Each department of an organization may have its own culture representing a sub-culture of the system. An organizational culture takes place when there is an integration of all the departments. Within any given unit the tendency for integration & consistency will be assumed to be present, but it is perfectly possible for coexisting units of a larger system to have cultures that are independent & even in conflict with each other.

Dominant Culture
Expresses the core values that are shared by a majority of the organization’s members.

Subcultures
Minicultures within an organization, typically defined by department designations and geographical separation.

 

• Dominant culture is really what we mean when we refer to Org. culture.
• Subcultures can support the dominant culture or act as countercultures and oppose the core values of the organization Two functions of countercultures:
  - provide surveillance and critique, ethics
  - source of emerging values