What’s Culture Got To Do With It?

Tina Turner taught us that chemistry is at the heart of ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It.’ She sings about the reaction between two people and tries to frame their feelings in logical terms. She takes out emotional responses and cautions the listener to ‘try to ignore that it means more than that.’ When businesses have operational or product hiccups, they frequently try to take emotion out of the equation by reminding others that it’s ‘just business.’ However, these hiccups are the results of the company’s trends and norms. They are a direct result of the company culture and are relatable to their employees as Turner’s ballad to listeners. It is because of the chemistry and the connection of various cultural backgrounds coming together in one company that we systematically study organizations through a person-centered approach.

Providing person-centered cultural analysis involves examining various aspects of the organization. This means exploring the stated and passive beliefs, values, and influences of the organizations to gain a better understanding of the problem and then turn it into opportunities. Understanding that culture is a fundamental aspect of human existence and plays a crucial role in shaping individuals and societies is one part. We also examine the intricate relationships between different cultural elements, as well as their historical, social, and environmental contexts.

This type of analysis often involves both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Ethnographic fieldwork, participant observation, interviews, surveys, and textual analysis are commonly employed to collect data and gain insights into cultural phenomena. Cultural analysis aims to uncover patterns, meanings, and underlying structures within a culture, as well as to identify variations and changes over time. It can help organizations gain a deeper understanding of cultural diversity, cultural dynamics, and the ways in which individuals and groups make sense of the world around them to make more informed choices moving forward.

Overall, culture has everything to do with ‘it,’ and that’s why cultural analysis is so much a part of what we provide for our clients.