Page 23 - Cultures and Organizations

8 THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE

FIGURE 1.2 The “Onion”: Manifestations of Culture at Different
Levels of Depth

Symbols

Heroes

Rituals
Practices

Values

Symbols are words, gestures, pictures, or objects that carry a particular
meaning that is recognized as such only by those who share the culture.
The words in a language or jargon belong to this category, as do dress,

hairstyles, flags, and status symbols. New symbols are easily developed

and old ones disappear; symbols from one cultural group are regularly
copied by others. This is why symbols have been put into the outer, most
superficial layer of Figure 1.2.

Heroes are persons, alive or dead, real or imaginary, who possess char-
acteristics that are highly prized in a culture and thus serve as models for
behavior. Even Barbie, Batman, or, as a contrast, Snoopy in the United
States, Asterix in France, or Ollie B. Bommel (Mr. Bumble) in the Neth-
erlands have served as cultural heroes. In this age of television, outward
appearances have become more important in the choice of heroes than they
were before.