Facebook's Organizational Culture: A Study Using Schein's Model (2017)

This report analyzes the organizational culture of Facebook using Schein's Model. The analysis reveals that Facebook's organizational culture is characterized by two key values: an altruistic approach and a relaxed, humorous ambiance for employees. The culture promotes creativity, innovation, teamwork, and a focus on situation-based solutions. Employees showcase diverse beliefs and behaviors, but ultimately prioritize the organization's core values. The report also highlights the importance of socialization in transmitting the organizational culture to new employees through Facebook's 'Culture Committee.' Finally, recommendations are offered for increasing female representation in management positions and balancing employee freedom with effective leadership.

Running Head: Human Resource Development
Culture and Organization

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Table of Contents
Brief background of Organization:............................................................................................3
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................3
Justification of the chosen theoretical framework:....................................................................4
Explanation of chosen theoretical framework:..........................................................................7
Analysis of issue using the chosen theoretical framework:.....................................................11
Conclusions & Recommendations:..........................................................................................13
References:...............................................................................................................................14

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The brief background of Organization:
In 2004 Mark Zuckerberg started his company, Facebook. It is one of the most remarkable
social networking sites in the world. The co-owners of the company are Eduardo Saverin,
Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes. Mark Zuckerberg is the Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman of the company. Sherlyn Sandberg is the Chief Operating
Officer. It is the market leader and has given the modern world a new era of social media.
The company has commenced its business from serving the students of Harvard University,
and now it serves millions of the customers all over the world. In the current scenario, the
huge number of population is now addicted to the Facebook. The social networking has
become much popular for the young generations, but undoubtedly it can be said that age is no
bar to becoming the registered user Facebook. People of almost all ages are now having their
accounts on Facebook. It is one of the successful organizations in the world (Nations, 2017).
Introduction:
Organization culture of an organization indicates the ideas and the practices and the beliefs of
the organizations. The culture represents the diversity in language, customs, rituals, religious
beliefs and the practices of art. The organizational culture represents the basic beliefs and
conducts that every member of the organizations is supposed to abide by. The conducts of the
employees in the workplace are guided by the culture of the organizations. In the competitive
scenario of the modern business world where the internationalization is very popular, it has
been observed that organizational culture impacts significant influence on the conducts of the
employees. The organizations like Facebook have both nationals and expats. The report
highlights the analysis of the culture of an organization and illustrates the culture of Facebook

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by focusing on a particular organizational practice. It also highlights the analysis of the
application of one of the theoretical framework used in the study of the organizational culture
so as to conduct the evaluation of the culture of a specific organization. Schein's Model of
organizational culture has been chosen and analyzed in the light of the chosen company.
Facebook is one of the organizations where the human resource is considered to be the most
vital resources. The focus of the company is to develop the human resources. The company
develops its strategies and culture focusing its employees. It believes that the human
resources are the key to its success and sustainability (LOMBARDO, 2017).
The focus of the report is given below:
‘Identifying the organizational culture of Facebook by utilizing Schein’s Model of
organizational culture to analyze the culture of the said organization.'
Justification of the chosen theoretical framework:
One of the most important theoretical frameworks used in explaining the organizational
culture is Schein Model of organization culture. The framework has been initiated by Edgar
Schein. The theory firstly explains the basic meaning of culture and its impacts on the
organizations. It also explains the ways of reacting to any changes in the culture. The theory
says that it takes much time for an organization to adopt any culture (Rasel, 2014). With time
and changes, the employees of an organization find the ways of adopting themselves with the
environment of the organizations. The employees come across different conducts and
requirements in the external environment of the business. The past events and experiences
also form a particular culture in an organization. The beliefs of the business leaders and the
employers also shape the organizational culture. The employees who are new to any
organization start getting accustomed to the respective cultures of the organization. The

