corporate efficiency through cultural narratives

Running Head: CORPORATE EFFICIENCY THROUGH CULTURAL NARRATIVES 1

Corporate efficiency through cultural narratives: A look at Southern Utah University’s corporate structure

Quinn ThurmanSouthern Utah University

CORPORATE EFFICIENCY THROUGH CULTURAL NARRATIVES 2

Introduction

The ability to be more productive, more efficient, and more “excellent” (Grunig 2000) in

a corporation is becoming highly valuable and is increasing. Organizational officials are

searching for any fact that might contribute to their numbers and effectiveness. Only recently

have people started to become aware that not only does a strong communication structure within

an organization yield rhetorical benefits, but has measurable tangible outcomes.

Corporate culture is a large portion of this effectiveness and too has a variety of

contributors. This study is interested in how corporate narratives in particular contribute to the

corporate culture and in turn effect the overall efficiency of the organization.

This study will contribute not only by determining how stories help in establishing a

culture that yields efficiency, but in what ways do their stories complete with certain

organizational needs.

Southern Utah University is a local school in Cedar City, Utah. It is valuable to study

because of the dynamic it has as both a place for education as well as a variety of large corporate

structures that it provides the community. As a university, many of its internal workings are very

rigid and clear and therefore is clearer to evaluate and research. Upon using the university, the

generalization may be extended to a larger sphere, keeping in mind that the particular

information that is found will only relate to this particular situation.

Provided is a contextual background of the current understanding of the idea in this

particular field. Following will be provided the procedure that is to be done to evaluate these

concepts. And finally the finding and their interpretation will be provided to shed light on this

particular area. It is anticipated that the information found here will allow for the beginnings for


future research to look at what stories must a corporation tell to achieve the most efficient

outcomes.


Review of Literature

Corporate culture is a relatively new concept emerging in organizational effectiveness.

Corporations and other organizations are beginning to evaluate their effectiveness in various

facets, which are more prevalently changing to communication concepts. In his book “Corporate

Culture and Organizational Effectiveness” Daniel Denison outlines four contributing factors that

layout the impact an organizational culture may have on effectiveness. They are; involvement of

the organization’s members, adaptability to new circumstances, a strong, clearly defined culture,

and a clear mission providing direction and meaning. These concepts rely heavily on how well

an organization can communicate its goals, tell their story, and establish a structure through

artifacts and routines, along with many other potential actions outlined in the book.

In the excellence study, led by J.E. Grunig, in pursuit of developing the excellence

theory, the “excellence team” as the came to refer to themselves was commissioned by the

International Association of Business Communications to research “How, Why, and to What

Extent Communication Contributes to the Achievement of Organizational Objectives”. They

outline a series of structures that show how internal communication needs to work horizontally

as well as it works vertically. They provide a series of four levels that an organization may look

through as lenses to evaluate their effectiveness. The ability to establish a culture that is both

recognized and understood by all of the organizations stake holders is one of these levels.

An organization must be capable of solidifying an interactive tone that will not only

govern the way that internal stakeholders address and work with one another, but will provide

structure and base for all situations when external and internal stakeholders alike interact with

one another. This structure will provide understandable routines and direction to carry out tasks


ranging from systematical productions to customer relations, all contributing largely to a

“measurable return of investment” (Grunig, 2006).

Ni Chen, author of the article titled “Internal/employee communication and

organizational effectiveness: A study of Chinese corporations in transition” utilized the excellent

studies to evaluate a series of Chinese corporations in comparison to western style corporations.

Amongst the many hypotheses he was looking to test, Chen made the argument that more than

just the public relation department, internal communication especially between employees and

CEOs as well as internally within the employee structure itself is essential to the effectiveness

and excellence of a corporation. Mentioning that depending on the size of an organization,

factors may differ slightly, but if the resources are available “two-way approaches, especially

symmetrical ones, do appear to warrant higher degree of employee job satisfaction, higher

national standing of the company, higher stocks prices, higher levels of trust and openness

between management and employees—all being indicators of organizational effectiveness”

(Chen 2008, p. 174). Both Chen and the excellent team found that “communication managers

should be involved in decision making at the highest possible level”. Chen took both qualitative

as well as quantitative approaches to test his hypotheses utilizing in-depth interviews of

communication departments, often just one person, within the organization, focus-group

meetings, and a sample survey.

