Simon, Anna
A icle
De eloping and main aining a s ong co po a e cul u e, while coping
wi h a wo k o ce g owing signi ican ly: A quali a i e analysis on
co po a e cul u e de elopmen o as -g owing s a -ups
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while coping wi h a wo k o ce g owing signi ican ly: A quali a i e analysis on co po a e cul u e
de elopmen o as -g owing s a -ups, Junio Managemen Science (JUMS), ISSN 2942-1861, Junio
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ISSN: 2942-1861
Edi o :
DOMINIK VAN AAKEN
Ad iso y Edi o ial Boa d:
FREDERIK AHLEMANN
JAN-PHILIPP AHRENS
THOMAS BAHLINGER
MARKUS BECKMANN
CHRISTOPH BODE
SULEIKA BORT
ROLF BRÜHL
KATRIN BURMEISTER-LAMP
CATHERINE CLEOPHAS
NILS CRASSELT
BENEDIKT DOWNAR
RALF ELSAS
KERSTIN FEHRE
MATTHIAS FINK
DAVID FLORYSIAK
GUNTHER FRIEDL
MARTIN FRIESL
FRANZ FUERST
WOLFGANG GÜTTEL
NINA KATRIN HANSEN
ANNE KATARINA HEIDER
CHRISTIAN HOFMANN
SVEN HÖRNER
KATJA HUTTER
LUTZ JOHANNING
STEPHAN KAISER
NADINE KAMMERLANDER
ALFRED KIESER
NATALIA KLIEWER
DODO ZU KNYPHAUSEN-AUFSESS
SABINE T. KÖSZEGI
ARJAN KOZICA
CHRISTIAN KOZIOL
MARTIN KREEB
TOBIAS KRETSCHMER
WERNER KUNZ
HANS-ULRICH KÜPPER
MICHAEL MEYER
JÜRGEN MÜHLBACHER
GORDON MÜLLER-SEITZ
J. PETER MURMANN
ANDREAS OSTERMAIER
BURKHARD PEDELL
MARCEL PROKOPCZUK
TANJA RABL
SASCHA RAITHEL
NICOLE RATZINGER-SAKEL
ASTRID REICHEL
KATJA ROST
THOMAS RUSSACK
FLORIAN SAHLING
MARKO SARSTEDT
ANDREAS G. SCHERER
STEFAN SCHMID
UTE SCHMIEL
CHRISTIAN SCHMITZ
MARTIN SCHNEIDER
MARKUS SCHOLZ
LARS SCHWEIZER
DAVID SEIDL
THORSTEN SELLHORN
STEFAN SEURING
VIOLETTA SPLITTER
ANDREAS SUCHANEK
TILL TALAULICAR
ANN TANK
ORESTIS TERZIDIS
ANJA TUSCHKE
MATTHIAS UHL
CHRISTINE VALLASTER
PATRICK VELTE
CHRISTIAN VÖGTLIN
STEPHAN WAGNER
BARBARA E. WEISSENBERGER
ISABELL M. WELPE
HANNES WINNER
THOMAS WRONA
THOMAS ZWICK
Volume 9, Issue 3, Sep embe 2024
JUNIOR
MANAGEMENT
SCIENCE
Anna Sme diagina,Los in T ansc ip ion: Expe imen al
Findings on E hnic and Age Biases in AI Sys ems
Jaqueline Domnick, Au hen ici y and B and Ac i ism –An
Empi ical Analysis
A hanasios Kons an inos Kallinikidis, The Employees’
En ep eneu ial Mindse : The In luence o Pe cei ed
Supe iso E o on he Employees’ En ep eneu ial
Passion
Leonie Böhm, Mo i a ions and Ou comes o he An i-
Consump ion P ac ice ‘S ooping’
Lukas Hilke, When Does Ma ke ing & Sales Collabo a ion
A ec he Pe cei ed Lead Quali y? –The
Mode a ing E ec s o IT Sys ems
Hannah F anziska Gundel, Accele a o Impac on Pee
Ne wo king - Examining he Fo ma ion, Use, and
De elopmen o In e -O ganiza ional Ne wo ks
Among Ea ly-S age S a -Ups
Anna Simon, De eloping and Main aining a S ong Co po a e
Cul u e, While Coping Wi h a Wo k o ce G owing
Signi ican ly: A Quali a i e Analysis onCo po a e
Cul u e De elopmen o Fas -G owing S a -Ups
Robin Spi a, How Does ESG Ra ing Disag eemen In luence
Analys Fo ecas Dispe sion?
Ch is oph Weebe , De elopmen o a Cos Op imal
P edic i e Main enance S a egy
Alexand a Hanna James, The Munich En ep eneu ial
Ecosys em in he Heal h Sec o : Cu en S a e and
Imp o emen A eas
1591
1609
1634
1665
1681
1700
1733
1769
1805
1836
Published by Junio Managemen Science e.V.
This is an Open Access a icle dis ibu ed unde he e ms o he CC-BY-4.0
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ISSN: 2942-1861
De eloping and Main aining a S ong Co po a e Cul u e, While Coping Wi h a
Wo k o ce G owing Signi ican ly: A Quali a i e Analysis on Co po a e Cul u e
De elopmen o Fas -G owing S a -Ups
Anna Simon
Technical Uni e si y o Munich
Abs ac
The de elopmen and main enance o a s ong co po a e cul u e a e c ucial o he success o s a -ups, especially du ing hei
ounding and g ow h phases. While p e ious esea ch emphasizes he ounde s’ ole in shaping co po a e cul u e, he g ow h
phase o s a -ups in his con ex has ha dly been explo ed. This s udy, based on 16 semis uc u ed in e iews wi h ounde s
and manage s o apidly g owing s a -ups, p o ides new insigh s in o co po a e cul u e de elopmen and main enance. The
quali a i e s udy e eals ha a ious ins umen s play a i al ole in shaping co po a e cul u e du ing he ounding and g ow h
phases. Speci ically, he ounde s’ ole model unc ion, he de ini ion o co po a e alues, ec ui ing, and e en s signi ican ly
impac his p ocess. Addi ionally, he s udy highligh s ha s a -ups ac i ely and consciously s i e o de elop and main ain
hei co po a e cul u e as he company expands in size. Gi en he nume ous iden i ied ins umen s o co po a e cul u e
de elopmen in s a -ups, his wo k o e s new insigh s in o a ela i ely unexplo ed en i onmen , se ing as a ounda ion o
u he esea ch. Fu he mo e, he p ac ical implemen a ion o hese iden i ied ins umen s is demons a ed, con ibu ing o
he p ac ical alue o his s udy.
Keywo ds: cul u al de elopmen ; o ganiza ional cul u e; apid g ow h; s a -ups
1. In oduc ion
“Cul u es a e like p ecious and p ized easu es when hey
a e s ong, heal hy, and d i ing he igh beha io s. They a e
among he g ea es asse s an o ganiza ion can ha e. Howe e ,
hey a e ulne able asse s ha can be damaged o los i leade s
a e no awa e o hei alue and a e no keeping wa ch o e pos-
sible cul u e-changing p ac ices, a i udes, h ea s, o e en s.”
- Wa ick (2017, p. 5)
Acco ding o he Ge man Fede al Minis y o Labo and
Social A ai s (BMAS), co po a e cul u e ep esen s a signi i-
can po en ial o he success and compe i i eness o compa-
nies in Ge many. Thus, co po a e cul u e and he associa ed
employee commi men (O’Reilly, 1989, p. 17) also ha e a
signi ican in luence on he inancial success o a company
(Hause e al., 2008, p. 29). Since co po a e cul u e is seen
as a d i e o sus ainable pe o mance and compe i i eness
o companies, he opic has been in he ocus o economic and
social conside a ions o se e al yea s (Hause e al. 2008, p.
31; Sackmann 2017, p. 11). Gene ally, esea ch has shown
ha co po a e cul u e e ol es h ough he pe sonali ies o o -
ganiza ional membe s o e ime (O’Reilly e al. 2014, p. 596;
Schein 1983, p. 3) and he mu ual expe iences o lea ning,
ailu es, and successes (O’Reilly 1989, p. 19; Schein 1983,
pp. 15, 20). This is why he cul u e gi es each company a
dis inc i e cha ac e (Jani´
cije i´
c2011, p. 74; Schneide e
al. 2013, p. 380; Willcoxson and Mille 2000, p. 93).
Bu wha is he ele ance o co po a e cul u e, in pa ic-
ula o s a -ups?
To compe e wi h es ablished compe i o s, s a -ups need
o be as e , mo e lexible, mo e inno a i e, and mo e e i-
cien (G ossmann & Slo osch, 2015, p. 242). E en hough
hey ope a e in an en i onmen cha ac e ized by high unce -
ain y (Ouime and Za u skie 2014, p. 2; Saue mann 2018,
p. 5) and ha e limi ed esou ces a hei disposal (Ka ila e
DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.5282/jums/ 9i3pp1733-1768
© The Au ho (s) 2024. Published by Junio Managemen Science.
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(A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional). Open Access unding p o ided by ZBW.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681734
al. 2012, p. 17; Reypens e al. 2020, p. 13), hey ha e o
e ain he bes employees, om whom abo e-a e age com-
mi men is demanded. Achie ing his equi es an ou s and-
ing co po a e cul u e and i s communica ion (G ossmann &
Slo osch, 2015, pp. 242-243). Cummings (2011) e en sees
he co po a e cul u e as he “only sus ainable compe i i e ad-
an age” (p.1) o s a -ups ha is en i ely in he ounde s’
con ol, which is why i has o be p omo ed and u he de-
eloped wi hin he i m.
Since he ounda ion o co po a e cul u e is laid in he
ea ly days o a company, he ounde s a e conside ed he
mos in luen ial a chi ec s o he company’s cul u e (Schein
1983; Schein 2004, pp. 225-227). Th ough his in luence,
ounde s ha e a unique oppo uni y o shape and de elop
a co po a e cul u e ha e lec s a se o alues, belie s, and
p inciples ha endo se and ein o ce he company’s business
pu pose and s a egy (Picken 2017, p. 8; Schein 1983, pp.
5-6). A lack o a en ion o he elemen s o c ea ing and os-
e ing a posi i e, s ong co po a e cul u e leads o a cul u e
c ea ing i sel (Wa ick, 2017, p. 9) and possibly a dys unc-
ional one accele a ing a company’s ailu e (Picken, 2017, p.
3).
In academic esea ch, mechanisms, and means by which
en ep eneu s shape and in luence co po a e cul u e ha e
been s udied (O’Reilly e al., 2014; Schein, 2004; Zheng e
al., 2009). Ye a holis ic iew om he ounde s’ pe spec i e
and he p ac ical implemen a ion o such mechanisms in a
s a -up con ex has no ye been su icien ly explo ed. P io
esea ch has ei he ocused only on indi idual mechanisms
o aken a di e en esea ch app oach o iden i y hem.
As he company ages and g ows in pe sonnel, he ounde s
usually become less o a pe sonal o ce; he end is away
om a sense o communi y o a mo e bu eauc a ic o ga-
niza ion wi h one o mo e managemen le els ha po en-
ially ca e less abou he o iginal assump ions and alues
o he ounde s. This de elopmen is o en ea ed by i s -
gene a ion employees (Schein, 1983, pp. 23-26). Acco ding
o Sackmann (2017, p. 26), especially apid company g ow h
poses no only pa icula challenges o a eas such as logis-
ics and ope a ions bu also o co po a e cul u e. Company
g ow h goes hand in hand wi h he need o in eg a e new
employees in o he co po a e cul u e. A pa icula challenge
in such a con ex is main aining he speci ic co po a e cul-
u e ha con ibu ed o he apid g ow h and, i necessa y,
adap ing i o he company wi h i s inc easing size and age.
The e o e, i is essen ial o sus ainably pass on he co e o
he co po a e cul u e o he many new employees.
Despi e he impo ance o co po a e cul u e o s a -ups,
i equen ly occu s ha co po a e cul u e is neglec ed du -
ing apid g ow h and dep io i ized alongside o he g ow h
challenges (Schmi , 2018). This also seemed o ha e been
he case wi h he di ec bank N26, a Ge man hype -g ow h
s a -up ounded in 2013, coun ing 1500 employees oday
(N26, 2022). In he las ew yea s, nega i e headlines su -
ounding he s a -up ha e inc easingly eme ged (G ünde -
szene, 2021). In 2019, he s a -up gained h ee million
new cus ome s and ipled i s headcoun o 1500. Howe e ,
s ong c i icism was oiced ega ding he s a -up’s co po a e
cul u e, which was also e lec ed in high s a u no e and
he demand o a wo ks council, which he company’s man-
agemen ini ially opposed (G ünde szene, 2021; Zacha akis,
2020). Al hough he company con inues o be in an in ense
g ow h phase, equi ing concomi an s a g ow h, he num-
be o employees has dec eased by mo e han 300 be ween
2020 and 2021 (Hun e , 2021). On employee e iew po als
such as kununu.com, he la ges employe a ing pla o m in
he Ge man-speaking a ea, he s a -up is also gi en a ecom-
menda ion sco e o 2.7 on a scale o 1 o 5. The a ing consid-
e s he assessmen o co po a e cul u e since i is lis ed as an
e alua ion c i e ion alongside di e si y, wo k en i onmen ,
and ca ee and sala y. This alue is lowe han he banking
indus y a e age o 3.5 . The con en men wi h he co po a e
cul u e amoun s o 3.2 poin s (kununu, 2022a,2022b).
Al hough co po a e cul u e has been esea ched in a i-
ous con ex s o e he pas ew decades, he s a -up con ex ,
especially o as -g owing ones, has ha dly been he ocus o
esea che s, e en hough hey ha e gained inc easing a en-
ion in public in ecen yea s (C osby, 2018; Ho man, 2017;
McG ego & Doshi, 2015; Schmi , 2018) and a e conside ed
he d i ing o ce o inno a ion and he engine o economic
g ow h (Kollmann e al. 2021, p. 17; Minola e al. 2015, p.