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model highlights some of the characteristics that contribute to the formation of the culture of
the organizations. The artifacts are the dress codes of the employees, their conducts, language
spoken, the mission of the organization in which they work for, vision, facilities available in
the office, furniture and the basic behavior of the employees form the culture of the
organization. The values of the individual employees of the organizations also form the
culture of the organizations. The attitudes and conducts of the employees are the values that
they retain and make the organizations different. The mindset of the employees impact the
overall conducts and practices of the organizations. The assumed values of the employees
could not be visible, but they also influence the culture of the organizations. In some
organizations, the male and female employees are found to be working with different mindset
and approaches. They feel differently on even some of the similar situations. There can be
some practices which are not displayed openly but followed and maintained by everyone
(Cecil, 2013).
The theory of Schein Model has been used for the analysis of the organizational culture of
Facebook because its primary focus is one the factors or characteristics that form the culture
of the organizations. The theory says that the surface culture, values, philosophies, and
fundamental assumptions are the important elements that form the culture of an organization.
This theory covers all the important components that together contribute to the cultural
formation. The culture of an organization is the major source of the resistance to the
organizational changes. The theory also helps to identify and analyze the dynamics of the
organizations that initiate with the belief that the changes are resisted by the organizational
culture primarily. This theory identifies the contribution of the technologies and the art in an
organization and the various other elements that are visible and tangible. The values which
are intangible but much important are also recognized by the theory. The social consensus of
the employees is also taken into account while the organizational culture is formed. The

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theory has been formed keeping in mind that there are certain factors in the external
environment of the organizations and the relationship with them are also important while the
organizational culture is discussed. The assumptions regarding the nature of the human
beings and their relationships at the workplace are also considered in the formation of the
organizational culture. The time is another important assumption as the culture does not gets
developed in a while (DININNI, 2017).
There is another important theory that explains the organizational culture. Geert Hofstede,
Expert in the national cultural framework analysis, has also come up with the analysis of the
impacts of the culture on the conducts of the business organizations. The Hofstede Cultural
Dimensional model focuses on the cross-cultural factors determining the organizational
culture. There are certain dimensions of culture as identified by Hofstede and those
dimensions are discussed in his model. The five dimensions that are discussed in the model
are Power distance, Uncertainty avoidance, Individualism and collectivism, Masculinity/
femininity and Long-term orientation (Hofstede, 2011). These factors are important for the
organizations with multinational exposure. These elements are important, but they are more
about the external environment rather than internal factors or assumptions. The power
distance refers to the place that an individual gets in his or her nation. The individualism
refers to the extent of the separate entity of the individuals where an individual takes all the
decisions on his or her own.
Collectivism refers to the mindset of working in groups and thinking for others. In the culture
where the people work for common goals collectivism is found to be higher. The integrated
relationships and support and support for one another is observed in such a culture.
Masculinity refers to the culture where money, competition, and achievements are valued
while in the feminine culture there is care and relationship-based conducts are found. In a

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culture where the main focus is the achievements in the future, and less importance is given
to the short-term success or gratification, long-term orientation is found. Similarly, in some
culture, short term orientation is also observed. These are the basic elements which form
individual cultural differences. But to understand the organizational culture, it is more
important to identify the internal values and practices that make an organization different in
the business world (mindtools, 2016). It is important to understand the elements that actually
build up the organizational culture. The culture according to the theory is the main element
that builds the business of an organization and defines the relationship between the
organization and its customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. The culture of a business
entity is reflected through its conducts, practices, and beliefs. The model is widely used in the
modern organizations as it is considered to be the most important tool of the management
with which the strategic objectives, mission, and vision are determined. The model is
extensively applied o understand the organizational culture in the light of the basic
characteristics and important assumptions.
Explanation of chosen theoretical framework:
The chosen theoretical framework for analyzing the organizational culture at Facebook has
been the Edgar Schein Model of Organizational Culture. The model has been chosen for
analysis as it is considered to be one of the most logical and rational tools for analyzing the
culture of an organization that considers the basic assumptions for shaping the values of the
enterprise and in turn the values help in shaping the organizational behaviour and practices
(Leo & Gert, 2004). The process of formation of an organizational culture does not occur
abruptly. It is a long process that occurs through the experiences of the past and in a manner
of observing those practices on a daily basis unless it becomes a practice for the organization.

