basic premises here mean shared knowledge, a common world of experience among group members. This knowledge is acquired by jointly overcoming problems and working toward goals. In doing so, companies react to environmental changes and influences (external adaptation) and accept new members from time to time (internal integration). Culture is described by Schein as a learning process that entails, on the one hand, a demarcation of the group from the outside and, on the other hand, the development of a self-image of the group. According to Schein, corporate culture has a rational and emotional influence on all group members and their behavior with the long-term goal of enabling stability and growth.
The culture level model
„The dean of organizational culture, Edgar Schein, teaches that culture has three layers: the artifacts of a culture – our symbols and signs; its espoused values – the things we say we believe; and, most important, its underlying assumptions – the way things really are.“ (Comey 04/08/2019)
[Dean of Organizational Culture Edgar Schein teaches that culture has three levels: a culture’s artifacts – our symbols and signs; its espoused values – the things we say we believe; and, most important, its underlying assumptions – the nature of things.“ (Comey 04.08.2019), translation Ch.H.]
Schein’s culture level model (Schein 1995: p. 30) identifies three levels that are interrelated:
Artifacts refer to „visible structures and processes in the company“ (ibid.), which are easy to recognize but difficult to decipher. Examples include spatial architecture, clothing, language style, symbols, and rituals.
Professed values include „strategies, goals [and] philosophy“ (ibid.) of the company, which are easy to research but difficult to decipher. Mission statements, strategy papers, articulated values, and visions shape a company’s external image, but do not equate to the actual behavior of group members.
The expression of professed values is expressed in the basic premises, that is, in the unconscious and self-evident „views, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings“ (ibid.) of group members. For example, the corporate climate, shared worldview, or presumed cognitive abilities are invisible to outsiders as well as group members and can rarely be named or even decoded. Awareness of the processual nature of cultures is relevant here as well: Basic premises have mostly grown historically and are therefore extremely difficult to change (cf. Schein 2003: p. 34f.). Further developments of the culture level model can be found, for example, in more recent management theory in Schreyögg/Koch (2020: pp. 585-591).