5; Reypens e al. 2020, p. 3).
This wo k aims o ill his esea ch gap by examining co -
po a e cul u e in he con ex o as -g owing s a -ups. In his
a ea, a be e unde s anding o how co po a e cul u e is ac-
i ely shaped and de eloped by ounde s and manage s, es-
pecially in he g ow h s age. Fu he mo e, he de i a ion o
conc e e ins umen s, p ac ices, and measu es o ounde s
and manage s is necessa y o p ese e he co po a e cul u e
a i s co e in hei as -g owing s a -ups. F om his, he ol-
lowing esea ch ques ion has been de i ed:
How can a s a -up’s co po a e cul u e be pos-
i i ely de eloped and main ained while coping
wi h a wo k o ce g owing signi ican ly?
To answe his esea ch ques ion and, mo e speci ically, o
unde s and he ounde s’ pe spec i es on how hei s a -up’s
co po a e cul u e is de eloped and main ained du ing apid
g ow h, semi-s uc u ed in e iews we e conduc ed in which
six een ounde s and manage s om ou een as -g owing
s a -ups pa icipa ed.
This hesis is s uc u ed as ollows: The subsequen chap-
e p o ides an o e iew o he exis ing li e a u e on co po-
a e cul u e and pu s i in he con ex o g ow h, ollowed by
Schein’s heo e ical amewo k on how ounde s embed hei
belie s, alues, and assump ions. In Chap e 3, he me hod-
ological app oach o he hesis is consecu i ely desc ibed, ol-
lowed by he indings o he in e iews wi h he ounde s and
manage s o he s a -ups in Chap e 4. In he nex Chap e ,
he esul s a e discussed, heo e ical and p ac ical implica-
ions a e de i ed, and he limi a ions o his wo k and u -
he a eas o esea ch a e p esen ed, leading o a conclusion
in he las Chap e .
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1735
2. Theo e ical Backg ound on Co po a e Cul u e
To elabo a e on how co po a e cul u e can be de eloped
and main ained in a company’s day- o-day ope a ions, i is
i s necessa y o unde s and he e m co po a e cul u e. To
his end, he ollowing sec ions explain wha co po a e cul-
u e means and i s signi icance o companies. I will hen
be shown wha in luence he s ages o ounding and g ow h
o a company’s li e cycle ha e on co po a e cul u e. Fi-
nally, wel e mechanisms a e p esen ed acco ding o Schein,
h ough which co po a e cul u e can be embedded and ein-
o ced.
2.1. The Concep o Co po a e Cul u e
The cons uc o co po a e cul u e is a common concep
in bo h p ac ice and heo y. I has al eady been s udied by
a wide a ay o heo e ical in e es s wi h signi ican di e -
ences in he concep ual pe spec i es and me hods used, om
which a b oad concep ual landscape and nume ous academic
deba es ha e eme ged o e he las ew decades (c ., Deal
and Kennedy 1982; Ho s ede 1991; Ko e and Heske 1992;
Ma in 2002; Schein 1992; Schul z 1995; T ice and Beye
1993). Howe e , no consensus has been eached on i s de -
ini ion “gi en he as a ay o app oaches o concep ualiz-
ing and unde s anding cul u e” (Eh ha e al., 2014, p. 130)
and i s mul ilaye ed and mul idimensional na u e, which is
why he concep o (co po a e) cul u e “ emains an elusi e
and uzzy concep ” (Sa he, 1983, p. 6) o schola s and p ac-
i ione s. The e o e, he ollowing sec ions a emp o iden-
i y he mos common app oaches o de ining co po a e cul-
u e and dis inguish i om he ela ed cons uc o co po a e
clima e.
2.1.1. Delimi a ion o Co po a e Cul u e om Co po a e Cli-
ma e
Co po a e cul u e and co po a e clima e a e o en equa ed
in e e yday use o e en used as subs i u es in he con ex
o social cons uc s in companies (Sackmann, 2017, p. 64).
Co po a e cul u e and co po a e clima e a e, in ac , wo di -
e en concep s ha ha e di e en pe spec i es on o ganiza-
ional en i onmen s and canno be subs i u ed o each o he
(Denison 1996, p. 625; Glisson and James 2002, p. 625; Pe -
ig ew 1990).
Simila o he case o co po a e cul u e, he e is an on-
going deba e in academia abou how o de ine co po a e cli-
ma e o a scien i ic in es iga ion (Glisson and James 2002,
pp. 767-768; Guion 1973, p. 121; Schneide e al. 2013, p.
362). One app oach o de ining co po a e clima e o igina es
om James and colleagues (James 1982, p. 229; Jones and
James 1979, p. 201): I he e is ag eemen among “employ-
ees in a pa icula wo k uni (...)on hei [indi idual]pe cep-
ions o he impac o hei wo k en i onmen , hei sha ed
pe cep ions can be agg ega ed o desc ibe hei [co po a e]
clima e” (Glisson & James, 2002, p. 769). Fi s coming in o
he ocus o esea ch in he 1960s and 70s, co po a e clima e
has been s udied p ima ily quan i a i ely wi h su eys, based
on a psychological esea ch app oach. On he o he hand,
co po a e cul u e domina ed esea ch on he human o gani-
za ional en i onmen in he ea ly 1980s wi h a sociological,
an h opological, and mainly quali a i e app oach. Clima e
esea che s ha e usually placed mo e emphasis on he si ua-
ional pe cep ions o o ganiza ional membe s ega ding ob-
se able policies, p ac ices, p ocedu es, and beha io s (Deni-
son 1996, p. 622; Schneide e al. 2013, p. 362). Ha ing
e e ed o a snapsho , co po a e clima e is empo a y, sub-
jec i e, and mo e likely o be exposed o di ec manipula-
ion. On he o he hand, co po a e cul u e is oo ed in he
sha ed and pa ly subconscious alue sys em and co po a e
his o y. I is collec i ely held, which is why i is conside ed
mo e s able and less easily manipula ed (Denison, 1996, p.
644). Once he co po a e cul u e is deeply ancho ed in he
beha io o employees, i can only be changed wi h g ea e -
o (B yman 1986, p. 52; Eh ha e al. 2014, p. 131; Schein
2004, p. 36).
2.1.2. De ini ion o Co po a e Cul u e
A e he dis inguishing cha ac e is ics be ween co po a e
cul u e and co po a e clima e ha e been poin ed ou in he
p e ious sec ion, he ques ion emains open as o wha ex-
ac ly is mean by co po a e cul u e.1
Due o he complexi y o he mul i-laye ed cons uc o
co po a e cul u e and di e en esea ch app oaches, his e-
sul s in di e en de ini ions. O’Reilly and Cha man (1996)
desc ibe co po a e cul u e as “a sys em o sha ed alues ha
de ine wha is impo an and no ms ha de ine app op ia e
a i udes and beha io s o o ganiza ional membe s how o
eel and beha e” (p. 160); Ho s ede (1984) de ines co po a e
cul u e as “ he collec i e p og amming o he mind ha dis-
inguishes he membe s o one human g oup om ano he ”
(p. 25); Kobi and Wü h ich (1986, p. 23) desc ibe co po-
a e cul u e as he se o no ms, alues, and a i udes ha
shape he beha io o all employees and hus deno es he way
a company app oaches hings and sol es p oblems. Ma in
(2002) en i les co po a e cul u e b ie ly as “how hings a e
done a ound he e” (p. 3). Edga Schein p o ided one o he
mos equen ly acknowledged de ini ions o co po a e cul-
u e. He de ines he cons uc as ollows: co po a e cul u e
is “a pa e n o sha ed basic assump ions lea ned by a g oup
as i sol ed i s p oblems o ex e nal adap a ion and in e nal
in eg a ion, which has wo ked well enough o be conside ed
alid and, he e o e, o be augh o new membe s as he co -
ec way o pe cei e, hink, and eel abou hose p oblems”
(Schein, 2004, p. 17).
Despi e he widely di e ing de ini ions o he co po a e
cul u e concep , indi idual aspec s can be iden i ied ha
ha e a common denomina o , ega dless o he esea che s’
heo e ical o ien a ion. Common o mos de ini ions a e he
1In li e a u e, he e ms co po a e cul u e and o ganiza ional cul u e a e
used in e changeably. While o ganiza ions encompass all o ms o o ga-
niza ions, co po a es ocus on o -p o i companies. Since in es iga ed
s a -ups in his s udy also pu sue he la e , he e m co po a e cul u e is
used in his hesis.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681736
cons uc s “ alues” and “no ms” as well as aspec s o he cog-
ni i e le el such as “basic assump ions”, “belie s”, o “way o
hinking” (Kaschube 1993, p. 97; S aehle 1999, p. 498).
2.1.3. Le els o Co po a e Cul u e
In li e a u e, co po a e cul u e is usually unde s ood as a
mul ile el concep whose le els di e in how accessible and
isible cul u al in o ma ion is (Eh ha e al., 2014, p. 291).
The le els a e oughly di e en ia ed be ween how deeply
cul u e is embedded in he psychology o membe s o an
o ganiza ion (cogni i e elemen s, e.g., assump ions, alues,
no ms, and a i udes) and o wha ex en he ace s o cul u e
a e obse able, pa icula ly o ou side s (symbolic elemen s,
e.g., language, beha io , a i ac s) (Jani´
cije i´
c, 2011, pp. 72-
73).
Beyond disciplina y bounda ies, Edga Schein’s h ee-
le el model o classi ying he concep o cul u e and he
associa ed phenomena has widely ound ecogni ion and
applica ion. Schein (Schein, 2004, pp. 25-27), di ides cul-
u e and i s phenomena in o h ee le els: A i ac s, espoused
alues and belie s, and unde lying assump ions:
(1) A i ac s, ep esen ing he ou e laye , a e objec i ely
isible elemen s and angible mani es a ions o a cul u e, bu
hey a e o en ambiguous o in e p e wi hou a co po a e
con ex . I is he obse able beha io o he people in a com-
pany o he isible esul s o hei ac ions. A i ac s include,
o example, communica i e beha io , i uals, o ganiza ional
s uc u es, p ocesses, and e en mo e ma e ialized elemen s
such as d ess code o he a chi ec u e and design o an o ice
building. E en i ou side obse e s a e able o de ec hese
a i ac s o a company, conclusions o hei deepe meaning
canno be d awn wi hou inside knowledge.2The nex le el
comp ises (2) espoused alues and belie s, which is a decla ed
se o alues and no ms ha p o ide in o ma ion abou de-
si ed social beha io o how o conduc business in pa icula
si ua ions - wha is igh o w ong o app op ia e o inapp o-
p ia e. Those alues and belie s a e no isible; howe e , hey
can be a icula ed. Ye , i may de ia e om he ac ual li ed
eali y o he company. The (3) unde lying assump ions o
o ganiza ional li e co espond o cul u e’s deepes laye and
essence. They a e di icul o a icula e, in angible, and o -
en unde s ood only om an inside pe spec i e. They a e so
deeply ancho ed ha hey ha e a decisi e in luence on he
o ganiza ional membe s’ pe cep ions, ways o hinking, and
ac ing. Those assump ions a e he “ul ima e sou ce o alues
and ac ion” and a e p ima ily “unconscious and aken- o -
g an ed” (p. 26) and di icul o change (Schein, 2004, p.
26-35).
The h ee le els o co po a e cul u e in e ac wi h each
o he . The a i ac s and espoused alues build on he basic
assump ions o he company membe s and make hem is-
ible o he ou side wo ld. By making hem isible, hey, in
2Schein ci es he example o he py amids, which we e buil by bo h he
Egyp ians and he Mayans, bu whose meaning was di e en . While o
some, i was a bu ial place, o o he s, i was bo h a bu ial place and a
emple Schein (1992, p. 30).
u n, also ein o ce he basic assump ions o he indi iduals
(Gon a d, 2002, p. 27).
To p ese e he di e en ia ed na u e o his wo k, i needs
o be men ioned ha o he de ini ional app oaches, which
conside cul u e as some hing consis ing o mul iple laye s o
accessibili y and isibili y, mainly do no dis inguish be ween
he laye s (2) and (3) o he h ee-laye concep o Schein.
They end o di ide cul u e in o wo main laye s. Ho s ede e
al. (1990) dis inguish be ween he in isible sha ed (1) alues
ha co espond o he co e o cul u e and (2) p ac ices ha
a e isible o he obse e , which includes symbols, he oes,
and i uals. Symbols a e isuals, objec s, wo ds, o ges u es
wi h a speci ic meaning wi hin a gi en cul u e. He oes a e
eal o imagined people who possess alued cha ac e is ics
and hus unc ion as cul u al ole models. Ri uals a e socially
essen ial ac i i ies “ca ied ou o hei own sake” (p. 291).
T ice and Beye (1984) desc ibe wo p ima y componen s o
co po a e cul u e: (1) i s subs ance, meaning he “ne wo ks
o ideologies, no ms, and alues” and (2) i s o ms, i.e., he
p ac ices h ough which hese “meanings a e exp essed, a -
i med and communica ed o i s membe s” (p. 654).
Despi e he nume ous possible in e p e a ions o cul u al
laye s, a common heme among all hese de ini ional ap-
p oaches is ha co po a e cul u e is buil on alues and be-
lie s sha ed by i s membe s (Denison, 1996, p. 624). E en
i Schein used he exp ession o “unde lying assump ions”
o exp ess he co e o co po a e cul u e, he ema ked ha
by “assump ions”, he desc ibes wha he majo i y o o he
cul u e schola s e e o as basic alues and belie s (Schein,
2004, p. 25). Conside ing his, i is easonable o d aw on he
e m “ alues and belie s” mos equen ly used in cul u e li -
e a u e o desc ibe he co e o co po a e cul u e (Sackmann,
2017, p. 77). A second heme h oughou all de ini ions is
ha he e is a isible pa o cul u e, whe he hey a e called
a i ac s, p ac ices, o o ms. The e o e, hese wo elemen s
a e seen as he basic laye concep o his hesis.
