In this case study, we see how corporate culture develops as an ethos (e.g., “let’s bury our
differences and keep the peace”) created and sustained by social processes, images, symbols, and
ritual. Rituals are often embedded in the formal structure of the organization, as in the case of the
president’s weekly staff meeting, the real function of which was to affirm that senior members of
the organization were at some form of peace with each other. The case also illustrates the crucial
role played by those in power in shaping the values that guide an organization. In this example,
even though the president was perceived by the staff as being relatively weak, he managed to
exert a decisive influence on the nature of the organization. The case also shows how historical
circumstances, in this case the conflict between inside and outside groups, can shape the present.
We also see how the fundamental nature of an organization rests as much in its corporate culture
as in the more formal organization chart and codes of procedure. Indeed, it is probably no
exaggeration to suggest that, in this case, corporate culture may have been the single most
important factor standing between success and failure.