There is in fact a measurable value in telling a corporate story and telling it well. These

studies show that the way organizations establish rites, rituals, routines, traditions, policy, etc.,

they are allowing for employees to be creative and independent but to have a structure that

provides base and unity to their actions both with one another and in external matters.


In the study “Can Stories Breed Commitment? The influence of Mergers and

Acquisitions Narratives on Employees Regulatory Focus” Philip T. Roundy takes on the task to

evaluate how well narratives in relation to mergers and acquisitions, referring to the economic

decisions to either buy out another company and become one or to completely merge equally,

replacing all existing stock in the two companies with a new and combined stock. In this process

Roundy says, “There is also a ‘human side’ to M&As, which is laden with employee

consequences and can influence both the individuals and the organizations involved”, he

continues “including layoff, acclimation to new corporate cultures, and the introduction of new

forms of management and work roles” (Roundy, 2010). In his article Roundy continues to lay

out the importance of employee commitment to the organization as well as an understanding of

their own part in the large structure. In relation to mergers and acquisitions in particular, Roundy

specifies “mergers and acquisitions have a particularly strong, negative effect on employee

commitment” a term he defines as follows; “individuals’ emotional attachment to their

organization”. This is crucial to the organization’s effectiveness for many reasons however,

Roundy lists a few; “organization citizenship behavior, perceived organizational support, job

satisfaction, and job performance, and a negative influence on turnover and absenteeism.” Some

of these reasons were found again in Grunig’s study upon mentioning factors in measurable

return of interest. Often CEOs and other organizational leaders find making decisions in

changing policy can be difficult if based merely off rhetoric and research, they often need hard

numbers and tangible data to solidify making a large decision. This has been a factor that has

kept communication consultants at bay when clear changes in communication structure needed

to be changed. Grunig provides these factors of “measurable” return of investment to show that

there are ways to quantify the needed communication changes. A part from the few


aforementioned here, Grunig says “reduced costs of litigation, regulation, legislation, and

negative publicity” he adds as well “ reduced risks of making decisions that affect different

stakeholders; increased revenue by providing products and services needed”. It may be argued in

further study of this area that there is an even larger list of measurable returns of interest that

may be associated not only with strong communication structures but good corporate narratives

in particular, establishing stronger relationships with all stakeholders involved.

Jari Syrjala author of the entitled article “Narratives as a tool to study personnel

wellbeing in corporate mergers” states as well the interest to learn how a corporate integration is

experienced by those whom it affects most. She says “we were interested to learn how the

change affected their wellbeing and what conclusions might be drawn for the purposes of

practical HR strategy management.” She contextualizes her reasoning stating “people’s feelings

and experiences of wellbeing are a fundamental part of the texture of everyday life, which are

mediated and reflected by their personal stories.” Through interviews and in attempt to capture

the idea of a “socially-constructed reality” her study was able to analyze stories of three

personnel groups of the corporate integration process. In it they found that “there is no such thing

as a single, solid, unitary phenomenon of organizational change.” Depending on the personnel,

the group found different motives and underlying themes in the stories told. She concludes with

an acknowledgement of the importance of this type of research mentioning the first study

conducted on organizational stories by Gabriel in 1998 who did not attract a large audience and

was said to confuse researchers at the time (Czarniawska, 1997 ps. 55-5). She continues claiming

that her study “generated a large number of narratives, each of which provides a partial answer to

our research question by revealing how interviewees perceived the organizational change

situation” and leaves an opening for more research on the matter.


These are but a few studies that have begun to notice the impact of communication in

organizational effectiveness, and more the impact of corporate culture and narratives on that

efficiency. A clear opening has been created for a variety of new facets that research may

continue to develop. This study has particular interest in finding out what types of stories are

told, and how do they effect the organization as a whole. This leads respectively to the nature of

the narrative paradigm by Walter R. Fisher. Fisher summarizes, just as Jurgen Habernas in his

studies of persuasion “posits persons as arguer; I see them, including arguers as storytellers”

(Fisher, 1985 p. 353) Fisher makes several arguments that stories are being told both in the real

world as well as fictional ones, and that his paradigm allows for analysis of both. Fisher gives

two essential parts to evaluating a narrative. First, does the narrative “hang together”, to which

he gives a variety of titles, one being narrative probability, another more conclusive being

“coherence”. In this first area, Fisher indicates that one must be aware to the “formal features of

a story conceived as a discrete sequence of thought” (Fisher, 1985 p. 349). In other words does

the story’s parts work in relation to itself? The second concept given for evaluation is fidelity.

