In this blog post, we explore whether organizational culture can actually be measured. Spoiler alert: it can! If you’re wondering what organizational culture really means, check out our previous blog post, “What Is Organizational Culture?” In that post, we break down the definition and give the term a clear meaning.
Okay, so we know what it means. Now what? We know that a positive organizational culture has a beneficial impact on how a company operates and how employees perform, while a negative culture does the opposite. But how can you know what kind of culture your company has — and whether it’s positive or negative? Fortunately, there are methods to measure and visualize organizational culture. The most accurate one is the OCAI methodology, based on the CVF. You’re probably wondering what all those abbreviations mean — let’s clarify that.
CVF stands for Competing Values Framework. This is a scientifically recognized model developed by Robert Quinn and Kim Cameron in 1983. The model remains up to date and widely used today. It categorizes company cultures along two dimensions: flexibility vs. stability and internal focus vs. external focus. OCAI stands for Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument, also developed by Quinn and Cameron, and is a tool designed to measure and analyze organizational culture. Together, these frameworks identify four distinct culture types, each with unique characteristics.
Collaborate (Clan Culture): Focuses on teamwork, mentorship, and a family-like environment. It values loyalty, tradition, and a sense of community. Ideal for teams that appreciate strong relationships and employee development.
Create (Adhocracy Culture): Characterized by innovation, flexibility, and risk-taking. An entrepreneurial mindset where creativity, autonomy, and experimentation thrive. Perfect for startups and teams developing new products or solutions.
Compete (Market Culture): Result-driven and competitive, focusing on achieving goals and customer satisfaction. A performance-oriented culture emphasizing targets, bonuses, and outperforming competitors. Essential for commercial teams.
Control (Hierarchy Culture): Structured and formal, with clear processes and hierarchy. Stability, control, and efficiency are key. Defined career paths, mentorship, and predictability help large organizations stay organized.
Organizational culture doesn’t have to be an abstract concept. It’s understandable — and more importantly, measurable. By gaining insight into your current culture, you can strengthen it — or adjust it when change is needed or new goals arise.
Curious about your own company culture? We’ve developed a culture test based on the OCAI and CVF. In just a few minutes, you’ll gain a clear understanding of your company’s culture and how your employees perceive it. Scientifically validated, easy to use, and completely free!
