Rethinking the transfer of the organisational culture model as a process of change

Abstract

This study adopts a comprehensive approach of organisational culture, through the use of Schein's (2004) cultural model, to understand the complexities and nuances of the process of transferring both the most and the least visible aspects of culture from a multinational corporation (MNC) to its foreign subsidiaries. A single case study of a Mexican MNC is analysed through interviews with human resources executives and company documents. The findings show that the least visible aspects of organisational culture do shed light on the cultural model transfer and that the flexibility to change and/or adapt this model from headquarters (HQ) to the foreign subsidiaries is desirable to accomplish some level of cultural integration. MNCs need to involve managers and employees from HQ and foreign subsidiaries in the change and sense-making processes during the organisational culture transfer. Rigid attempts at imposing cultural mechanisms of control can increase the cost in terms of dealing with resistance.