“Fidelity concerns the ‘truth qualities’ of the story, the degree to which it accords with the logic

of good reasons” (p. 349). This can be understood as the resonance or emotional connection the

story creates with its audience. Does the story connect with sound logic and resonate? These

concepts are intriguing and important, but Fisher also makes it clear that the narrative paradigm

“does not entail a particular method of investigation” (Fisher, 1984). The paradigm allows for “a

way of interpreting and assessing human communication that leads to critique”, and for this

purpose is valuable to this study. It also provides great importance and relevance to this

particular study showing the value of stories and their prevalence everywhere.


The two concepts aforementioned given by fisher will lead the evaluation of the cultural

stories at Southern Utah University to establish corporate efficiency or the lack of. This however,

will not be enough. Grounded theory, as will be discussed in the methods section will continue

the evaluation. This leads to a particular gap giving reason to this study and will be emulated in

the research questions that will be hereto provided.

RQ1: What types of stories are being told at Southern Utah University?

RQ2: Are these stories effective in establishing a culture that allows for efficiency?

RQ3: Why are the effective? Are the two provided concepts from Fisher valid?


Method

To more effectively evaluate the narratives being told at Southern Utah University, it has

been determined that not only the coherence of the story and its fidelity will contribute to the

organization’s effectiveness in establishing a corporate culture but the types of stories. What

themes are arising from the stories being told and do the envelope the key factors to establishing

a strong and coherent culture that governs actions, thoughts, ideas, and communication within

the organization. To do this it is anticipated that the study will utilize a grounded theory

approach.

Corbin and Strauss in their article “Grounded Theory Research: Procedures, Canons, and

Evaluative Criteria”, explain that grounded theory “should explain as well as describe. It may

also implicitly give some degree of predictability” (p.5). Grounded theory provides several lists

of criteria to begin the methodology. Beginning with collecting data, the researcher must have

some idea of “potential indicators of phenomena” that may be later given labels and put into

categories. In summary, the authors are clear that from the beginning of data collection and even

prior, analysis is being done simultaneously. Through coding of the information provided in the

text being used, categories must be developed and related, given definition and “explanatory

power” (p. 8). After coded and categorized a series of comparisons and contrasts need to take

place to most effectively define the differences in the open coded themes. This will allow for the

most effective and descriptive final categories that will yield the most valuable results in the

study.

As the grounded theory is used this study will be more effective in evaluating how

cultural narratives provided within an organization, in this case a University, contribute to the


efficiency of said organization. Not only will the stories be evaluated upon the criteria provided

by fisher, but a series of categories will be established evaluating what types of stories are being

told at Southern Utah University and how they contribute and what is lacking. This will provide

a more in depth dynamic that will contribute more particularly to the field in finding a solidified

list of categories that eventually may be determined in what an efficient organization needs to

include in the stories they tell. In other words, this study is interested not only by determining

how stories help in establishing a culture that yields efficiency, but in what ways do their stories

complete with certain organizational needs.

To do this, a series of corporate stories needs to be contracted. At many universities there

exist a group, working under the department of recruitment services, that include a variety of

officers and councilors that travel and produce all recruiting paraphernalia. This group also

employs a group of over seventy-five students by the title of presidential ambassadors to which

are given an extensive yearlong training of stories to tell and ways to tell them to students in high

schools, as well as in tours on the campus itself. This group is most saturated in the actual stories

told by the organization and will be the subjects for creating valuable text to be evaluated and

categorized according to the grounded theory concepts given. As this is a pilot study a series of

five interviews of some of the group’s executive council will be interviewed. In these interviews,

a simple series of questions will be asked in order to receive some of the top stories that are both

taught to the ambassadors as well as most commonly told to prospective students. It is also

critical to evaluate whether or not these stories are being told, or re-told, to current students to

maintain the culture.

