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A description and mathematization of an adaptation-based culture mechanism

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Abstract

Organizational culture is recognized as a critical and influential aspect of organizational performance. Yet, the underlying mechanism of culture and methodological approaches that effectively link theoretical concepts to empirical models are vague. Consequently, organizational culture has largely been reduced to a linear, static variable in organizational research and management applications. Mathematical approaches can effectively bridge common theoretical culture elements to dynamic empirical interpretation. This paper makes explicit a theoretically-grounded mechanism of the relationship between culture and outcomes. Probability theory and set theory are used to define key elements of the culture mechanism, and an approach for derivation of testable hypotheses is presented. Providing theoretically-driven analyses may take research a step further to provide intervention insights to researchers and practitioners.

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Notes

  1. High shared knowledge with respect to solving a problem implies the “correct” shared knowledge exists. This implies the high shared knowledge informs behaviors that produce positive or successful outcomes.

  2. Low shared knowledge or the “incorrect” shared knowledge that does not serve the goal is more likely to lead to less successful and/or more variation in outcomes, which is elaborated upon in the next section.

  3. At this point, the relationships described in the exposition of culture theory are confound-free. When we move to a structural model, error terms will be introduced to account for the difference between theory and application.

  4. This example implies a dynamic time frame, which is a central aspect of the exposition of culture theory in this study.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Gina Yanni for technical assistance with LaTeX coding and review of mathematics. We also thank James Dolan, MD and Chris Seplaki, PhD for the continued support throughout the course of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Bio-behavioral Research, Sanford Research, 120 8th St S., Fargo, ND, 58103, USA

    Leslie A. Laam

  2. College of Health Science & Education, Misericordia University, 301 Lake St, Dallas, PA, 18612, USA

    Leslie A. Laam

  3. Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    George Godlewski & Wayne Psek

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  1. Leslie A. Laam
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  2. George Godlewski
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  3. Wayne Psek
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Correspondence to Leslie A. Laam.

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Laam, L.A., Godlewski, G. & Psek, W. A description and mathematization of an adaptation-based culture mechanism. Comput Math Organ Theory 29, 363–390 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10588-023-09374-7

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