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In this light, the Schein's Model of organizational culture can be described for better
understanding of its essential elements.
Schein's Levels of Organizational Culture
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/47739461_fig1_Figure-1-Schein%27s-Levels-
of-Culture-Adapted-from-Schein-1985-p14
According to this model, there are 3 levels in a particular's organizational culture. They are as
follows:
1. Artefacts- These factors consist of the visible elements of the organizational culture those
can be viewed from the outside. They are divided into the following elements:

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 Physical Artefacts- These consist of the interior designing and architecture
such as physical space, the design of the office, dressing culture, awards, and
mementos those have been adorned in the organization.
 Language- It consists of the various languages spoken by the employees
belonging to multiple cultures, different types, and levels of noise like slogans
and some special expressions by some of the employees.
 Stories & Myths- These consist of the various discussions going on within the
organization like which actions are considered to be good and which ones to
be considered as bad, ways to tackle various situations, various consequences
those might happen if there is a breach of ethics, etc.
 Technology- It is also an important part of the culture as it reflects the
organizational values and practices through several functions, knowledge,
materials, etc.
 Visible Traditions- They consist of the several social practices, leadership
practices, rituals, work traditions, etc.
2. Values- Values are situated at higher levels when compared to the basic assumptions. They
represent higher levels of consciousness, and they constitute of the shared opinion of the
members on the ways that the things should be done. The values contribute to the
classification of the scenarios and actions undertaken as either desirable or undesirable.
3. Basic Assumptions- An assumption can be referred to as an established belief that is
considered to be true and is not challenged under any circumstances. Basic assumptions
pattern evolve among the members of a particular social group, and this forms the core
culture of the enterprise. As the basic assumptions are assessed, the confusing artifacts and

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values start to become unambiguous and coherent. According to Schein, there can be six
forms of assumptions those constitute the paradigm of all the organizations as follows:
 Assumptions regarding the truth in social and physical domains, ways of
determining truth and reality and whether the truth has to be revealed or
discovered
 Assumptions related to relevance and significance of time in a team or group
and the ways in which such time is to be measured and defined
 Assumptions of concepts about space in terms of the ways in which space is
owned and allocated and the meaning of space in terms of the ways it relates
to different persons. It also consists of the ways in which space helps in
shaping up relationships among different individuals in the organization
 Assumptions related to intrinsic and the most important aspects of the nature
of human beings in terms of the goodness or badness of the fundamentality of
the human nature and the way it can achieve perfection
 Assumptions encompassing the relationship of the organization with the
environment under which it operates, assessing the relevance of work and play
and determination of the degree of activity and passivity to be undertaken
 Assumption related to the correct manner in which people needs to relate with
one another in the workplace setting and the correct methods of delegating
power and responsibilities. It also consists of an understanding of the relative
advantages of cooperation versus competition, individualism or group work,
charisma or law along with other assumptions such as effective ways of taking
strategic decisions and undertaking resolutions of conflicts (Management
Study HQ, 2017).

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Analysis of issue using the chosen theoretical framework:
The application of the theory proposed by Schein on organizational culture is evident on the
practices of employee-focused strategies observed by Facebook as a part of its organizational
culture. The organization is one of those that believe that employees are one of the key
stakeholders of the organization and therefore it is the moral responsibility of the
organization to take care of the needs and preferences of its employees. An analysis of the
culture of the organization implementing Schein's Model reveals that at the first level, those
who are within the organization can view the organizational culture with the help of the
organizational artifacts. They include the slogans of the company, the behavior of the
employees or the logos used by the company. Facebook promotes a colorful and humorous
ambiance for the employees. Each of the customers or stakeholders visiting the office of
Facebook will be able to notice this happiness in the attitude and behavior of the employees.
The employees are always eager to help out the customers with any query in a contented
manner and with smiles on their faces and courtesy and discipline in their behaviors that
clearly depicts adequate employee motivation and job satisfaction (Schein & Kuppler, 2017).
The middle level of Schein's Model consists of values and norms those are observed by the
employees within the organization. This phase of the cultural model at Facebook is
characterized by two key values such as altruistic approach and maintaining a relaxed and
humorous ambiance for the employees. The employees showcase diverse beliefs in various
domains such as the significance of focusing on a particular situation such that the issue can
be successfully identified and the employee in the concerned department can offer the most
effective service relevant to the situation to the customer. The culture teaches the employees
to focus on the given situation or behavior rather than on the persons involved in them. The
employees also depict extreme creativity and innovation in their approaches. They also
believe in the essence of teamwork in many of their activities, and this has been possible