Through the recruitment office, and more specifically the presidential ambassadors that

they train, it will be best determined what stories are being told at the university to establish an


organizational or corporate culture. This is the best option for the stories told at this particular

organization because while other departments to tell corporate stories, over time any story told

elsewhere has migrated to this area of the corporation for its particular need. Other areas of the

organization have a need to tell stories, however in recruitment it is their highest priority. In

other words, simply by demand, the stories told by this group are being told most. This ensures

that not only are the best stories being told by the university are being evaluated, but also the

stories that are being told most commonly. Once the stories are collected, it may be assumed that

the text will be the most valuable available at the institution. A grounded theory evaluation will

then take place, first with open coding followed by an axial coding that will yield the categories

of stories being told. A discussion will then be provided on what potential organizational needs

these categories meet or do not meet. It will also be imperative to evaluate the stories told by

Fisher’s criteria, to determine if the stories themselves have initial face value as a story.


Results

Upon interviewing the five participants in the presidential ambassador program under the

office of the recruitment services of the university, an open coding process led to seventy-five

potential themes that exist within the stories told at Southern Utah University. These open coded

themes may be potentially categorized in a variety of combinations of categories that would suit

this and other studies. In attempt to follow as closely as possible the guidelines set out in the

grounded theory research, the categories that were determined upon all relate to one another,

have contrasting details that set them apart from one another, and more or less encompass a large

majority of the open coded themes excluding few outliers. The categories created were as

follows; Activities/Events, experiential learning (the current intended perceived purpose of the

university), personal experiences/testimonials, student life, traditions, physical

characteristics/functional, and finally historical events. These categories are listed in the order of

their prevalence in the stories provided and will be commented about respectively.

Activities/Events

The first and most common of the categories involved stories based on activities and

events. Each of the participants told a minimum of ten stories that were related to activities and

events. Specifically they ranged from athletic nature to activities that took place in a particular

time or reason throughout the year. Monthly “bread and soup nights” to the annual “scream”

Halloween dance followed by weekly random planned activities by the university’s student

association. The list of activity related stories dominated the open coded themes satisfying a

variety of weekly events, seasonal activities, and particular themed events addressing “movie

nights”, to the very commonly told “casino night”. “Football games”, “tailgates”, and


“gymnastics” were all common terms or particular stories told that also may be categorized in

this area. This theme discusses the idea that a large portion of the stories told are related to the

fun that may be experienced at the university. They are rooted in the idea that there is much to

participate in and that if one desired they would never be without something to do.

Understanding that this is the most prominent of stories it may be inferred that a large portion of

time is being used to establish an energetic and lively tone for the university. Meaning and

reasoning will be determined as with all the categories in the following discussion section.

Experiential Experience

The next most dominant theme is categorized by the stories that included a portrayal of

receiving and education that was tied to an experience. Upon interviewing one of the participants

a story utilizing the term “experience more” protruded. This was defined as a message that had

been placed on a variety of campus paraphernalia, a clear message that the university

deliberately wanted to convey. These stories ranged from explanations of functional rooms in a

variety of departments on campus. A few of these included terms such as “kindergarten room” in

the education department utilizing a mock elementary styled classroom to allow the students a

real experience in their field. These experiences ranged from “outdoor recreational training

experience” to “investments lab” for finance students utilizing real money donated by the

department chair. Stories also included a “hospital room” for the nursing students all of which

were specific to giving students an opportunity to get experience in their field of study. Clearly

these are stories that the university has made a point to tell to ensure that their current purpose

and style is conveyed.

Personal Experience/Testimonials


Each of the participants spoke highly of stories that they know happened, whether to

themselves or to a close friend or relative that they use as a testimonial of the happenings within

the university. This theme is categorized by stories that did not fall into a category defined by a

certain area of campus but were specific things that they had experienced with their own studies

and life at school. One participant related a story of his professor right before a final test, during

a thanksgiving break, the professor met up on the holiday with a study group to go over the

material. Upon finishing the review, the professor invited the group to his house for the

particular holiday dinner. Another commented on the knowledge of his own name by the

professor within the first week. The list goes on all portraying no particular area or theme of the

university, simply their own experiences in general with some aspect of their life at the

university.

Student Life

This category was difficult to define. A variety of stories existed that didn’t fit in the

category of events or even personal experience. These are stories that were driven by a general

understanding of how a student’s regular day might look like at the university. Many stories

included available clubs on the campus and the events that they provide throughout the year,

including a monthly pizza and politics that one could go to for a free lunch. “Free dinner

Thursdays” may seem like an event, but as the participant continued, the event was held by a

local church that didn’t associate with the university. It was a story that simply was meant to

portray that a student could go and get dinner once a week with a local group. These stories

included the use of a “starving student card” allowing for particular deals around the community,

living status in certain on-campus housings, and classes available such as “scuba diving”,


“kayaking”, and “bowling”. This theme differs in that its nature was not an event in particular

but a general idea of how a student might live on their own and what they might expect.