2.2. Rele ance o a S ong Co po a e Cul u e
Now ha he gene al concep behind co po a e cul u e
has been explained in mo e de ail, i emains o be cla i ied
wha a s ong co po a e cul u e means and why i is ele an
o a business.
Acco ding o academic esea ch, a s ong co po a e cul-
u e is de ined as one whose unde lying alues and belie s
ha de ine wha is impo an a e “widely sha ed and s ongly
held” by membe s o a company (O’Reilly & Cha man, 1996,
p. 166). The mo e ag eemen and accep ance abou alues
and belie s p e ail and pe mea e a company, he s onge a
co po a e cul u e can be conside ed o be (Ebe ha d 2013,
p. 10; Eh ha e al. 2014, p. 173). The e o e, a co po-
a e cul u e wi h mo e widely sha ed alues and belie s has
a s onge in luence on employee beha io and a mo e a -
eaching impac (Sa he, 1983, pp. 12-13).3
3Values, no ms, and p ac ices ha a e no well unde s ood, unclea , incon-
sis en , o no ein o ced is e e ed o as ha ing a weak cul u e. Because
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1737
Figu e 1: Le els o Cul u e acco ding o Schein
(Sou ce: Own illus a ion modi ied om Schein (1992, p. 30))
Sø ensen (2002, pp. 6-7) summa izes he posi i e e ec s
o a s ong co po a e cul u e ha migh lead o co po a e
e ec i eness as ollows:
A s ong co po a e cul u e has he c i ical consequence o
inc easing beha io al consis ency among employees wi hin a
company. In his sense, co po a e cul u e is an in o mal, so-
cial (1) con ol mechanism, in luencing o e en con olling
employee beha io (O’Reilly, 1989, p. 11). In addi ion, i
acili a es (2) goal alignmen be ween he company and i s
membe s. I se es as a “ ehicle o communica ing and ac-
complishing o ganiza ional goals” (Eh ha e al., 2014, p.
161). This means ha employees know how o beha e and
how o deal wi h ce ain si ua ions based on he common
alue sys em. I he e is cla i y abou company goals and
p ac ices, employees end o be mo e ce ain abou he igh
cou se o ac ion in un amilia si ua ions and a e able o e-
spond app op ia ely. Aligning goals, in u n, also p omo es
(3) coo dina ion, as he e is less in e nal deba e abou he
company’s bes in e es s (C éme , 1993, pp. 15-17). Fu -
he mo e, s ong cul u es can inc ease employee (4) mo i-
a ion and commi men i he “indi idual inds he alues o
he o ganiza ion o be in insically ewa ding and cong uen
wi h pe sonal alues” (O’Reilly, 1989, p. 18).
The ac ha co po a e cul u e has an in luence on he
abo e-men ioned aspec s, Managemen li e a u e implies
ha cul u al s eng h enhances i m pe o mance, i.e., he
s onge he co po a e cul u e, he mo e e ec i ely a com-
pany ope a es (c ., Denison 1990; Denison and Mish a 1995;
Ko e and Heske 1992; Sø ensen 2002; Wa e man and
Pe e s 1982).
he e a e ambiguous expec a ions and inconsis en p ac ices h oughou
he o ganiza ion, weak cul u es ha e less in luence on employees’ beha -
io . Because o his, weak cul u es ypically exhibi in e io pe o mance
han s ong cul u es (Ebe ha d 2013, p. 10; Wa ick 2017, p. 5).
2.3. Linkage be ween Co po a e Cul u e and G ow h
Since he ocus o his mas e ’s hesis is on s a -ups ha
a e in he g ow h phase, i is necessa y ha he ollowing
sec ion embeds co po a e cul u e in his con ex .
I is assumed ha co po a e cul u e e ol es as he com-
pany de elops, passing h ough di e en phases: Founding,
G ow h, Ma u i y, and Re i al o Decline (Mille & F iesen,
1984, p. 1161). Howe e , he e a e only a ew s udies ha
app oach co po a e cul u e om a dynamic pe spec i e (c .,
Ha ch 1993; Schein 2004; Weeks and Galunic 2003; Zheng
e al. 2009). Acco ding o Zheng e al. (2009, p. 158), who
build hei co po a e cul u e e olu ion model on Mille and
F iesen’s (1984) concep ualiza ion o he li e cycle o an o ga-
niza ion, he di e en phases o co po a e de elopmen a e
accompanied by di e en co esponding cul u al modes o
ac ion which is illus a ed in Figu e 2.
In he ollowing sec ions, bo h he g ow h as well as he
ounding phase om Zheng and colleagues’ model will be
p esen ed, as he la e is he ele an basis o e lec on how
o de elop bu also o main ain co po a e cul u e.
2.3.1. Founding Phase
Du ing he ounding phase, he p ima y conce n o a com-
pany is he su i al o he o ganiza ion in he ace o ex e nal
u bulence, which is why a en ion is p ima ily paid o und-
ing and ma ke ing conce ns; he es ablishmen o s uc u es
and o mali ies is seconda y (Kazanjian & D azin, 1989, pp.
1489-1500). In his phase, companies end o use cul u al
mechanisms ha ocus on keeping hei membe s oge he
a he han dealing wi h in e nal con lic s, along wi h ans-
mi ing he cul u al assump ions and in angible alues o he
ounding membe s o he employees and c ea ing a collec-
i e iden i y ins ead o implemen ing hose cul u al alues
in o p ac ices (Zheng e al., 2009, p. 159).
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681738
Figu e 2: O ganiza ional Li e Cycle and Dominan Cul u al Modes
(Sou ce: Own illus a ion modi ied om Zheng e al. (2009, p. 159))
Zheng e al. (2009, pp. 159-160) pos ula e ha in he
ounding phase he p e ailing cul u al mode is inspi a ion.
By inspi a ion, hey imply a cul u al mode “ ha allies o -
ganiza ional membe s h ough he leade s’ shaping o align-
ing wi h membe s’ alues, belie s, and aspi a ions” (p.160).
This cul u al mode is usually implemen ed h ough p oac i e
mani es a ion and in e p e a ion: he ounde s’ undamen al
assump ions a e ansla ed in o alues and communica ed o
employees h ough he company’s ision and mission s a e-
men s, inspi a ional s o ies abou he company’s ounding,
and gi ing he assump ions symbolic ep esen a ions. Typi-
cally, his cul u al mode wo ks in a di ec ion om he ound-
ing membe s o he employees.
2.3.2. G ow h Phase
Once a company has success ully o e come i s ea ly su -
i al challenges, i en e s he phase o eme ging g ow h
(Zheng e al., 2009, p. 161). In his phase, he company aces
se e al o he issues, such as s abilizing p oduc ion, mee ing
inc easing demand, and o malizing s uc u e (Dodge & Rob-
bins, 1992, pp. 27-34). The sea ch o new oppo uni ies
and hei expansion ep esen s he cen al conce n a his
s age (Jawaha & McLaughlin, 2001, p. 407). To sus ain
and acili a e g ow h, bu eauc a ic s uc u es a e de eloped,
p ocedu es a e o malized, and au ho i y is delega ed o
mid-le el manage s (Mille & F iesen, 1984, p. 1161).
In line wi h he “changes in s a egy and s uc u e, he
p ima y cul u al needs o he [company]shi , om iden-
i y o ma ion o he consolida ion o newly es ablished cul-
u al alues” (Zheng e al., 2009, p. 161). The co po a e
cul u e, which was ini ially cha ac e ized by he cha isma ic
alue sys em o he ounding membe s, usually e ol es in o a
unc ionally based cul u e ha aims o pe manen ly main ain
he co po a e alues, which in u n can align he membe s’
beha io owa d he company’s mission (Wiene , 1988, pp.
537-539). Weeks and Galunic (2003, p. 1337) assume ha
he in luence o ounding membe s migh s ill be s ong bu
ne e gua an eed. They alone canno ensu e ha speci ic
alues and assump ions con inue o be e ec i ely ansmi -
ed h oughou he company du ing he u he g ow h o he
company. Ins ead, o he cul u al mechanisms ha e o be ap-
plied o a ain ha .
Zheng e al. (2009) e e o he dominan cul u al mode
in he g ow h phase as implan a ion: “Implan a ion e e s o
he p ocess h ough which he cul u al assump ions, alues,
and symbols ha we e di used [in he ounding phase]a e
implan ed and embedded in a company in he o m o o -
ganiza ional sys ems, s uc u es, policies, i es and i uals,
s o ies, and o he angible o ms.” (p. 161). To embed al-
ues in o angible o ms and gi e a i ac s symbolic meaning,
implan a ion p ima ily en ails p oac i e ealiza ion and sym-
boliza ion. The e o e, his phase o e s o he key o ganiza-
ional membe s he oppo uni y o de elop and main ain he
co po a e cul u e consciously and p oac i ely (Zheng e al.,
2009, pp. 161-162).
In his con ex , Schein (2004) uses he e m embedding
o desc ibe how ounding membe s and manage s each em-
ployees how o pe cei e, hink, eel, and beha e. Fo his, he
iden i ies se e al mechanisms ha ounde s, and manage s
can use o embed cul u al alues and belie s. They a e based
on he assump ion ha , in addi ion o ounde s, manage s
a e likely o ha e a g ea e in luence on he de elopmen and
shaping o co po a e cul u e han o he membe s o an o ga-
niza ion (Ebe ha d , 2013, p. 17). These ins umen s a e
explo ed in mo e de ail in he ollowing Chap e 2.4.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1739
2.4. Mechanisms o embed and ansmi Co po a e Cul u e
As s a ed abo e, exis ing li e a u e indica es ha ounde s
ake a cen al ole in in luencing cul u e shaping in he ound-
ing phase, bu mo e h ough hei own di ec and pa ly
unconscious ac ions. As he size o he i m g ows, he e is
a need o embedding cul u al mechanisms o de elop and
main ain he company’s cul u e in en ionally.
The “ eaching” p ocess is he basic p ocess o embedding
alues and belie s in an o ganiza ion. Bu he cen al ques-
ion is: how do ounde s and key manage s ge he g oup o
do hings a ce ain way in he i s place (Schein, 1983, pp.
14-15)? The e a e ha dly any s udies in he exis ing li e a-
u e dealing wi h he conc e e means ounde s o manage s
ha e a hei disposal o communica e hei eam hei inne -
mos belie s and alues (Schneide e al., 2013, pp. 371372).
Schein (1983,2004) has pe haps been he mos speci ic and
de ailed in desc ibing how ounde s and key manage s can
embed, a icula e and ein o ce hei alues and belie s. He
p oposes wel e mechanisms, dis inguishing be ween mech-
anisms o embedding (p ima y mechanisms, see Chap e
2.4.1) and mechanisms o a icula ing and ein o cing al-
ues and belie s (seconda y mechanisms, see Chap e 2.4.2).
Fo he mechanisms o be e ec i e, hey ha e o be consis-
en , i.e., wo ds and ac ions mus be cong uen . I incon i-
nence p e ails, he e is a isk ha employees will misin e -
p e o ein e p e inciden s, which can lead o a g ea e a-
ie y o assump ions h oughou he company (O’Reilly and
Cha man 1996, p. 21; Schein 2004, pp. 246-254).
This chap e desc ibes he mechanisms, acco ding o
Schein (1983,2004), ha ounde s and manage s can u i-
lize o embed and ein o ce assump ions, alues, and belie s
(Schein, 2004, p. 270). Figu e 3gi es an o e iew o
Schein’s wel e mechanisms.
2.4.1. P ima y Mechanisms
The six p ima y embedding mechanisms depic ed in Fig-
u e 3a e he majo mechanisms o ounde s and manage s
o “ each hei o ganiza ions how o pe cei e, hink, eel, and
beha e” (Schein, 2004, p. 246) based on hei own ounda-
ional belie s and assump ions. Assuming consis ency, he
mechanisms ope a e simul aneously, in e ac i ely o a a y-
ing ex en , and “ ein o ce each o he o make he o al mes-
sage mo e po en han indi idual componen s” Schein (1983,
p. 16). These mechanisms a e desc ibed in mo e de ail be-
low o demons a e how ounde s and manage s can embed
hei assump ions h ough hei ac ions.
Wha Leade s pay A en ion o, measu e, and con ol on a eg-
ula Basis
This mechanism is gene ally abou aspec s o which
a ounde sys ema ically pays special (no) a en ion and
he eby exp esses wha is (no ) impo an o he ounde
pe sonally. This can be e lec ed in wha is measu ed, con-
olled, and ewa ded and wha ounde s eac o emo ion-
ally, o example, when speci ic alues ha e been iola ed.
Th ough isible eac ions om a ounde , employees g adu-
ally adjus hei beha io o wha hey belie e hey conside
desi able beha io . Thus, he ounde ’s basic assump ions
a e adop ed o e ime i his beha io leads o he desi ed
esul s (Schein, 2004, pp. 246-254).
Delibe a e Role Modeling, Teaching, and Coaching
I is ecognized in academia ha he beha io o ounde s
and manage s, as pe cei ed by employees, is a signi ican ac-
o in shaping co po a e cul u e (Bennis 1986, p. 64; Ho s -
ede e al. 1990; Schein 1983; T ice and Beye 1993; Tsui e al.
2006). Founde s and manage s a e usually well awa e ha
hey ac as ole models h ough hei own beha io , which
helps o pass on hei assump ions and alues o employees.
I a ounde assumes ha hie a chies should no play a c u-
cial ole in hei company, his assump ion can be exp essed
h ough d ess, by he ounde mingling wi h employees o si -
ua ing hemsel wi h he es o he wo k o ce (Schein, 2004,
p. 258).
