A leadership team asks which of the organizational culture models to use. The answer depends on the question: the Competing Values Framework sorts culture into types, Schein’s levels explain how deep culture runs, and Denison-style surveys produce a profile.
For the basics, start with what is workplace culture. For a wider catalogue of labels, see types of workplace culture.
The main organizational culture models
Three models cover most workplace conversations. Each answers a different question, so they sit side by side more usefully than they compete.
- Competing Values Framework. It describes culture as a small set of types, usually drawn as a quadrant chart. The Corporate Governance Institute lists the four types as clan, adhocracy, market and hierarchy. It suits leaders who want a shared vocabulary for what the organisation values most.
- Edgar Schein’s three levels of culture. It separates what can be seen from what is believed. Visible artifacts sit at the surface and underlying assumptions at the deepest level. It suits teams asking why behaviour persists after a change programme.
- Denison culture model. It is survey-based. Responses are summarised in a profile, often shown as a radar chart. It suits organisations that want a results view they can revisit and compare over time.
Four culture types in the Competing Values Framework
The four types are the easiest entry point because each has a plain-language focus. The table pairs each focus with a practical way to use it.
| Culture type | Focus | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| Clan | Long-term cohesion, with staff free to express themselves | Check whether people feel able to speak openly before changing team structures. |
| Adhocracy | Innovation, creativity and flexibility for all staff | Look here when the goal is to launch new products or ways of working. |
| Market | Beating competitors and leading the field; common in competitive sectors | Review whether performance pressure helps or crowds out collaboration. |
| Hierarchy | Reassurance and commitment to a shared goal | Consider it when predictability and clear roles matter more than speed of change. |
The focus descriptions come from the Corporate Governance Institute’s overview of corporate culture types; the planning-use column is editorial judgement.
Misunderstanding: the models are rivals
The models are not competing answers to the same question, so choosing one does not mean rejecting the others. The distinction is what each one is built to show.
- Type models describe emphasis. The Competing Values Framework tells a team what it leans toward, for example innovation or performance.
- Level models describe depth. Schein’s three levels explain why a stated value and daily behaviour can differ.
- Profile models describe measured results. A Denison-style survey gives a structured picture that people can discuss and revisit.
A sensible sequence is to use a type model to name the pattern, a level model to investigate it, and a survey profile to track it. Skipping straight to the survey is the most common shortcut and often leaves the discussion without a shared language.
Misunderstanding: a label settles what the culture is
A type name is a starting description, not a diagnosis. Calling a company a market culture says where its emphasis sits, not how people feel working there.
Source descriptions are also simplified. The Corporate Governance Institute notes that each of the four types is named after a Greek god and describes hierarchy culture as “Zeus-like”. That is a memorable shorthand, and it should not be read as a full account of any real workplace.
Use the labels to start a conversation with the people who live in the culture. If staff describe the label differently from leadership, that gap is the useful finding.
Schein’s levels: why the visible surface misleads
Edgar Schein’s three levels of culture run from what an observer can see to what members rarely say aloud. The model warns against judging culture from the surface alone.
Artifacts: the visible level
Artifacts are the things a visitor notices, such as posters, workspaces, layout and how people present themselves. They are easy to collect and easy to over-read. A tidy office or an inspiring wall display shows how a workplace looks, not what its members believe.
Underlying assumptions: the deepest level
Underlying assumptions are the unspoken beliefs behind everyday choices. They explain why a new policy can be adopted on paper and ignored in practice. Reaching them takes discussion, not observation, so this level suits teams willing to ask why things are done a certain way.
Denison-style profiles: reading survey results
The Denison culture model turns survey responses into a profile, commonly displayed as a radar chart. The strength of this format is comparison. Leaders can see which areas stand out and track whether they shift after a change effort.
A chart still needs interpretation. Treat the profile as a prompt for conversation with the teams behind the responses, and pair it with Schein’s questions about assumptions when the results surprise people.
Choosing a model for the situation
Pick the model by the decision in front of the team, not by which one is most familiar.
- Naming where you stand. Use the Competing Values Framework when leaders need a quick shared picture of emphasis, such as innovation versus stability.
- Explaining a stubborn gap. Use Schein’s levels when stated values and behaviour do not match.
- Tracking change. Use a Denison-style survey profile when results need to be compared across teams or over time.
Whichever you choose, the model works best as input to a facilitated discussion. A company culture workshop is one way to turn a chart or a set of type labels into agreed actions.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What are the main organizational culture models? | The Competing Values Framework, Schein’s three levels of culture and the Denison culture model are the most widely discussed. They describe types, depth and measured profiles respectively. |
| What types does the Competing Values Framework describe? | Clan, adhocracy, market and hierarchy, according to the Corporate Governance Institute. |
| Which model helps when behaviour contradicts stated values? | Schein’s levels, because they separate visible artifacts from the underlying assumptions that drive behaviour. |
| Does a survey profile replace conversation? | No. A profile shows patterns, and discussion with the people involved explains them. |