Traditions

This theme involved ideas that included any particular repeated action done by students

for a particular purpose. It encompasses both institutional originated traditions as well as student

originated traditions. A particular tradition that initially appeared to be categorized as an event

became clearly a new type of story when a participant made mention that it did not have to

happen on the particular night described by the other participants. “True t-bird night” was a story

told that refers to people kissing on a night around a statue at midnight to gain a title of “true t-

bird”. Again this may seem like an event, but as one participant made clear, this title was not

only available the one night but any night with an already made true t-bird. This story gives

reason to this theme and helps encompass a variety of other stories. These examples included the

rubbing of the head of a statue located in the university’s library for good luck. “Gunther rock”

was described as rock that hasn’t moved from its place in a long time that has been painted and

re-painted to advertise or simply portray a silly message. And finally an encompassing story for

some of the open codes that included stories established by the university itself was the story of

the “bell tower”. Three of the participants made reference to this story with the inclusion of the

universities past president and his purpose to create traditions that would allow for students to

have an emotional connection to their university experience.

Physical Characteristics

The next coded theme is physical characteristics. This means in particular stories that

made reference to the size, beauty, and demographics of the university. This is clearly a

functional approach in the stories nature including the stories that included language on buildings


in particular, relation to the community, location in the state, and the price. The availability of

“study rooms” was a story told about the universities library. One participant made reference to

a saying “private experience at a public price” referring to the functional nature of the schools

tuition. Another story was told in reference to the location of the university stating that one could

go “forty minutes north to go skiing and forty minutes south to go water skiing in the same day”.

This category, may come lower on the spectrum laid out in this section, but it is also very

important to recognize that amidst a larger number of potential categories this and the following

were all very close in relation to some of the previously stated in their prevalence in the stories.

Historical Events

Finally, the category yet to be described is one that encompasses another large portion of

the open coded themes provided by the stories. This theme involves stories based on aspects that

define the history of the institution. Every participant made reference to stories told of a statue

called “old sorrel”, a horse who traversed the mountain in the snow to finish the first building to

allow the school to become Southern Utah’s first college. Each participant also made reference

to a story about a building entitled “old main”. Some participants referred to stories utilizing

artifacts and emblems that may be found within this structure, and many made reference to

stories of historical changes at the university. It is also imperative to realize that many of these

stories were told not only to establish an idea of the universities history, but the nature of the

people and community involved, all intending to make a connection to the current nature of the

university, its constituents, and community.


Discussion

In relation to Fisher’s aspects of coherence and fidelity, after evaluation in this section, I

hope to prove how the stories all relate to needs of the university or do not do so and the effects

of that. It was asked, do these stories “hang together”, both within themselves and together for

the university. It is also important to look at whether or not the stories had an emotional

connection, the second aspect provided by Fisher. Did the stories achieve an impact on their

audience? Following that I will acknowledge what each category does for the university or

doesn’t do.

As we look at coherence, it is clear that simply from interviewing the participants, the

stories are making sense enough to be related from the university to its mouthpiece, the

presidential ambassadors. The stories are clear and have a purpose and thus are coherent.

Looking then at the fidelity aspect, it is harder to determine how much of an emotional impact

they have. This study does not include a survey or quantitative analysis. However, it may be

determined that through the growing number in the past few years of the university, a small

inference may be mad that the stories are or have been catching on. They are completing with

what Fisher describes in his narrative paradigm enough to recognize some retention in current

constituents at the organization as well as improving recruitment numbers.

It is interesting to acknowledge the different types of stories being told at Southern Utah

University. Each of the coded categories gives a particular connection to how the institution is

establishing its “corporate culture”. Here it will be determined what each of these categories may

or may not do for the organizations culture and how that may affect the efficiency or “excellence

of the corporate structure.


Upon evaluating the categories it was not originally anticipated but the categories

seemed to have more purpose then simply the theme that was given to them in axial coding.