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owing to the warmth and trust of the employees on each other. This is also one of the key
success factors for the effective output and productivity of the employees and the
organization as a whole. The most notable aspect of the work culture that came out through
the implementation of Schein’s Model is the great bonding that the employees of Facebook
share and that is a secret to their global success (Kong, 2003).
At the third level of the organizational culture that is considered to be the deepest of all lies
the Basic Assumption Level. Here, the transmission of the culture occurs unnoticed beneath
the surface and in an unconscious manner. These factors help in the assessment of the core
organizational values, and they reflect the shared assumptions depicting the interaction
among the employees. The new employees of the organization are taught the basic elements
of the organizational culture and the correct procedures of doing things through socialization.
Facebook implements a technique for socializing the core values of the organization to the
new employees through a "Culture Committee." The responsibility of this committee is to
teach the new employees about the core cultural attributes of Facebook. Thus, it helps the
employees to adapt themselves to the organizational culture and practices those lie at the
heart of Facebook's organizational cultural setup (Kien, 2014).

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Conclusions & Recommendations:
On a concluding note to this report, the essence of organizational cultural values in shaping
up the prospective future outcomes of an organization is reflected. The analysis implemented
Schein's Model of Organizational Culture as the major tool for assessing the impact of
organizational culture on the performance of the employees. The report has also analyzed the
significance of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory as one of the other theories of
organizational culture analysis. However, for the analysis of Facebook's culture, Schein's
Model was applied, and it revealed the various elements of the organization's culture those
are its main strengths and reasons for employee motivation and effective productivity.
The analysis of the organizational culture of Facebook has made way for the opportunity to
offer some recommendations as follows:
 There needs to be more participation of female employees in crucial managerial
positions and as supervisors. The management needs to offer fair chances to the
female contingent so that they can represent the composition of the management.
 The organizational culture reveals too much of freedom and liberty at the workplace
allowed to the employees which are in a way an encouraging factor for employee
motivation. But, there should be effective leadership in some areas where the
employees’ actions and strategies need adequate supervision and monitoring. As such,
managers might observe the Transformational Leadership style in order to guide,
mentor and motivate their teams on critical scenarios to ensure even better
productivity and outcome.

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References:
Cecil. (2013, January 17). Edgar Schein : Organizational Culture and Leadership. Retrieved
from thehypertextual: https://thehypertextual.com/2013/01/17/edgar-schein-organizational-
culture-and-leadership/
DININNI, J. (2017, February 22). Management Theory of Edgar Schein. Retrieved from
business: https://www.business.com/articles/management-theory-of-edgar-schein/
Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model . Unit 2 Theoretical
and Methodological Issues , 1-26.
Kien, N. D. (2014). ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE– A case study of Standard Chartered
Bank. TURKU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES THESIS , 1-13.
Kong, S.-H. (2003). A PORTRAIT OF CHINESE ENTERPRISE THROUGH THE LENS
OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. Asian Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1
, 83-102.
Leo, P., & Gert, R. (2004). The discriminant validity of the culture assessment instrument: A
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organizational-culture-characteristics-analysis
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from managementstudyhq: http://www.managementstudyhq.com/edgar-schein-model-
theory.html

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mindtools. (2016). Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Understanding Different Countries.
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Nations, D. (2017, June 6). What Is Facebook? Retrieved from lifewire:
https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-facebook-3486391
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organizational-culture-leadership-edgar-schein/