Person Culture

• A culture where the organisation exists as a vehicle for people to develop their own careers and expertise
• The individual is the central point
• If there is a structure, it exists only to serve the needs of individuals within it
• In organisations with person cultures, individuals very much see themselves as unique and superior to the organisation
• The organisation simply exists in order for people to work
• An organisation with a person culture is really just a collection of individuals who happen to be working for the same organisation
• Person culture is like 'have your own back'
• Accounting, law and consulting firms are examples of person cultures
• Betterment of yourself rather than the business
• Summary of person culture

  • people believe themselves to be superior to the business
  • business full of people with similar training, background and expertise
  • common in firms of professionals
  • power lies in each group of individuals