Schein (2004) dis inguishes be ween planned beha io in
a s aged en i onmen and casual, in o mal beha io in e e y-
day wo k si ua ions. S aged en i onmen s a e, o example,
ideos o speeches in which ounde s welcome new employ-
ees o ou line hei explici philosophy. Casual ole model
beha io , such as dealing wi h a cus ome on he phone o
wi h o he employees, obse ed by employees and uncon-
scious o he ounde , is a mo e e ec i e eaching mecha-
nism han s aged messages. I ounde s ake on he ole o a
coach, ins uc ing, co ec ing, o con i ming hei employees
in hei wo k, hey simul aneously emphasize wha is impo -
an o hem and communica e hei alues mo e explici ly
Schein (2004, pp. 258-259).
Reac ion o c i ical Inciden s and Co po a e C ises
Acco ding o Schein, he way how ounde s and o he
manage s deal wi h c ises exposes c i ical unde lying as-
sump ions and c ea es new no ms and alues. C ises - he
de ini ion o which is a ma e o pe cep ion - a e pa icula ly
impo an o he c ea ion and ansmission o cul u e. The
in ense emo ional engagemen in such phases “inc eases he
in ensi y o lea ning” (p.254) o alues and assump ions.
Fo example, i ounde s hemsel es o an employee make
a w ong decision ha cos s he company a lo o money,
dealing wi h such si ua ions can e eal deep assump ions
and p o ide oppo uni ies whe e hese assump ions o m he
basis o collec i e lea ning and he eby become solidi ied
(Schein, 2004, pp. 254-255).
Rec ui ing, Selec ion, P omo ion, and Excommunica ion
A e y e ec i e me hod o embedding assump ions and
alues is ec ui ing and selec ing new employees who i a
pa icula “ ype o pe son” (Van Vianen, 2000, p. 145). This
mechanism seems o be one o he mo e inconspicuous ones,
as mos ounde s and manage s unconsciously ec ui people
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681740
Figu e 3: Mechanisms o embed belie s, alues, and assump ions
(Sou ce: Own illus a ion modi ied om Schein (2004, p. 246))
o “pe son-cul u e i ” - people who a e simila in he as-
sump ions, alues, and belie s o exis ing membe s (O’Reilly
e al., 1991, p. 492). By hi ing people who al eady align wi h
he ounde s’ alues, he ounde s di ec ly ein o ce he al-
ues hey in end o embed. The eby, he embedding p ocess
is acili a ed (Schein, 2004, pp. 261-262). Cha man and Cha
(2003, p. 26) ecommend ha when hi ing new employees,
g ea e weigh should be gi en o a be e i wi h he co -
po a e cul u e han exis ing skills as skills can be lea ned; a
non-exis en pe son-cul u e i is mo e challenging o emedy.
Ancho ing o alues and belie s also occu s h ough wo
o he mechanisms, acco ding o Schein (2004): in e nal p o-
mo ion o i ing and he c i e ia associa ed wi h hem. Any
change in employees and manage s signals o o he employ-
ees and manage s wha is desi able and no desi able beha -
io and wha he company is looking o in i s wo k o ce (pp.
261-262). Thus, in he case o a p omo ion, i has o be ques-
ioned whe he he pe son o be p omo ed ep esen s he de-
si ed co po a e cul u e (Sackmann, 2017, p. 268).
Alloca ion o Rewa ds and S a us
Ano he powe ul mechanism o ounde s and manage s
o communica e and mani es wha hey alue is wha hey
sys ema ically ewa d (D ucke 1991; Ke and Slocum J .
2005, p. 135). Employees lea n wha beha io is alued o
undesi able in e nally h ough pe o mance assessmen s, e-
wa ds, and con e sa ions wi h hei supe iso s. As a esul ,
no only he ype o ewa ds a e ca ie s o he co po a e cul-
u e in he long un, bu also he beha io hey encou age.
The e o e, i ounde s o manage s wan o ensu e ha hei
assump ions and alues a e lea ned and li ed, ca e has o
be aken ha he espec i e ewa ds, and he s a us sys em
align wi h hose assump ions and alues (Schein, 2004, p.
259). I , o example, a esul o ien a ion is o be ewa ded,
in which i is p ima ily he esul achie ed ha is o impo -
ance and no he ime spen a he wo kplace, his should
also be e lec ed in a co espondingly pe o mance-o ien ed
compensa ion sys em (Sackmann, 2017, p. 276).
Alloca ion o Resou ces
Ano he mechanism ha e eals he assump ions and be-
lie s o ounde s is he use, dis ibu ion, and app o al o bud-
ge s, as hese exe p o ound in luence on he choice o goals
and, consequen ly, he means o achie e hem. A he same
ime, such belie s se e as decision c i e ia o wha co po-
a e esou ces should be used o and cons ain decision-
making by na owing he pe cep ion o al e na i es. Bu i
is no jus abou wha money is spen on, bu how. Fo ex-
ample, he belie in a pa icula sys em, such as a bo om-
up en ep eneu ial sys em, can be clea ly illus a ed h ough
a esou ce alloca ion p ocess: enginee s and manage s be-
low manage s a e encou aged o c ea e business plans and
budge s, so hey would no be dic a ed om abo e bu only
app o ed by manage s (Schein, 2004, p. 257).
2.4.2. Seconda y Mechanisms
Unlike he p ima y mechanisms, he seconda y ones, such
as o ganiza ional s uc u e, a chi ec u e, i uals, and o mal
s a emen s, a e ocusing on ein o cing co po a e cul u e.
They only wo k when consis en wi h he p ima y mecha-
nisms desc ibed ea lie . Wha is lea ned in o mally a he
beginning is now o malized (Schein, 2004, pp. 262-263).4
4Zheng e al. (2009, p. 168) e e o he mechanisms ha ans o m alues
in o a i ac s and he symboliza ion o a i ac s as “implan a ion,” which
- as men ioned ea lie - is especially impo an in he g ow h phase o a
company.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1747
Figu e 5: Ins umen s o Co po a e Cul u e De elopmen Main enance - O e iew (Sou ce: Own illus a ion)
4.1. Basic En ep eneu ial O ien a ion and Founde s’ Beha -
io
This chap e deals wi h he mission, ision, and co po a e
alues o he s a -ups as a basic en ep eneu ial o ien a ion,
as well as he beha io o he ounde s in hei unc ion as
ole models o hei employees.
Some o he in e iewees desc ibed he s a -up’s (1) mis-
sion, which p o ides “ he undamen al eason why an o ga-
niza ion exis s” (Pea ce & Da id, 1987, p. 109), i.e., he co -
po a e pu pose, as a guiding componen and ca ie o hei
co po a e cul u e. The eason, hey a gued, is ha hei mis-
sions al eady imply a alue sys em:
“A lo o he ounde ’s basic assump ions ha a e
also explici a e all a ound ou mission and he
SDGs, and I hink he e’s such a gene al basic
connec ion, and i ’s no ques ioned because mos
people come o [C9]because he mission was he
deciding eason he e, and he basic assump ions
o ou ounde s ha a ac people (...) which is
why along wi h hese basic assump ions he dis-
cou se is s ill happening. O he wise, we would
ha e los ou mission. I hink ha ounding mis-
sion and ision was jus such a s ong pull ac o
[ o ou cul u e] ha hey (...) a e s ill equally
impo an .” (M9)
Since he mission includes a conc e e co po a e pu pose
o which he membe s o a company s i e, a ce ain basic
bond is al eady c ea ed be ween hem (M8; M9; M13).
A simila ole, bu less equen ly add essed, is assigned
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681748
o he s a -up’s (2) ision by en isioning he kind o en i on-
men a company would like o “c ea e wi hin a b oad ime
ho izon and he unde lying condi ions” o achie ing ha i-
sion (El-Namaki, 1992, p. 25):
“Ou decisions a e also e y much ision-d i en.
(...) And ha is also he uni ying ac o , ha we
all know e y clea ly wha ou goal is. And I
hink ha is some hing ha is also e y clea o
he new joine s om day one, which we also al-
ways ge as eedback: Yes, we ha e a sha ed jou -
ney; we ha e a sha ed ision ha we a e wo king
owa ds.” (F12)
One s udy pa icipan indica ed ha o build he oun-
da ion o a sha ed unde s anding o he ision among new
employees, alking abou he ision is pa o he onboa ding
p ocess (M11). Fu he mo e, ano he s a -up in oduced a
“ ision eminde ” in a weekly mee ing o ancho he ision
wi h he exis ing eam. The ounde s con ex -speci ically ad-
d ess he ision and alk abou i he e (M8).
In addi ion, he ision and mission a e pa ly seen as a
key eason why people (would like o) wo k o he s a -up
in he i s place (F5; M8; M9; M13).
Many o he in e iewees e e ed in hei de ini ion o
co po a e cul u e o a alue sys em ha an o ganiza ion is
based on and wi h which he membe s o an o ganiza ion in-
o mally ag ee (F2; M4; F5; M6; F7; M8; M9; M11). E en
when hey desc ibe hei own co po a e cul u e, hey usu-
ally e e o he s a -up’s (3) alues (F3; F4; F7; M11; F12;
M13). All o he s a -ups s udied had al eady been engaged
in a icula ing co po a e alues, i.e., alues, belie s, and p in-
ciples cap u ed by e bal exp essions, in pa o exp ess and
communica e hei implici assump ions abou he way he
s a -up should ope a e. Hence, some ounde s e e o hese
alues as “guiding p inciples” (F7), “ undamen als” (M13),
o “maxims o ac ion” (F10) du ing he in e iews.
Fo many s a -ups, hose alues unc ion as an impo an
building block o ini ially se ing he desi ed di ec ion o he
co po a e cul u e and as a benchma k o es ablishing sha ed
beha io al guidelines (F1; F2; M4; M8; F12; M13; F14a).
A ounde ’s ollowing s a emen shows ha he o mula ed
co po a e alues se e in e nally as decision guidelines and
a e in e nally epea edly e e ed o as a e e ence:
“E e y p ojec and goal mus always be e alu-
a ed: is i aligned wi h ou alues? We also
pay much a en ion o his in he o mula ion o
goals, bu also in he p ojec s hemsel es, so ha
we say: o which co po a e alue does he p ojec
con ibu e?” (F14a)
O he manage s in he sample a ibu ed impo ance o
he co po a e alues in challenging si ua ions whe e a de-
cision mus be made, o an app op ia e solu ion be ound.
He e, again, hey a e used as a e e ence poin (M6; M9).
Excep o C5, all o he s a -ups ha e o malized hese
alues in w i ing (mo e on his in Chap e 4.9), a ying in
numbe om h ee o nine co po a e alues espec i ely
guiding p inciples. They usually do no consis o one wo d
(F1; E9) bu a he an (impe a i e) supe o dina e ac ion
i le (c ., F2; M6; F10) which is conc e ized and explained
in ano he sen ence. The use o less gene ic and abs ac
e ms is in ended o ensu e ha , on he one hand, he e is
less oom o in e p e a ion, and, on he o he hand, hese
alues can be ope a ionalized in eachable and obse able
beha io s (F7; F10; M13).
Mos ounde s end o in ol e hei employees in de in-
ing and de eloping company alues and guiding p inciples,
allowing hem o iew hem as “pa o hei own in ellec ual
p ope y (...) o hei own DNA” (M6) and acco dingly en-
do se hem in hei daily ac ions (F7). This is done h ough
wo kshops, quali a i e in e iews, company-wide su eys, o
o ing.6Once he alues a e w i en down, some s a -ups e-
iew hem o e ime o de e mine whe he hey a e s ill ap-
plicable a he cu en s age and adjus hei wo ding i neces-
sa y. This usually in ol es only a e inemen o he wo ding
ega ding he cu en co po a e con ex a he han o mu-
la ing a new se o alues (F3; F5; M9; F10; M13; F14a).
The co po a e alues a e seen by many ounde s and
manage s as he co e o he co po a e cul u e, which mus
be p ese ed e en du ing g ow h (F2; F3; M10; M11; M13;
F14a; F14b).
Pa icula ly in a s a -up’s ini ial phase, howe e , i does
no play a majo ole in whe he a alue sys em has al eady
been w i en down (F3; F5; M9). Ins ead, i is essen ial ha
he ounding eam consis en ly and con inuously leads by ex-
ample om he ou se and akes on a (4) ole model unc ion,
ac ing acco dingly o i s espoused alues. Tha is because he
employees obse e how hey communica e, beha e and in e -
ac wi h people (F3; F7). Founde s and manage s e e ed o
his p ac ice as one o he mos equen , signi ican , and e -
ec i e one in he cul u al con ex (F1; F2; F3; F5; M6; F7;
M8; F10; F12; M13; F14a). Especially in his ea ly s age o a
s a -up, i is assumed by he in e iewees ha he ounde s
g ea ly in luence how hings a e done by (implici ly) exem-
pli ying i hemsel es o hei employees, hus p ima ily shap-
ing he ea ly co po a e cul u e (F7; E10; F7; F12; F14a) and
con eying hei basic assump ions (F5; M6; F10; F12). This
ini ial beha io has long- e m e ec s, acco ding o ounde
F7 and should no be unde es ima ed:
”Wha you [as a ounde ]jus exempli y he e,
he way you beha e will be decisi e o how he
company will beha e. I you say, ’Oh, come on,
sc ew i , ha one cus ome he e, he’s no ha
impo an , is he?’ o ’Well, we don’ ha e o be
so s ic abou legal’, hen you always ha e o be
awa e ha his beha io will shape he company
6Exempla y ques ions s a -ups ha e asked hei employees: Wha kind o
cul u e do we wan o ha e? Wha makes wo king a CX special o you?
I you like i , why? Wha makes i s and ou ? Wha would be impo an
o you when o he people join ha hey know how wo k is done a CX?
Wha a e he mos impo an alues o you? (c . F3; M9)
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1749
o many yea s o come because i is you basic
a i ude. And ha ’s whe e you ha e o challenge
you sel .” (F7)
To ac as a c edible ole model, consis ency in all a eas o
ac ion be ween wha is said and wha is done by he ounde
eam is manda o y (M6; F10; F12). Only h ough his ob-
se able consis ency, which is e iden in hei beha io , in-
e ac ions wi h o he colleagues, and communica ion in e -
nally and ex e nally, do he co po a e alues a ain au hen-
ici y (F5; M6; M13; F14b). Fo ins ance, one ounde s a ed
ha i one as a ounde has no beha ed acco ding o hese
alues, one should make onesel ulne able and admi he
misconduc (F7).
