Abstract:

This paper discusses the significance of various theoretical and methodological approaches to the concept of organisational culture with respect to the marketing activities of a company. Emphasis is placed on the marketing staff’s function as a link between the cultures within and outside of the organisation. The currently popular view of organisational culture as a new management tool is criticised; it is shown that the assumptions which underly this research practice do not meet scientific standards. The reason for this is that culture is assumed to be different for every organisation; this would imply that cross-organisational and even cross-situational comparisons could not be made and results could never be generalised. Alternative methodological approaches are discussed with respect to their practicability in today’s markets.