Vermeulen, Frank <br/><br/>
Cultures of engagement in major companies 

 -  2009.<br/>							 
<br/><br/> 71 
<br/><br/> For many years the reserved domain of anthropologists, culture has become the predilection of human science researchers and management consultants. In the abundant literature, the authors who perceive corporate culture as an inwardly focused subgroup of myths and rituals stand out from those who perceive the company as a culture and refer to outwardly oriented identity or image. The managers refer to a “corporate culture in action,” the result of an almost infinite number of combinations associated with its history, activities, professions, technologies, products and services, values, leaders’ personalities, and so on. These elements are illustrated by individual and collective behaviors in the workplace. In light of the paradoxical change, “cultural management” can be used as a tool to create a virtuous circle making the personnel’s commitment beneficial to the company’s performance. However, one can only refer to corporate culture from within the company. In happy times, a self-confident community refuses, neglects, or ignores investigation processes. Culture is all the more visible when the company is in jeopardy, destined to disappear or adapt to the evolutions of its environment. Otherwise it is as present and invisible as the air we breathe.