Organizational culture is a popular topic in management classes, but teaching about culture in a way that undergraduate students can relate to can be a challenge. In this article, we describe the Texas A&M culture exercise, which draws attention to how to diagnose and evaluate organizational culture using each of Schein’s three layers of culture. We also highlight a critical perspective that recognizes both the benefits and the drawbacks of a strong organizational culture, including its implications for efforts to foster greater diversity and inclusion. This article also includes ideas for variations and multimedia resources to further enrich this exercise and engage students.
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