Who defined the concept of corporate culture?

The concept of corporate culture was defined and popularized by Edgar Schein, who is a prominent organizational psychologist and professor. Schein articulated the idea that corporate culture consists of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that shape the behavior and practices within an organization. He emphasized that culture is not just about visible aspects, like dress codes and office layouts, but also includes deeper, less visible elements that influence how individuals within an organization interact and work together.

Schein outlined a model of organizational culture that includes three levels: artifacts, espoused values, and underlying assumptions. This framework helps in understanding how culture is developed, maintained, and changed within an organization, making Schein a foundational figure in the study of corporate culture.

The other individuals mentioned each contributed significantly to management theory but did not define corporate culture in the same way or with the same conceptual depth as Schein. Max Weber focused on bureaucracy and authority structures, Mary Parker Follett was known for her early contributions to management and organizational theory with a focus on collaboration, and Henry Fayol is sometimes called the father of modern management theory for his principles of management, but none of them specifically established the concept of corporate culture in the way that Edgar Schein did.