Fu he mo e, he ounde s also ha e a ole model unc-
ion when hey poin ou o hei employees he igh o
w ong beha io in a ce ain si ua ion which is a he a spon-
aneous eac ion o an occu ence (F2; F3). A he same ime,
eedback as a managemen ins umen (see Chap e 4.3) is
used by all s a -ups om an ea ly s age on o egula ly ad-
d ess he beha io o manage s and employees consciously
and mo e o mally and o coach hem i necessa y.
By c ea ing egula poin s o con ac wi h he ounding
eam, such as onboa dings, aining, mee ings, and e en s, o
h ough open o ice s uc u es, some ounde s y o con inue
o p o ide isibili y o hei impac as cul u al ole models
despi e an inc easing numbe o employees and hus ewe
di ec close pe sonal in e ac ions (F3; F5; M6; M9). Repea -
edly, ounde s and manage s e e ed o he aspec o he
app oachabili y o he ounding and managemen eam (F5;
M6; M13; F14b).
Se e al ounde s epo ed ha om he poin a which
managemen le els a e es ablished and di ec ounde con-
ac wi h all employees is dec easing, i is o g ea impo -
ance o be a ole model, especially o employees wi h man-
agemen esponsibili y, so ha hey can ac acco ding o he
ounde s’ alue sys em and pass i on o hei eam (F1; F2;
F3; F10) since employees a e guided by hei supe iso ’s
maxims o ac ion (M10) and obse e he beha io o hei
di ec supe iso s (F3; M10; M13). In his con ex , h ee o
he ounde s emphasize ha being a ole model is seen as pa -
icula ly c i ical o ex e nally ec ui ed manage s who may
al eady b ing o he ypes o cul u al imp in s om p e ious
employmen s wi h hem, as hey, in u n, ha e a di ec in lu-
ence on hei eam membe s. Fo ins ance, his is no only o
ensu e ha hese manage s exempli y he s a -up’s alues
o hei employees bu also o p e en undesi able cul u al
change (F5; M11).
4.2. Pe sonnel Decisions and Onboa ding
In addi ion o he basic en ep eneu ial o ien a ion and
beha io o he ounde s, da a e ealed ha human esou ces
p ocesses as well as he onboa ding p ocess o new employ-
ees a e key ins umen s in he de elopmen and main enance
o he espec i e cul u es o he s a -ups.
One o he mos equen ly men ioned ins umen s o
shaping, de eloping, and main aining co po a e cul u e was
(5) ec ui ing. Acco ding o he in e iewees, his p ima -
ily in ol es - alongside p o essional quali ica ion - iden i y-
ing a pe son-cul u e i on he pa o he company and he
pa o he applican . Some o he ounde s and manage s a -
ibu ed excep ionally high impo ance o applican s’ cul u al
i , poin ing ou ha applican s mee ing he p o essional e-
qui emen s bu no he cul u al ones we e no hi ed (F5; M6;
F7).
While in he ea ly phase o he s udied s a -ups, deci-
sions abou new employees ended o be made based on he
ounde ’s gu eeling, wi h he apidly inc easing need o
new employees, mo e s uc u ed and mul i-s age p ocedu es
we e in oduced in he ec ui ing p ocess a a ious s a -ups.
This is in ended o ec ui mo e sys ema ically o a cul u al
i .
Al eady du ing he ini ial con ac be ween he applican
and he company, he applican can ge a i s imp ession
ia he company websi es o he s a -ups, whe e usually he
company’s co po a e alues can be ound o “people s o ies”
(F5), which desc ibe wha i is like o wo k in he espec-
i e company. S a -ups C5 and C8, o ins ance, epo ed
ha hey had ecen ly e amped hei websi e p esence o
communica e co po a e cul u e aspec s o po en ial job appli-
can s ea ly on and a ac (cul u ally) app op ia e candida es
acco dingly (F5; M8). The Team Lead Human Resou ces o
s a -up C10 emphasized ha o main ain hei co po a e cul-
u e in hype -g ow h, i is e en essen ial ha applican s a e
amilia wi h he s a -up’s alues om he beginning, as his
would allow hem o decide i his is a cul u e hey wan o
wo k in (M10).
When asked how he di e en s a -ups de e mine a cul-
u al i , esponden s mos ly eplied ha in ol ing mul iple
people in he ec ui ing p ocess and ge ing o know each
o he can de elop a good sense o e alua e whe he an ap-
plican is a cul u al i o he s a -up. Fo his eason, he
applica ion p ocess is ypically mul i-s ep o all s a -ups and
in ol es a ious employees o assess he applican s’ i wi h
he co po a e cul u e. Fo ins ance, se e al pee sessions and
eam in e iews (M6; F14b), and a decision panel (M11) ha
decides whe he o hi e an applican we e men ioned. Mo e-
o e , C13 u ilizes e e ence calls o con i m s a emen s made
by he applican (M13). C3 has in oduced an all-day expe-
ience day ea ly on as a las ec ui ing p ocess o ull- ime
employees. The pu pose o his day is o he applican o
expe ience he s a -up’s cul u e and o he eam o ind ou
whe he he e is a eam and cul u e i be ween hem and
he applican . Thus, he eam makes he inal decision on
whe he o hi e an applican . F3 explained ha i is easible
ha he p e ious in e iews wi h HR and he eam lead we e
posi i e o he applican , bu he eam decided agains he
candida e (F3).
In he in e iews hemsel es, si ua ional ques ions, o
example, a e aimed a e iying e i y whe he he candi-
da e has ac ed and ope a ed acco ding o he s a -up’s alues
in p e ious employmen and whe he hey suppo he s a -
up’s co po a e alues (M4; F5; M9; M11).
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681750
The e was ag eemen among he in e iewees ha co -
po a e cul u e is a signi ican and ixed e alua ion c i e ion
in ec ui ing and is hus included in he candida e e alua ion
o m o sco eca d, o ins ance (F2; F7; M9; M11).
In all s a -ups, up o a ce ain employee size, a leas one
o he ounde s was in ol ed in he inal ec ui ing in e iew,
which is also seen as a kind o “ alues in e iew” (F10) o
“cul u e- i in e iew” (F5). A some poin , howe e , some
o he ounde s ha e wi hd awn en i ely om he ec ui ing
p ocess due o o he obliga ions. In his ega d, one o hose
ounde s epo ed he ollowing:
“In ac , un il ecen ly, i was he no m ha one
o he ounde s mus ha e in e iewed e e y em-
ployee. In he mean ime, I don’ in e iew e e y-
body anymo e, [bu he hi ing manage does].
(...) bu he e is much isk in ha . A some poin ,
I will ealize ha I should ha e done his o a
longe ime. Bu i ’s always a ques ion o p io i-
iza ion.” (F7)
In ac , some o he ounde s o he sample a ibu ed a
pa icula ly c i ical ole o he s a ing o HR posi ions, which
a e in ended o assess cul u al i on behal o he ounde s
(F3; F7; F12). Ne e heless, e en while g owing apidly,
ounde s con inue o be pa o he inal in e iew a nea ly
hal o he s a -ups (F1; F2; F3; M4; F5; F7; M13; F10),
al hough in some cases only o managemen posi ions (F3;
M4). As long as capaci ies allow he ounde s o C2, C10,
and C13 aim o emain in ol ed in he ec ui men p ocess
o hei employees while scaling.
When (6) selec ing employees, a speci ic “ ype o em-
ployee” (F5) is sough , wi h he igh “mindse ” (M6; F7; M8),
simila cul u al pe cep ions (F1; F2; F7; M8), and which
“ ick” (F2) simila ly o he ounde s. Acco dingly, i could be
obse ed in some o he in e iews ha , especially a he be-
ginning o he en u es, iends and o me colleagues we e
hi ed in which a cul u al i was seen by he ounde s, who in
u n e e ed o he employees (F1; F5; M6; M11). The Chie
o S a o C6 and COO o C11 a ibu ed a signi ican con-
ibu ion o how he co po a e cul u e has e ol ed o hese
indi iduals h ough hei sha ed his o y om a p e ious em-
ploymen ela ionship. The wo ounde s o s a -up C15, on
he o he side, emphasized ha i was c ucial o ill he i s
posi ion o be assigned wi h a People and Cul u e expe o
ha e he app op ia e expe ise in-house om he ou se o
de elop he ype o co po a e cul u e hey we e aiming o .
The in e iew da a e ealed ha i is no a ma e o se-
lec ing people who esemble he ounde s in hei cha ac e s
o ai s bu a he b ing a simila se o p inciples and a -
i udes, and sha e he mission, he eby c ea ing di e si y in
he wo k o ce none heless (F2; F3; M8; F14b).
The esponses o he ounde s and manage s u he in-
dica ed ha , pa icula ly ega ding he apid g ow h o he
s a -ups and he associa ed changes, he cha ac e is ic o
willingness o change in a co po a e con ex is sough in he
employees:
“I hink ha he opic o hype -g ow h equi es a
e y special mindse . We ha e only hi ed people
who a e insanely willing and en husias ic abou
change.” (M8)
Responden s explained ha his is because s a -ups a e
subjec o cons an change, which means ha p ocesses and
s uc u es a e cons an ly changing in e nally, and adap abil-
i y is equi ed acco dingly (F1; F2; F3; M8; M9; M13).
Being e y es ic i e in selec ing employees om he
e y beginning was seen as a p e equisi e o shaping he de-
si ed ype o co po a e cul u e (F2; M4; F5; F7; M8) and
undamen al o main aining i (F2; M4; F5; M6; F7; M13).
One in e iewee poin ed ou ha hi ing he w ong pe son
could “quickly des oy he co po a e cul u e” (M4). A e y e-
s ic i e selec ion app oach mus be main ained, e en i he
apid g ow h is domina ed by a high demand o new em-
ployees, o p ese e he co po a e cul u e a i s co e:
“Being e y es ic i e in he selec ion o employ-
ees is why we ha e managed o main ain he co -
po a e cul u e.” (F2)
Almos hal o he ounde s and manage s analyzed in his
s udy epo ed hei (7) onboa ding p ocess as a pa icu-
la ly powe ul ins umen in p ese ing he s a -up’s cul u e
as i g ows (F1; M6; M9; F10; M13; F14a). They desc ibed
add essing hei co po a e cul u e he e in a ious ways. In
gene al, he onboa ding is in ended o help in eg a e new
employees in o he s a -up’s cul u e mo e quickly.
Some o he ounde s and manage s emphasized ha as
he numbe o employees g ew, pa s o he onboa ding p o-
cess had o be adap ed and expanded and new o ma s in o-
duced o ensu e he success ul onboa ding o new employees
du ing such apid g ow h, also conside ing he emo e-wo k
con ex imposed by Co id-19 (M6; M9; M13).
Bluep in s o di e en onboa ding jou neys, onboa ding
sessions, and onboa ding classes we e men ioned, o exam-
ple, whe e new joine s a e augh cul u al elemen s 7, and
he in oduc ion o buddy p og ams wi h a leas one buddy
pe new joine (M6; M9; F10; M13; F14a, F14b). In a buddy
p og am, an expe ienced employee is assigned o help a new
hi e become socialized. The buddy sha es his o he knowl-
edge abou he company, and speci ic ques ions abou he
cul u e can also be di ec ed o he buddy. The buddy hus
also se es o communica e he co po a e cul u e explici ly
and implici ly (G aybill e al., 2013, p. 203). The CPO o he
as -g owing s a -up C13 sees he ad an age in onboa ding
classes ha he newcome s gain a c oss-depa men al pe -
spec i e, ha e di ec poin s o con ac , and possibly g ow o-
ge he as a g oup. Company C9, which al eady has se e al
o ices globally, ini ially holds a global “Cul u e Onboa ding”
o con ey he idea “We a e one company, and we ha e one
co po a e cul u e” (M9) o he new s a e s om he a ious
7Fo ins ance: How do we wo k? Wha is impo an o us? How do we
deal wi h each o he ? (M10; M13)
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1751
o ices. This is ollowed by an “O ice Onboa ding” ha ad-
d esses local peculia i ies.
Among s a -ups, he onboa ding p ocess anges om a
ew days, weeks o six mon hs8, whe eby some s udy pa -
icipan s emphasize he impo ance o in-pe son onboa ding
o help newcome s ge a as e imp ession o he na u e o
he s a -up’s cul u e (F2; M13; F14b). Fo example, he co-
ounde o s a -up C2 explained ha e en i new employees
s a wo king emo ely, he i s wo weeks a e manda o y o
hem in he o ice, and again a e six mon hs (F2).
Pa s o he onboa ding p ocess deal wi h he opic o co -
po a e cul u e in a dedica ed way, e.g., in he o m o a cul-
u e day, cul u e sessions, and a co e alue aining in which
he issue o co po a e cul u e is explici ly add essed and dis-
cussed.
A key componen o onboa ding ha has usually been
pa o i since he ea ly days o each s a -up is he ounde
ouchpoin , a leas in one pa o he onboa ding p ocess.
The ounde s welcome he new joine s, ell he company his-
o y and ounding s o y, p esen he co po a e alues and
guiding p inciples, and explain wha hese mean speci ically
in he company con ex , how and why hey we e selec ed,
and wha is expec ed in his ega d (F2; F3 M9; F10; M11;
M13; M12). In some s a -ups, such as C2, C7, and C9, ca e
is also aken o es ablish a pe sonal connec ion o he al-
ues, e.g., by asking which alues he new employees iden-
i y wi h mos and why o simply c ea ing a pla o m o dis-
cou se abou he co po a e cul u e and alues (F2; F7; M9).
