Cultural Investigation

You will be asked to do a brief (10–15 minute) cultural exploration of a group within your organisation (or other
organisation) to explore the cultural assumptions. First you will observe the workplace in operation for a few
minutes using your senses to get a feel of the place and describe it briefly in the document. Then have a brief
chat with a worker there (a cup of coffee helps) to first verify that your observations are accurate. Then dig a bit
deeper to explore the connection of the personality of the workplace (culture) to the worker’s understanding of
how these connect to the underlying business goals of the organisation. Use the attached form to capture your
thoughts. We will discuss these cultural investigations in our live session. Submit the completed files here but
also have them ready to share for live seminar discussion.
The intent of this pre-work activity is to encourage sharing of perspectives central to addressing our topics from
multiple perspectives.
Cultural Investigation
Student Name:
Identify a division or group within your workplace that operates in at least a slightly different way to your own.
I would like you to then work to identify and explore the differences.
A 10 to 15-minute cup of coffee with a co-worker is all that is required.
You might introduce the interview by explaining that you are part of an MBA programme and your professor
has asked you to interview someone from a different sector of your business.

1. Observe:
   Using what you see (people, dress, decoration, cleanliness, lighting, furniture, floor covering, activity level, etc.)
   how would you describe the workplace?
   What do you hear (noise levels, interaction dynamics, who is talking to whom and how, types of language and
   shorthand, how are you greeted, etc.)?
   What about your other senses (is the venue cold or hot, how does it smell, what does the furniture feel like,
   etc.)?
2. Chat:
   Ask some general questions about the work environment. Prepare some key questions (minimum three) you
   wish to ask and be prepared for some simple follow-ups.
   Examples of useful questions might be: Is this a typical day around here? Why are people dressed the way
   they are? Is it always so noisy/quiet here? Why? How long does it take for new employees to fit in? What are
   some of the things a new employee needs to know or do to fit in?
3. Interview:
   From your chat, identify two cultural points characterizing this workplace then ask your interviewee some
   deeper questions exploring the connection of these cultural nuances to their foundational business purpose.
   They might not have a single clear answer. To truly explore these issues multiple interviews often need to be
   conducted. For this exercise, approximate answers are acceptable.
   Questions like the following can be used: How does [example of the dynamics you are focusing on] help the
   group to be more productive? Why is it this way and not another? Why is this different from other groups in the
   organisation? How does this behaviour/environment help the business succeed?