Neuro-Organizational Culture
A new approach to understanding human behavior and interaction in the workplace
„Neuro-Organizational Culture”, in brief „Neuroculture“, is a new concept of culture, which provides a significantly improved understanding of human behavior and interaction in the workplace—an understanding, that enables to explain, anticipate and influence or sustainably change behavior in a significantly more reliable manner.
In its core, the current landscape of organizational culture concepts is 20-30 years old and has serious shortcomings for practical operationalizations. Primarily, this is due to a lack of understanding regarding what culture actually is and how it actually affects our behavior. How does “it” work and how does “it” unfold its power in real-life situations? How can “it” be changed?
Latest neuroscientific findings significantly elucidated the understanding of culture related brain processes, such as perceiving or judging what’s right or wrong. Human behavior is nothing other than perceiving, interpreting, feeling, thinking, deciding and acting. And if we want to change behavior, we have to learn and memorize. We do all that with our brains and emotions influence the way we do it. All this stands at the heart of neurosciences.
Neuroculture combines the latest findings from brain and emotion research with experiences gained from organizational culture in the past 30 years, as well as with important insights from sociology and psychology. This newly introduced model of culture consists of three building blocks: Reflexivity, Notions, and Emotions. Before the model is described, this book delves into the neuroscientific fundamentals of attention, perception, memory, learning, etc. and makes familiar with phenomena like emotion, stress, cognitive dissonance, intelligence and creativity.
The neuroscientific knowledge presented in this book is a unique composition, from which unique conclusions are made that are especially tailored to elucidate the understanding of organizational culture—and even more specifically, human behavior and interaction in the workplace.
Neuroculture consistently integrates rational and emotional aspects of human behavior and interaction. The concept covers the culture of groups as well as the culture of individuals consistently under one umbrella, which allows for a better explanation of individual deviations. All in all, the concept imparts an increased capacity and confidence to operationalize culture. In support of this, a structural framework and an inventory is provided in order to strikingly describe cultural phenomena. See how Bourdieu’s “fine distinctions”, Schwartz’s “Value System” and many other theories are built into that. Practical methods and templates to analyze, foster and actively change organizational culture complement the concept.
Finally, important global megatrends are outlined in order to define requisites for the cultural profile of 21st century organizations. The practical book, "Neuro-Organizational Culture—A New Approach to Unterstanding Human Behavior and Interaction in the Workplace", contains numerous company-examples and excursions on current issues from society, politics and general lifestyle.