F om he ounde s’ pe spec i e, he onboa ding p ocess sig-
ni ican ly con ibu es o con eying hei basic assump ions
(M4; M8; F10; M11; M13; F14a).
Acco ding o M13, i is essen ial o keep he ounde s as
a cen al igu e o he s a -up’s cul u e in ol ed in he on-
boa ding p ocess, e en i he numbe o employees inc eases
signi ican ly. Co espondingly, he o ma o ge ing o know
he ounde s o C14 has been adap ed as he apidly g ow-
ing numbe o employees was no longe manageable wi h he
p e ious o ma .
Ins ead o hal an hou o each employee o ge o know
each ounde , he e is now a one-hou call wi h all newcom-
e s pe mon h wi h all membe s o he ounding eam.
The CPO o C13 epo ed, ha she is cu en ly wo king
wi h one o he ounde s o edesign he onboa ding p ocess
due o hei apid g ow h and epo ed he ollowing:
“We wan o double again nex yea . You can’
g ow ha as wi hou ha ing a e y s ongly
s uc u ed onboa ding p ocess, whe e exac ly
all hese cul u al elemen s a e communica ed
uni o mly and consis en ly: wha do we s and
o , wha a e ou p ocesses? (...) And o cou se
8The six-mon h onboa ding p ocess in ol es weekly sessions ha new em-
ployees mus a end a ce ain numbe o imes. The e, people deal wi h
and discuss a ious aspec s o he co po a e cul u e. A he same ime,
he newcome lea ns wha is essen ial o he company in e ms o wo king
me hods and mu ual in e ac ion. (M8)
also so ha employees can now be onboa ded
emo ely. Tha was a huge challenge o all com-
panies in 2020, because i ’s qui e no mal o say,
’Hey, we’ e going ou o a bee , he e’s a co -
ee’. How do you manage ha ? I.e., you also
ha e o go much mo e o such a isual lan-
guage. You ha e o s a doing ideo con en .
Tha means we a e building a ool-suppo ed,
s uc u ed onboa ding p ocess o pene a e his
(cul u al) heme.” (M13)
This example summa ized once again ha as he numbe
o employees inc eases, he onboa ding p ocess is adap ed,
and he need is seen o explici ly add ess he issue o co po-
a e cul u e he e.
Ano he measu e o de elop and os e co po a e cul u e
men ioned equen ly by he esponden s is he (8) p omo-
ion o ea ly joine s, i.e., he i s employees o a s a -up
(F3; F5; M6; F10; M11). One eason hey e e ed o is no
o lose he i s employees in he long e m since hey a e
usually s ong cul u e ca ie s and ancho s in he eyes o he
ounde s:
“We ha e always been o una e enough o ha e
had qui e s ong [cul u al]ancho s by spli ing
he ea ly joine s in o di e en leade ship posi-
ions in di e en eams.” (M6)
Ha ing ea ly joine s in highe posi ions “leads o a be -
e communica ion o he cul u e because hey ha e known he
cul u e o longe . They will also end o lead hei eam in his
way.” (F3)
The COO o C11 exp essed he impo ance o he p omo-
ion as ollows:
“Qui e a ew o he eam leads and Head o s ha
we ha e in ou company a e employees who ha e
been wi h us o a long ime, ha e abso bed [ he
cul u e], we e success ul in hei way, bo h in e-
sul s and alues, we e [p omo ed]based on ha .
They hen ha e a ole model and sp eading unc-
ion h oughou he o ganiza ion.” (M11)
Wi h he in oduc ion o a managemen le el, emphasis
was placed on communica ing o hose manage s ha hey
also ha e a suppo ing ole in ansmi ing he s a -up’s cul-
u e. Employees who ha e been de eloped in o manage s
hus also hold he esponsibili y o ole models and ac as
mul iplie s o he co po a e cul u e (F3; M6; M11). Fu he -
mo e, he COO o C11 s a ed in a p e ious in e iew ha
in his iew p omo ions “a e [in gene al]one o he s onges
cul u e-building signals o he o ganiza ion abou desi ed be-
ha io s and esul s” (Ma ine i 2020, Ex e nal In e iew wi h
M11 ). In addi ion, in e nal job pos ings a e published in e -
nally i s , gi ing exis ing employees he oppo uni y o ap-
ply o an open posi ion be o e ex e nal applican s can do so
(M11).
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681752
This is coun e ed by he (9) sanc ioning and sepa a ion
o employees who do no beha e in acco dance wi h he ype
o co po a e cul u e he ounde s aspi e o o who iola e
co po a e alues (F2, M13; F10; F14a; F14b).
Ano he eason ha was obse ed om he in e iews
ha can lead o he sepa a ion o employees in he con-
ex o co po a e cul u e is when he company ou g ows an
employee (F5; M13; F14b), i.e., when he en ep eneu ial
changes associa ed wi h apid g ow h o a s a -up a e no
emb aced and suppo ed by an employee.
4.3. E alua ion o Employee Beha io and Feedback
The e alua ion o employee beha io in he o m o ap-
p ecia ion, pe o mance assessmen , and eedback we e also
applied as ins umen s o cul u e de elopmen and main e-
nance.
Linking (10) awa ds and app ecia ion o he company’s
co po a e alues and he beha io ounde s a e conce ned
wi h is ano he ins umen ha is used in many s a -ups.
Wha was ini ially done in o mally, di ec ly pe son- o-
pe son, occu s a some s a -ups in a mo e o mal, sys ema ic
way a e a ew yea s and wi h a la ge numbe o employ-
ees. Again, he s a -ups’ execu ion a ies. Fo ins ance, wo
o he ounde s epo how employees a e p aised in commu-
nica ion channels o hei beha io in ela ion o he s a -
up’s alues, bo h by ounde s and o he employees (F5; F7).
A C5, he e is e en a designa ed “app ecia ion channel” on
Slack, he in e nal communica ion ool. The idea is o p aise
he pe son who has exempli ied a co po a e alue pa icu-
la ly well and he eby exp ess app ecia ion o he beha io .
A he same ime, o he colleagues a e made awa e o which
beha io is highly alued in he company and how one has
o beha e o ecei e (public) ecogni ion o i . In he same
way, i is poin ed ou when a alue has no been ac ed upon
o should be obse ed in a gi en si ua ion (e.g., he alue
“ ocus”) (F7). O he ounde s in he sample also emphasize
he exempla y beha io o hei employees in mee ings:
“Wha we ocus on e y s ongly is simply show-
ing ecogni ion and app ecia ion o people (...)
by ac i ely highligh ing people in la ge mee ings
wi h e e ence o hese alues, whe e hey ha e
ac ed acco dingly in he speci ic si ua ion. I hink
ha is e y, e y impo an o e e yone indi id-
ually.” (F2)
In addi ion, ou ounde s men ioned awa ds as a mo e
o mal ype o ecogni ion, which a e handed o e o em-
ployees on a (bi-)weekly o qua e ly basis (F2; F10; F11;
F12; F14a). This usually ollows some so o p ocess ha
equi es he employee o be nomina ed o he awa d. How-
e e , employees do no need o be nomina ed by he ounde s
hemsel es o hei espec i e supe iso s; o he employees
can also nomina e hem. A C11, o example, a ju y decides
who ul ima ely ecei es his awa d, whe eas a C14, he em-
ployees o e o he winne ia an online o ing ool.
Some ounde s and manage s highligh ed, when publicly
awa ding employees, he audience is old why his pe son
won and how hey beha ed in a pa icula si ua ion. This
no only exp esses app ecia ion o he winne bu also se es
as a “signaling e ec o wha is desi ed he e in he o ganiza-
ion and wha g ea e ec s i can ha e i you beha e ha way.”
(M11). Sha ing he pe sonal s o ies a ound each co po a e
alue o p inciple con eys he meaning o hose in o he com-
pany. S a -up C15 also publishes in a LinkedIn pos an ex-
ample o an employee who ecei ed an awa d in he cu en
week, which alue he o she exempli ied pa icula ly well,
and why9.
Nume ous ounde s and manage s also e e ed o (11)
pe o mance assessmen as a e y explici ins umen o
main aining hei co po a e cul u e as pe o mance can be
linked o he s a -up’s alues he e.
In semi-annual o annual pe o mance e iews, in addi-
ion o he pe o mance achie ed, he e is a e iew (o equal
alue) o how employees ha e li ed and “deli e ed” (M13)
on he co po a e alues “so ha e e yone’s beha io is epea -
edly e lec ed agains his canon o alues” (M13). Founde s
and manage s ou lined ha speci ic si ua ions a e inqui ed
in which indi iduals ha e beha ed in acco dance wi h he
alues in he wo k con ex ; hey a e e alua ed on he basis
o hese (M4; F7; M11; M13). As a esul , “alignmen wi h
he alues is also linked o compensa ion and ca ee p og ess”
(M11), and each employee is “accoun able” (M13) in his e-
ga d. The ex en o which employees pay a en ion o he
co po a e alues is assessed a C13 om in e ns o high-
le el managemen (C-le el). The ounde F14a named he
Ame ican human esou ce so wa e BambooHR as a speci ic
so wa e ool o pe o mance e alua ion. On i s websi e,
he echnology company BambooHR explici ly add esses he
opic o pe o mance managemen unde he ab “cul u e”
and s a es ha pe o mance managemen di ec ly in luences
co po a e cul u e (BambooHR, 2022).
Besides he pe o mance assessmen o employees, all
s a -ups om he selec ed sample build upon a dis inc eed-
back cul u e. Sys ema ic eedback collec ion on he com-
pany is discussed in Chap e 4.10 Ac i e Pa icipa ion and
In ol emen o Employees. This sec ion deals wi h equen
bi-di ec ional (12) eedback be ween employees o he same
le el and be ween employees and hei supe io s. The ocus
o his ins umen is no on he assessmen o an indi idual
bu on a egula exchange, which is in ended o help p o-
mo e desi ed beha io wi hin he company, pe sonnel de el-
opmen , and cap u ing employee conce ns and wo ies and
gene al sugges ions o imp o emen . Acco dingly, di e en
me hods o conduc ing eedback we e men ioned: (annual)
upwa d manage eedback (M11; M13), whe e supe iso s
ecei e eedback collec ed om hei eam membe s, pee
eedback (F3; M11) be ween eam membe s, (weekly, qua -
e ly) one-on-one eedback be ween supe iso s and hei
employees (F2; F10; M11), and e ospec i es (F10). Like-
wise, eedback occu s in a mo e in o mal se ing by di ec ly
9An example can be aken om Appendix D.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1753
poin ing ou si ua ionally when an employee’s beha io does
no mee (cul u al) expec a ions (F1; F2; F14). The di e en
eedback me hods communica e which beha io s a e (no )
desi ed10, whe he employees ac acco ding o he co po a e
alues, and wha kind o co po a e cul u e is aspi ed by he
ounde s and manage s (F2; F7; M11):
“We cons an ly ha e eedback, which p ac ically
also ep esen s how we see ou sel es and how
we see he cul u e, ha we ha e high s anda ds
o ou sel es, bu ha we also wan o help o h-
e s o become be e . And ha ’s why we gi e and
ake eedback.” (M11)
4.4. Resou ces
This sec ion explains esou ces ha a e used in he de el-
opmen and main enance o he company cul u e ( aining,
wo kshops, and ime and human esou ces) o e lec cul-
u al alues in he use o esou ces (sala y and bene i s).
Financial compensa ion, whe he (13) sala y o bene i s,
was ci ed as ano he example ha is linked o company al-
ues (M11; F12; M13; F14a). A C12, he bonus sys em o he
sales eam e lec s which beha io is desi ed:
“(...) In sales eams, whe e we na u ally also
ha e a ce ain compe i i e si ua ion, and also
hones ly p omo e i , we also a ach impo ance
o (...) how ou bonus sys em is designed. (...)
Fo ins ance, i one o [ he sales eam membe s]
is sick o on aca ion, ha people help each o he
ou and suppo each o he and don’ go o he
elbow men ali y.” (F12)
I i is essen ial o one o he s a -ups ha all employees
wi h he same job a e ea ed equally, hen he sala ies a e dy-
namically adjus ed acco dingly i he labo ma ke demands
inc easing sala ies and new employees ecei e a highe s a -
ing sala y o his eason han employees who ha e been wi h
he company o a mo e ex ended pe iod (M11). The as-
sump ion o equali y may also mani es in he non-exis ence
o sala y di e en ials be ween gende s, as in C8. The e o e,
in essence, compensa ion, on he one hand, is ins umen al-
ized o in luence he beha io o employees and, on he o he
hand, exp esses he alues and p inciples o he s a -up.
Ano he ins umen o con ey wha is impo an o he
ounding eam and wha kind o beha io is desi ed is (con-
cep ual) (14) aining and wo kshops. This mo e o mal
ype o mani es a ion would be equi ed in he case o apid
and con inuous pe sonnel g ow h and in he assump ions o
doubling o e en ipling wi hin a yea (M9).
Th ough aining, lea ning de elopmen p og ams, and
he associa ed inancial and ime in es men , he s a -up ex-
p esses wha i conside s impo an in e ms o i s co po a e
10 “I you somehow ha e he eeling ha people a e no ac ing [in acco -
dance wi h he company’s alues], you don’ jus le i go, bu add ess
i in ou weekly one-on-one mee ings, which always ake place be ween
employees and hei supe iso s.” (F2)
cul u e (M8). Examples gi en a e “empa hy communica ion”,
“agile wo king”, “ emo e wo king”, “ eam e ec i eness” o “sel -
leade ship” aining (M8; M9). Acco dingly, C9 has c ea ed
an in-house aining and lea ning o e ing designed by he in-
e nal lea ning and de elopmen eam “ o de elop he mindse
and compe encies needed o d i e sys em-change o sus ain-
abili y e ec i ely” (M9). Fu he mo e, o coun e ac a possi-
ble cul u al decline due o apid g ow h, a speci ic aining
was de eloped wi h mo e o mal e e ence o hei co po a e
cul u e (M9).
