7.3 Defining board culture

Question 1

Geert Hosfstede offers 6 levels that make up an individuals’ culture. What are they?

Answer 1

National
Regional/ethnic/religious
Gender
Generational
Social class
Organisational

Question 2

Edward Schein described 10 categories of culture which relate to the observed interactions of people, including language, tradition, etc. List 5.

Answer 2

1 Group norms - e.g. how meetings are run
2 Espoused values - e.g. governance in annual report
3 Formal philosophy - e.g. codes of conduct
4 Rules of the game - e.g. not challenging aggressive CEO
5 Climate - e.g. the classic top-floor board room
6 Embedded skills - e.g. the ability to challenge with respect
7 Habits and mental models - e.g. an 80% decision is better than a deayed 95% decision
8 Shared meanings - e.g. shared agreement around board priorities
9 Root metaphors or symbols - e.g. the company jet versus the board using a ground level room
10 Formal rituals and celebrations - e.g the meal before a board meeting

Question 3

Schein proposes three levels of culture, often called the “iceberg” model. What are the three levels?

Answer 3

1 Artefacts and etiquettes
2 Espoused values
3 Basic underlying assumptions

Question 4

Schein defined culture as:

‘the accumulated shared l________ of a given group, covering the behavioural, emotional and c________ elements of the members’ total psychological functioning leading to an overall definition of culture as a pattern of shared basic a____________ learned by a group as it solves problems of external adaption and internal integration, has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore to be taught to new members as the c_______ way to percieve, think and f___ in relation to those problems.’

Answer 4

learning
cognitive
assumptions
correct
feel

Question 5

Give Cross’ simple definition of board culture.

Answer 5

The repeating patterns of the board dynamic.

Question 6

The most basic cultural marker in the boardroom is…. what?

Answer 6

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