I was checking out some cool old organizational culture theories when I came across the Irish author/philosopher Charles Handy and his 1985 work on organizational culture.  Handy popularized a method of looking at culture which some scholars have used to link organizational structure to Organizational Culture. He describes 4 types:

1. a Power Culture which concentrates power among a few. Control radiates from the center like a web. Power Cultures have few rules and little bureaucracy; swift decisions can ensue.

2. In a Role Culture, people have clearly delegated authorities within a highly defined structure. Typically, these organizations form hierarchical bureaucracies. Power derives from a person’s position and little scope exists for expert power.

3. By contrast, in a Task Culture, teams are formed to solve particular problems. Power derives from expertise as long as a team requires expertise. These cultures often feature the multiple reporting lines of a matrix structure.

4. A Person Culture exists where all individuals believe themselves superior to the organization. Survival can become difficult for such organizations, since the concept of an organization suggests that a group of like-minded individuals pursue the organizational goals. Some professional partnerships can operate as person cultures, because each partner brings a particular expertise and clientele to the firm.

Handy’s work is pretty high level and doesn’t drill down into the nuances that set different cultures apart but I think it’s a great way of looking at the ‘heart’ of culture.

Which of the 4 org. cultures above best describes where you work now? 

If you had to choose one, what would be your ideal work culture?