After review another important aspect begun to arise that is talked about in a book entitled “A

Handbook to Public Relations” edited by Robert L. Heath. In her article published in this book

Bronn states that identity, image, and reputation are different aspects to an organizations

communication. Identity according to Bronn in her article titled “reputation, communication,

and the corporate brand” is what is “enduring about an organization and answers the questions

‘who are we?’, and ‘what are we’” (p.307). She continues to define image by stating that it is

explained in the question “what do we believe others think of us?” And finally, she specifies that

reputation may be illustrated by the question “what do others actually think of us”. As the

categories were analyzed not only was there found a particular reason for their inclusion on the

level of their theme, but each theme either contributed or did not to these aspects defined by

Bronn.

Activities and events being the most commonly used theme in the stories convey that

Southern Utah University is establishing a culture that is very dependent on what a student can

do while attending the university. This may infer several aspects about the structure. First the

university encourages participation and involvement, it also may come across as a “party

school”. There is a large placement of other forms of success, and a determination to achieve a

better-rounded student body. This being said, as this is the most common of the themes in the

stories, the university must be aware and fulfill with the stories they are conveying or they will

encounter the lack of fidelity in said stories, as well as cause confusion with all internal

constituents. This is clearly related to organizational effectiveness, if all internal communication

is telling a particular theme of stories that is intended to guide actions and are not completing


with said actions, conflict in its many forms portrayed by Grunig will arise. It would also appear

that this category is contributing to the universities identity. The university is defining who and

what they are and want to be.

The next category of experiential examples being its own by theme appears to be doing

the same thing in relation to the university’s identity. More important than the theme in this

particular situation is the underlying tone. The university may change its intended perceived

purpose, but if they continue to tell stories that relate to that purpose, they will be completing

with an organizational need, the establishment of their identity. So this theme could be different

after looking at the university in several years.

Looking then at the following categories of coded themes it is clear that although they are

separate by nature of the stories told and were categorized the way they were, they too are

working to establish one of these three areas described by Bronn. To avoid removing value from

the coding, each of the following categories can still be looked at individually in accordance to

the value it gives to the organization as well. For example the stories told that fit into student life

give the constituents an idea of what to expect if they come be a part of the organization,

strengthening the corporate culture and the individuals knowledge of how and where they fit in

the big picture. Traditions provide for the emotional connection that the narrative of the

organization as a whole should provide according to Fisher. Historical events give a placement

for the university in time, governing current and future decisions and direction. And finally

physical characteristics, allowing for a functional approach to guide the organizations actions in

accordance to its structure. These all give individual contributions to the universities culture, but

what is intriguing is all of these categories may be seen in light of the previous two mentioned,

an intention to establish different parts to the organizations identity.


The only category not mentioned previously, was theme number three; personal

experiences or testimonials. Reason being that although this code too contributes its own

valuable piece of information as to what is imopartant to the university, being reality and

sincerity established through true stories of those involved. This category also fulfills with

Bronn’s description of reputation, what others actually think of us. However, it is incomplete.

Meaning the university has room to improve, which is clear for most organizations. The stories

being told are of internal constituents, only maintaining one side of the reputation as mentioned.

For more success, the organization could go out and obtain stories from external audiences to see

what people actually think of them.

As a final idea provided by the results, the area described by Bronn as “image” did not

seem to be addressed. In all the categories provided by the stories given, none of which

addressed what idea of what the organization thinks people think of them. This may be on

purpose and may have been neglected, there is not enough information to determine which.

However it may be speculated that if included, this information may not be supportive of the

university. It also may be inferred that stories and discussion of this may have taken place in

order to establish the stories and decisions being made initially. Again this is an area not covered

by this study.


Conclusion

To conclude, it is clear that there are many contributing factors to an organization’s

effectiveness. Corporate culture must be established to help govern actions, decisions, ideas, and

other organizational needs and to do so cohesively. Stories are a way to help establish a

corporate culture and for them to be effective they must include coherence and fidelity.

Southern Utah University’s corporate culture is being effected by its stories being told.

Those stories were categorized into seven different themes that were able to contribute to the

culture in different ways. It was also found that the categories fit into a larger system provided by

Bronn that exemplified how a corporation defines itself. It may be seen that there is value in a

corporation’s communication structure.

This study’s intent is to shed light on the stories that a corporation tells to establish its

culture and in turn how that affects the efficiency of the organization. Future research may begin

to build upon this information to evaluate what categories, what stories should be told to

establish a well-rounded corporate culture to yield the highest results.


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