Especially impo ance is a ibu ed o aining o he
managemen le el (M6; M9; M11; F14b). Such aining is
supposed o be a pa icula ly scalable and e ec i e ins u-
men since manage s ha e a g ea e cul u al impac me ely
by hei posi ion:
“By a he mos scalable hing you can do (...):
you ha e o make su e ha he manage s in in-
di idual eams [a e well ained], know [wha is
impo an o us ounde s], how o communica e
hese alues, wha we expec om hem, wha
kind o ole model hey should be, (...) o align
hem wi h ou alues.” (F14b)
In addi ion, aining cou ses and wo kshops a e also o -
e ed and conduc ed ha di ec ly add ess he co po a e cul-
u e i sel , some o which a e al eady ancho ed in he on-
boa ding p ocess o many s a -ups. These include ain-
ing on he s a -up’s co po a e alues - “Wha do hey mean?
How we e hey selec ed? Wha is expec ed o employees in his
ega d?” (M11). Usually, aining cou ses ha do no di-
ec ly deal wi h he company alues a e no conduc ed by he
ounde s hemsel es. Bu acco ding o M9, his would ha e
he ad an age ha pa icipan s could lea n di ec ly om he
ounde s and ask hem mo e in-dep h ques ions abou he
con en . Such a o ma in ol ing he ounde s could di ec ly
in luence he “nex gene a ion” o new employees (M9).
4.5. O ganiza ional Design and S uc u e
Only a ew s a -ups ini ially associa ed (15) o ganiza-
ional s uc u e and how he o ganiza ion and eams a e
buil as an in luen ial ins umen o shaping co po a e cul-
u e (M9; F12; F14a; F14b). Howe e , once he e m was in-
oduced in o he con e sa ion by he in e iewe , his ins u-
men was gi en subs an ial weigh o in luence he beha -
io and mindse o employees by he ounde s’ assump ions
and alues abou how o conduc hings as he o ganiza ional
s uc u e e lec s he way in e nal ela ionships and commu-
nica ion is managed, oles and powe a e alloca ed (F2; M6;
F7; M8; F14a). Fo ins ance, a C9, a consul ancy, a dis inc-
ion is only made be ween associa es and pa ne s, which
keeps he hie a chy le el as low as possible. A C8, ca e
was aken in he o ganiza ional s uc u e o sepa a e ech-
nical and disciplina y leade ship, indica ing how leade ship
is concei ed wi hin he s a -up. Many s a -ups s udied hold
he undamen al assump ion ha co e compe ence esides
in hei employees, which is why decision-making powe is
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681754
ans e ed as deeply as possible in o he o ganiza ion and e-
sponsibili y is delega ed (F1; F2; F5; F7; F14a). To main ain
speci ic alues in g ow h, such as he alue o “Owne ship”,
he o ganiza ional s uc u e a C15 was adap ed acco dingly.
One sec ion o he in e iew deal wi h whe he he e is
a (16) dedica ed unc ion in e nally o he opic o co po-
a e cul u e a he company size cu en ly ob ained. I was
obse ed ha he e ends o be a consensus ha he ound-
ing eam bea s he p ima y esponsibili y o he s a -ups’
cul u al opics, as i is “possibly he mos impo an job [o a
ounde ]” (F2; F10).
Ne e heless, many o hese ounde s desc ibed ha he
shaping and implemen a ion o de elopmen and main e-
nance ac i i ies a e p ima ily assigned o loca ed o a de-
pa men such as People and Cul u e (F7; M10; M11; F12;
M13; F14a). In o he s a -ups, he e a e ins i u ions such
as a global cul u e commi ee (M9), a cul u e club ha e -
e y employee can join (M6), o a no ma i e ci cle, which in-
cludes, o example, employees om he Human Resou ces
and Legal depa men s, Agile Coaches and people elec ed by
employees (M8), whe e co po a e cul u e opics a e alked
abou in a dedica ed way. The ounde s may be ep esen ed
in hese ins i u ional g oupings, hough (M8; M9).
The impo ance o a g oup o people dedica ed o he
opic o co po a e cul u e om a pa icula company size -
because i is a oo “impo an a opic” and should no be a
“side opic” in he eyes o many ounde s (F5; F7; F14a) - is
also shown by he ollowing quo e:
“[Anne om he People Team]un o una ely le
he company a ew mon hs ago (...). Tha ’s why
we ha e o ancho [ he opic o co po a e cul-
u e]mo e s ongly again. Because i you ha e a
pe son like he who also owns i , you also ha e
an e ec behind i . (...) Bu [aspec s o co po a e
cul u e]will bleed i we don’ ind someone who
eally akes i up again and sees i as a cen al
ask.” (F7)
The i s employee a C15 was no only assigned o hei
People and Cul u e depa men , bu he s a -up gene ally
ollowed he app oach o “ eally (...) in es ing in he People
and Cul u e depa men ” (F14a) and assigning one HR Busi-
ness Pa ne o e e y i e o six manage s since he man-
agemen le el was in oduced. Acco ding o F14b, hey as-
sis ed as a s a egis in guiding he company h ough he a -
ious g ow h phases om en o 200 employees and made his
apid g ow h wi hin 18 mon hs possible o he s a -up in he
i s place. The ounde s ha e no encoun e ed his s a ing
a io in any s a -up be o e (F14a; F14b).
Besides C1, he wo hype -g ow h s a -ups C4 and C5,
also plan o hi e a pe son such as a Head o People and Cul-
u e (M4) ull ime due o he e y apid g ow h in pe son-
nel, who will be “hi ed speci ically o [ u he ]build [C4’s]
co po a e cul u e” (M4) o “deal wi h he issue [mo e s a egi-
cally]”(F5).
4.6. O ganiza ional P ocesses
In gene al, he in e nal (17) p ocess design as a cul u al
ins umen was also gi en ele ance ha pe manen ly ecalls
and posi i ely ein o ces he co po a e cul u e (M11). The
in e iewees e e o speci ic managemen p ocesses such as
ec ui ing, onboa ding, pe o mance assessmen , o eedback
p ocesses, which ha e al eady been discussed in p e ious
chap e s, o mo e gene al s a emen s a e made abou man-
agemen p ocesses:
“In addi ion o hese e y ob ious ein o ce s o
alues, we also y o design in e nal manage-
men p ocesses in such a way ha we ha e he
eeling ha his is a cohe en image [wi h ou
cul u e]. (...) And hen o ensu e ha [ he co -
po a e cul u e]is always emembe ed and posi-
i ely ein o ced h ough p ac ically sus ainable,
scalable p ocesses, whe he ha ’s h ough he
annual e iews o alue awa ds, bu he mos im-
po an hing, I hink, is o pay a en ion o i in
ec ui ing.” (M11)
Wi h ega d o g ow h, no only s uc u es bu also p o-
cesses mus be cons an ly e iewed and e hough in e ms
o hei sui abili y (M6; M9).
4.7. E en s and Ri uals
The e lec ions o he ounde s and manage s showed ha
i uals, i.e., ecu ing e en s and ac i i ies, a e pa icula ly
impo an o he de elopmen and main enance o he s a -
up’s cul u e (F2; M6; M9; F10; F12; F14b). Ri ualized ac-
i i ies a e no unique o his chap e ; o example, gi ing
awa ds, which ha e al eady been add essed in a p e ious
chap e , can also be conside ed i ualized ac i i y. The ocus
o his chap e is on c ea ing u he egula poin s o con ac
be ween employees, whe e he co po a e cul u e should no
only be expe ienced by he indi idual bu , in some ins ances,
also explici ly alked abou .
Va ious ounde s and manage s a ibu ed pa icula el-
e ance in a cul u al con ex o in e nally held (18) e en s
ha s eng hen eam cohesion and encou age exchange be-
ween employees on a egula basis (F5; M9). This is in-
ended no only o coun e ac he anonymi y ha h ea ens
wi h an inc easing numbe o employees (M4; M11; F12)
bu also o ein o ce he co po a e cul u e by emb acing and
expe iencing i he e in a mo e in o mal se ing (F2; M6;
M10; F12; F14a). C ea ing emo ional expe iences h ough
e en s p omo es cohesion among employees and os e s be-
ha io al pa e ns (F10; F14b). Besides, new sha ed company
s o ies (M6; F10) a e c ea ed ha ansmi he s a -up’s al-
ues (F10).
Join ac i i ies and eambuilding measu es ake place
wi hin o ou side wo king hou s. Especially in he ini ial
phase o a s a -up, such ac i i ies inc easingly ake place
spon aneously and in o mally (F5; M6), i.e., in he o m o
spon aneous ge - oge he s a e wo k in he o ice o ou side
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1755
o i . Such ac i i ies as spending he e ening oge he o go-
ing ou o celeb a e should no be unde es ima ed, as “ hey
also imply cul u al elemen s” (M6).
As he numbe o employees inc eased, he a ious s a -
ups placed emphasis on ini ia ing e en mo e egula ne -
wo king oppo uni ies, bo h wi hin eams, ac oss eams, and
as an en i e company (F1; F2; M4; F5; F10; M11; F12; M13).
E en s ou side o wo king hou s end o be based on olun-
a y pa icipa ion, a e less o mal, and ha e no agenda. Ex-
amples ha we e men ioned among se e al o he ne wo king
oppo uni ies cu en ly used by s a -ups included (online)
andomized co ee, b eak as o lunch da es (C4; C9; C10;
C11; C12), speed da ing (7 da es in 7 minu es) (C2), mo ie
nigh s (C11), and join spo s ac i i ies (C11; C12). This also
includes company pa ies such as Ch is mas pa ies, summe
pa ies, e c. (C1-C14).
I is appa en om he in e iews ha du ing he Co id-
19 pandemic and he accompanying con ac es ic ions, on-
si e e en s could only be eplaced by emo e e en s o a lim-
i ed ex en (F3; F5; M6). Ne e heless, i was impo an
o he s a -ups o de elop online al e na i es o o he in-
pe son o ma s, allowing smalle eam sizes o ga he . One
digi al o ma in oduced du ing he pandemic and which has
p o en success ul o some s a -ups is he andomized co ee
da es ha ake place online be ween (a leas wo) employ-
ees om di e en depa men s o loca ions (M4; M9; M10;
M11).
A ew s a -ups also men ioned (19) e en s ha a e di-
ec ly dedica ed o co po a e cul u e o e en s ha explic-
i ly add ess he s a -up’s cul u e in sec ions, al hough hese
would only become ele an once he company eaches a ce -
ain size (F14b). In h ee cases, e e ence was made o he
“All Company Cul u e Week” (#ACCW) o he Ge man Uni-
co n s a -up Pe sonio, which al eady had o e 750 employ-
ees a he ime o his e en . In summe 2021, he s a -up
in i ed all employees om ac oss Eu ope o i s Munich o -
ice “ o ea i m [ hei ]cul u e and g ow oge he . #ACCW
was designed as an oppo uni y o all Pe sonios o come o-
ge he , mee in pe son, and be ully imme sed in wha [ hey
a e]abou and why [ hey]wo k he way [ hey]wo k.” (Pe -
sonio, 2021). In addi ion o many ac i i ies ha made he
co po a e cul u e angible11, he s a -up’s cul u e was also
explici ly discussed in a cul u e- ocused Q& A session and he
en i e “Values Day”.
So a , only a mino i y o he s a -ups om he sam-
ple ha e conduc ed a simila e en on a smalle scale. The
ounde s o C15 a e cu en ly planning o o ganize his ype
o e en o i s nea ly 250 employees loca ed in se e al coun-
ies as soon as he Co id-19 si ua ion allows (F15b). C11 is
also planning an e en unde he slogan “Cul u e Days” o i s
mo e han 330 employees. Besides, a C13, he en i e com-
pany wi h i s 180 employees is in i ed o a di e en loca ion
11 One o he company’s alues is social esponsibili y, which is why e e y
employee has wo paid days pe yea o ge in ol ed in a cause ha is
impo an o he employee. Du ing one day o #ACCW, employees we e
able o wo k on an Impac P ojec .
once a yea o one week o “expe ience he cul u al spi i ”
(M13). Ano he ounde conside s he idea o such a cul u e
week, as conduc ed by Pe sonio, o be basically bene icial.
Howe e , he associa ed inancial cos s o b ing all employ-
ees om he di e en loca ions oge he a e oo high in his
opinion (F3).
Since i s ounding, C9 has held he C9-Day wice a yea ,
a one o wo-day s a egy o si e o which all employees a e
in i ed o a single loca ion o alk abou he company’s mis-
sion, impac , p ojec s, and cul u e.12 Howe e , his e en is
no solely o he pu pose o add essing co po a e cul u e. In-
s ead, i is a pla o m ha o e s he oppo uni y o explici ly
add ess co po a e cul u e and b ing all employees oge he
in a i ualized way. This had al eady been done in he ini ial
phase, which is why his o ma is seen as pa icula ly ele-
an o de eloping he ounda ion o he desi ed co po a e
cul u e, acco ding o M9, bu also o la e in oduced cul u al
ini ia i es o main aining i .
In addi ion, he analysis o he collec ed da a e ealed
ha ecu ing (20) mee ings a e an ins umen o ounde s
o exp ess co po a e cul u e explici ly in some ins ances o
o make i mo e angible by beha io and hus ein o ce i .
Wha ini ially equi ed less explici exp ession, as long as “all
employees s ill i in one oom” (F2; F3; M8; F7), is seen as
necessa y as he numbe o employees inc eases. Company
C2 shows a e y s aigh o wa d way o add essing he opic
explici ly in mee ings a p esen :
“We always ha e ou eam weekly, once on F i-
day, whe e he whole company ge s oge he , and
we go h ough he upda es o all depa men s.
The e i ’s impo an o demons a e he cul u al
ma e s again by highligh ing people (...). We
always discuss o alk abou he company al-
ues o 10 o 15 minu es a he beginning o he
mee ing and hen ask all he people o ac i ely
b ing examples o his, so ha we a e no always
he sole en e aine s, bu ha he employees also
b ing examples o his. This also ge s hem used
o somehow highligh ing o he people in on
o he la ge g oup and add essing hese alues.”
