Introduction
South Africa, like any other democracy, faces numerous challenges as it navigates the complexities of its democratic journey. Disappointment and disillusionment have been prevalent, as the promised and anticipated fruits of progress often fall short. In our previous essay, [1] we delved into the multi-dimensional nature of culture and how it shapes the identity of a group. We also discussed the importance of culture’s continuous production of artifacts and benefits for its members. If one is dissatisfied with the outcomes they are experiencing, it may be time to evaluate their culture. This article further explores the intricate definition of culture by examining its structural and dynamic aspects, building upon the concepts previously discussed.
Culture is Structured
Edgar Schein, an expert in organizational culture, differentiates between three major structural entities [2] within people groups:
· Macro-culture;
· Sub-culture; and
· Micro-culture.
Macro-culture defines the overarching environment in which an organization operates and strives for success or survival. It encompasses the group’s business strategy and overall direction.
Sub-cultures, on the other hand, arise from factors such as geographical location or specific functions within the organization. Examples include distinct cultures within different departments like finance, project management, or engineering design.
Finally, micro-cultures exist within an organization, with each individual representing the smallest form of a micro-culture.
Within a Macro-culture, every Sub- and Micro-culture understands and respects the cultural code, working together to sustain and nurture the community. Culture is an ongoing learning process, with sub-cultures accumulating knowledge about beliefs, values, choices, and the fruitful outcomes that define the culture. As this process unfolds, individuals within the culture share its artifacts and reap the benefits of the collective harvest.
Culture is Dynamic
Culture is not static but rather dynamic, meaning the culture of today can differ significantly from that of tomorrow. To be resilient and sustainable, cultures must continually adapt to ever-changing environments. Consequently, every cultural code is programmable and subject to change over time.
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, famously stated that one cannot step into the same river twice [3], highlighting the constant flux and change inherent in life. Similarly, cultures continuously adjust their course in response to evolving environments and goals. Change is both inevitable and necessary for survival.
However, cultural change is not a random process. Cultures do not drift aimlessly within their domains; instead, they navigate paths influenced by geographical, social, and economic environments. A culture’s experiences shape its future direction, and choices made when paths diverge determine its trajectory. Just as a ship’s tiller controls its rudder, leadership plays a crucial role in guiding and directing cultural changes. Scholars such as Samuel P Huntington [4], Jarred Diamond [5] and Niall Ferguson [6] have explored the driving forces behind cultural change, analysing how certain cultures have achieved dominance by developing successful cultural codes or “apps.”
Forces Shaping Culture
Analogous to Newton’s laws of motion, which relate an object’s motion to the forces acting upon it, a culture’s path depends on the forces influencing it. Social and technical forces are the two primary forces which shape a culture’s trajectory.
Technical forces encompass shared beliefs, values, and norms related to an organization’s mission, strategy, and goals. They determine WHAT and HOW the culture or organization does things.
Conversely, social forces determine how individuals within the organization organize themselves to create the social hierarchy necessary for the pursuit of business strategies and goals. Social forces revolve around WHO and WHY members assimilate into the organization.
Within a healthy and sustainable culture, a delicate balance between technical and social forces must be maintained through strong leadership. This mutualistic relationship ensures the benefit of both the culture and the organization. Leadership by elders within the culture is vital to harness and consolidate within the culture’s memory to maintain social and technical balance while making wise choices.
In summary, the concept of culture is multifaceted, influencing all aspects of human life. It encompasses both the familiar and the unfamiliar, defining our actions and shaping the outcomes we reap. Culture is dynamic, structured, and multidimensional, with each culture possessing its own understood, nurtured, and respected code upheld by its members, leaders, and elders. Yet, cultures are not stagnant, as leaders and members continually face the crossroads of inevitable future development.
The tug of war between social and technical forces constantly vies for dominance in shaping a culture’s trajectory. These are indeed interesting times, where the ecosystems within which cultures exist undergo rapid change. To ensure that all sub- and microcultures comprising a macro-culture comprehend and respect its cultural code, strong leadership is paramount. Sustainable cultures require exceptional guidance to navigate the balance between social and technical forces, allowing them to adapt and thrive amidst ever-changing environments.
The sustainability of a culture relies heavily on nurturing, as leadership entrusts the cultural code to subcultures and the next generation. Without the guidance of parents or leaders, a culture can become stagnant and falter. However, due to the complexity of culture, it is easily misunderstood. Delving beneath the surface to gain a deep understanding of a culture’s worldview and value system demands significant time, skill, and effort. Consequently, many people traverse life unaware of the cultural dynamics surrounding them. To foster better cultural understanding, we must carefully attend to prevailing cultural dimensions and seek answers to challenging questions about beliefs, values, and artifacts.
Within a culture, understanding and learning about its code transpires through the teachings and narratives of elders. The stories shared around campfires, dining tables, and boardroom tables anchor and sustain a culture. Conversely, comprehending and learning about someone else’s culture necessitates careful observation and meaningful inquiry. In a fitting example, the prologue to “Guns, Germs, and Steel” author Jarred Diamond [5] recounts a conversation with a New Guinean politician named “Yali,” who poses the question, “Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own?” Similarly, Niall Ferguson opens his book, Civilization: The West and the Rest [6], by asking, “What made Western civilizations expand so spectacularly in wealth, influence, and power?“
Understanding one’s own cultural code is challenging enough, let alone comprehending another’s. Thus, it is crucial never to judge another culture based on perceived differences or misunderstood artifacts. We often rush to judgment without understanding. Instead of casting blame and passing judgment, perhaps it is time for us to examine our own cultures through storytelling and to approach other cultures with meaningful questions, aiming for a better understanding of ourselves, others, and life itself.
All cultures are intricate, and all cultures are vulnerable. As our world grows smaller each day, understanding culture becomes increasingly vital. We all bear the responsibility of being guardians of culture—protectors of our own and of others’. Former US President Ronald Reagan, in his inaugural address, stated, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.“
Currently, far too much energy is wasted on judging other cultures. It would benefit us all to invest more time in assessing our own cultural codes.
In our next article, we will delve into more details discussing the driving forces that determine the path of change all cultures have to walk.
REFERENCES
[1] The Fruit of Our South African Culture | LinkedIn
[2] Schein, E.H. (1991). What is Culture? In P.J. Frost, J. Martin, L.F. Moore, CC Lundberg, & M.R. Louis, (Eds.), Reframing Organizational Culture. SAGE Publications, Newbury Park, California 93120 (pp. 243-253).
[4] Huntington, S.P. (1996). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY 10020.
[5] Diamon, J. (2005). Guns Germs and Steel, The Fates of Human Societies. W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 10110.
[6] Ferguson, N. (2011). Civilization: The West and the Rest. Penguin Random House UK, London SW11 7BW.
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