The Behavioral Code: The Hidden Ways the Law Makes Us Better . or Worse

by Benjamin van Rooij

The first consists of what he calls “artifacts.” These are the tangible aspects of an organization’s culture consisting both of the “visible and feelable structures and processes” as well as of “observed behavior.” Artifacts are at the surface of an organization’s culture; they are how the organization manifests its culture. They are the visible products of an organization that may include its physical environment and architecture, its technology, its creations, its style, and its stories and myths. Moreover, artifacts also include the published documents that cover the values, operations, rituals, and organizational charts. The second level includes what Schein calls the espoused beliefs and values, which encompass the shared ideals, goals, values, and aspirations among individuals within an organization. These can come in the form of shared ideologies and also rationalizations for what the organization does. These espoused beliefs and values are deeper in the organization and cannot be directly observed; they must be learned by talking with organizational members. The third level of an organizational culture is what Schein calls the basic underlying assumptions. These are most deeply embedded in the organization and operate unconsciously through organization members.