(F2)
This e y de ailed example shows ha he co po a e cul-
u e o o malized elemen s o i , as he s a -up’s alues, a e,
on he one hand, o mally on he mee ing agenda and, on
he o he hand, isibly exempli ied o all employees. O he
s a -ups also y o link he company alues wi h he opics
o he mee ings (F2; F12; M13), e.g., o illus a e he ex en
o which one o he opics being wo ked on a he momen
pays o in e ms o one o he company alues (E13).
P aising exempla y beha io and alloca ion o alue
awa ds, which ha e al eady been discussed in mo e de ail
in Chap e 5.3, usually ake place in he egula “all-hands”
(M4; M11; F12; F14a) o “ own-hall” mee ings (F2; M9).
12 Since Co id-19, his e en ook place online.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681756
This mee ing o ma b ings oge he all he employees and
managemen o a company o p esen ele an upda es and
in o ma ion, cla i y ela ed ques ions13, and add ess goals
and co po a e alues. One o he s a -ups wi h o e 300
employees sp ead ac oss di e en loca ions holds addi ional
local own-hall mee ings o sha e mo e speci ic in o ma ion
ha pe ains only o ha loca ion (M9).
In mos o he s a -ups in he sample, hese ypes o
mee ings a e held p ima ily emo ely, weekly o bi-weekly,
o mon hly in he case o C9, wi h mo e han 300 employ-
ees. M13 belie es ha all-hands mee ings should be held a
leas e e y wo weeks. In ano he s a -up whe e she p e-
iously wo ked, all-hands we e held mon hly, which she el
was insu icien .
Topics and he way hey a e p esen ed in hose mee ings
also e lec he ounde s’ alues. Fo example, “ anspa ency”
plays an essen ial ole o many ounde s (F2; F5; M10; M11;
M13; F14b), which is why hey epo on he “bad and good
company news” (M11) in such mee ings:
“We c ea e alue o ou cus ome s by b inging
anspa ency in o he [..]ma ke , and we also
belie e ha in e nal anspa ency builds cul u e
and business. Fo example, in ou bi-weekly all-
hands mee ings, we anspa en ly sha e he mos
ele an business igu es and gi e imely upda es
on good news and bad news. We belie e ha
i e e yone is awa e o he objec i es and chal-
lenges, we can sou ce he c ea i i y and knowl-
edge o he en i e company o ge ahead.” (Ma -
ine i 2020, Ex e nal In e iew wi h M11)
The way mee ings a e gene ally held and a e s uc u ed
also e eals pa s o he co po a e cul u e. Fo example, one
co po a e alue o s a -up C3 is “use humo ”; acco ding o
F3, i is “comple ely okay i jokes a e made e en in se ious mee -
ings, which is no planned, bu simply a ises si ua ionally”. On
he o he hand, in he case o C6, obse e s would quickly e-
alize ha he in e ac ion be ween employees in mee ings is
e y casual bu also s uc u ed. Howe e , hese a e no “ un
mee ings” (M6).
O he i ualized ac i i ies eme ged om he in e iews,
such as sending pos ca ds (M9; M10) o welcome and ca e
packages (F1; F3; F10; M13) o employees. Since hese i -
uals we e no co e ed o he same ex en in he in e iews
as he p e iously men ioned aspec s, hese poin s a e men-
ioned o he sake o comple eness bu a e no assigned
equal ele ance.
13 C10-C13 use he “AMA” o “ask me any hing” me hod in his con ex ,
which enables hei employees o ask ques ions li e du ing a mee ing
anonymously, which is necessa y abo e a ce ain company size (F10;
M11; F12; M13). In doing so, mee ing pa icipan s can o e o ques ions
ele an o hem. The ques ions wi h he mos o es a e hen answe ed
di ec ly li e by he ounde s o managemen . Slido, a Q&A- and o ing
pla o m o mee ings and e en s, was men ioned as a sui able ool o
his me hod (M11; F12).
4.8. O ice
Whe he hei a chi ec u e, spa ial design, o u iliza ion,
he o ices we e also ega ded as a ac o in luencing co po-
a e cul u e in he wo k en i onmen by he ounde s and
manage s.
The ac ha delibe a e a en ion is paid o he (21) o ice
layou and design so ha he co po a e alues o he s a -
ups a e made mo e isible as a esul eme ged only om a
ew in e iews (F3; F5; M6). The aim is usually no o only
pu he co po a e alues on he walls (M6; F12) bu o make
hem angible o obse able h ough he o ice layou and
design. A signi ican co po a e alue a C3 is p o o yping,
which implies ha “ hings a e buil ” in hei co po a e con-
ex , and p oduc ion is essen ial o he co e business. Fo
his eason, an o ice was delibe a ely chosen ha does no
sepa a e p oduc ion om he o he depa men s bu loca es
i on he same le el as, o example, he enginee ing and sales
depa men s. In addi ion, he e is a la ge wo kshop so ha
angible p o o ypes can be buil di ec ly du ing he gene a-
ion o ideas i equi ed. In gene al, di e en p o o ypes and
ha dwa e can be ound h oughou he en i e o ice (F3).
I p oximi y o hei employees is cen al o he ounde s,
his was e lec ed by he ac ha he ounde s do no ha e
indi idual ooms bu a he loca e hemsel es oge he wi h
hei employees in he open wo kspace:
“People ha e al eady come in o he o ice and
asked us [ ounde s]why we don’ ha e ou own
indi idual ooms and si in he open space. Bu
ha ’s a no-b aine o us, ha we si oge he
wi h ou employees, because ha allows us o
exchange a lo and because we also wan o be
close o he eam and s ay close.” (F5)
A simila app oach could be obse ed a C6. Such e lec-
ions indica ed ha he physical con ex also s ongly in lu-
ences he low o in o ma ion and communica ion and he
in e ac ion be ween employees.
Acco ding o wo in e iewees, he o ice should be de-
signed in such a way ha people eel like spending ime he e,
which also p omo es exchange again (F5; M13).
In addi ion o he o ice’s design and layou , he (22) o -
ice u iliza ion was also desc ibed as a possible ins umen o
s eng hen he de elopmen o he co po a e cul u e. E en
hough many o he s a -ups a e now pu suing a “ emo e-
i s ”14 mindse , which “emphasizes equali y o access and
ensu es ha he e a e no ad an ages o disad an ages o
wo king emo ely” (Gold, 2022)15, he majo i y o he in e -
iewees emphasized ha he o ice is s ill a cen al ancho
14 O he designa ions: “ emo e- lex-policy” (M13), “digi al- i s ” (F2). This
de elopmen was mainly d i en by Co id-19. Howe e , his mindse does
no imply emo e only (F14b).
15 “No ma e whe e people a e wo king om, hey always ha e he same op-
po uni y o pa icipa e in a mee ing. (...) [Tha means]e en i you a e
dialed in emo ely, and se e al people a e in he same oom, e e yone di-
als in wi h hei own came a so ha he pe son who is no in he o ice
does no ha e he eeling o being he i h wheel bu can pa icipa e in he
con e sa ion jus like e e yone else.” (F2).
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1763
en down o no . The ac ha co po a e alues ep esen he
cen al elemen o co po a e cul u e is also e lec ed in li e -
a u e (c . Ho s ede e al. 1990; Schein 2004; T ice and Beye
1984).
The majo i y o in e iewees conside ed he o mula ion
and codi ica ion o co e alues pa icula ly help ul, as i was
ega ded as an in eg al pa o hei co po a e cul u e and
go e nance. Pa s o he ounde s’ basic assump ions we e
explici ly exp essed h ough an ini ial o mula ion, educing
oom o in e p e a ion and making he co po a e cul u e’s
pos ula ed co e accessible o employees. They de e mined
wha e e y employee should s i e o , how o in e ac wi h
each o he , and how o conduc business. In addi ion, i be-
came appa en ha hese se e as a e e ence poin in in o-
ducing and elabo a ing u he cul u al ins umen s o os e
co po a e cul u e, such as onboa ding, pe o mance assess-
men , o employee su eys. Thus, o mula ing he alues
is incumben on a ein o cing mechanism o he ex en ha
hey a e consis en wi h li ed alues (Schein, 2004, p. 262).
E en hough he co po a e alues o he s a -ups ha e
ha dly been changed o e he u he cou se o ime, i ends
o be conside ed essen ial o e lec on hem in he con ex
o expe ienceabili y du ing he a ious g ow h phases o he
s a -ups and o adap o in oduce ins umen s o cul u al
de elopmen and main enance acco dingly.
Founde s and manage s placed signi ican impo ance
on ec ui ing o in luence he desi ed co po a e cul u e. Re-
c ui ing has al eady been discussed equen ly in exis ing
li e a u e as a cen al ins umen o cul u e de elopmen
(c . Cha man and Cha (2003), Sackmann (2017), Wiene
(1988), and Willcoxson and Mille (2000)). Since he
ounde s had di ec in luence o e whom hey hi ed in o
he company, his was conside ed as an essen ial d i e in
shaping, de eloping, and main aining hei cul u e. Based on
he indings, mos ounde s and manage s hi ed and selec ed
candida es who appea ed o i hei cul u e, ein o cing ce -
ain aspec s o he exis ing cul u e (Cha man & Cha, 2003, p.
26). Con a y o O’Reilly e al. (1991), s a -ups ied o pu -
sue his sys ema ically and delibe a ely a a e y ea ly s age
o ein o ce he co po a e cul u e. This is sough h ough
an ex ensi e applica ion p ocess, including se e al o gani-
za ional membe s and e alua ion c i e ia o es whe he an
applican i s he s a -up’s cul u e. In s a -ups, he ounde s
s ill assessed he cul u e i o applican s, which hey claimed
has a highe p io i y han echnical i . Howe e , his was
usually no longe possible wi h apid pe sonnel g ow h due
o o he obliga ions o he ounde s.
F om he in e iews, i eme ged ha he i s employees
made a signi ican con ibu ion o p ese ing he co po a e
cul u e du ing apid g ow h, as hey a e implici cul u e ca -
ie s and u he ansmi he co po a e cul u e in o he com-
pany in he spi i o he ounde s; also, when in oducing a
managemen le el om he ole o a manage . In he case
o apid g ow h, i is he e o e no only a ma e o a ac -
ing new employees bu also o e aining and le e aging ex-
is ing ones in he company; o he wise, c i ical cul u al mul-
iplie s o he ounde s may be los . This is cha ac e ized by
pe sonal de elopmen measu es and exp ession o app ecia-
ion owa ds employees (e.g., p omo ion, eedback, ewa ds,
e c.).
Las ly, se e al cul u al schola s conside co po a e i u-
als and e en s cen al o ansmi ing cul u al assump ions
and main aining es ablished alue sys ems (Schein 2004, pp.
266-267; T ice and Beye 1984, pp. 654-655; Wiene 1988,
p. 543). Nume ous in e iewees also a i med his, who
inc easingly e e ed o he e en s and in o mal ga he ings
ha ook place egula ly and in ended o s eng hen eam
cohesion and a sense o connec edness, enabling exchange
and expe iencing cul u al alues (O’Reilly 1989, p. 20; T ice
and Beye 1984, p. 657). The esul ing in e pe sonal e-
la ionships s eng hened he exis ing co po a e cul u e and
in eg a e new membe s (Willcoxson & Mille , 2000, p. 97).
Howe e , such e en s can be seen less as a con ol ins umen
o desi ed beha io , in con as o pe o mance assessmen ,
o example, because hey a e subjec o hei own momen-
um.
5.2. Theo e ical and P ac ical Implica ions
Fi s ly, his s udy is an explo a o y a emp o in es iga e
he c ucial bu la gely unexplo ed opic o co po a e cul u e,
pa icula ly he de elopmen and main enance o i in a high-
g ow h s a -up con ex . The ole o ounde s in he eme -
gence and de elopmen o co po a e cul u es is al eady ec-
ognized by schola s (Sackmann 2017, p. 76; Schein 1983,
p. 1; Schneide e al. 2013, pp. 371-372) and has also been
emphasized in his pape se e al imes. Howe e , esea ch
on measu es and p ac ices o s a -ups g owing apidly in
e ms o pe sonnel ha con ibu e o he de elopmen and
main enance o hei cul u e is spa se. By ocusing speci -
ically on he ins umen al le el o cul u e de elopmen , a
con ibu ion is made o illing his esea ch gap.
Secondly, p e ious esea ch has sugges ed ha di e en
cul u al modes exis in he ounding and g ow h s ages o
add ess o ganiza ional needs (Zheng e al., 2009, p. 158).
The analysis o he in e iew da a e ealed ha du ing he
ounding phase, he ision, mission, and he ounde s’ be-
ha io a e he p ima y cul u e-shaping elemen s (inspi a ion
mode). Ye , his s udy has shown ha he ec ui men and se-
lec ion o he i s employees was also a key ac o du ing he
ounding phase. In he ( apid) g ow h phase, s a -ups deal
mo e ac i ely and consciously wi h hei co po a e cul u es
(implan a ion mode). This was also e lec ed in he u iliza ion
o addi ional ins umen s in oduced in his phase o mainly
ansla e he s a -ups’ alues in o a i ac s and desi ed be-
ha io s and hus main ain he cul u al co e o he s a -ups.
Hence, he dynamic iew on cul u e in his wo k is suppo ed
by his s udy (Weeks & Galunic, 2003, p. 1344) and ha di -
e en cul u al modes eme ge a a s a -up’s ounding and
g ow h phase (Zheng e al., 2009, p. 158). Howe e , his
wo k has also shown ha he inspi a ion mode con inues o
appea impo an in he g ow h phase, and he implan a ion
mode is al eady conside ed by some s a -ups when hey ha e
a ela i ely small wo k o ce.
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681764
Thi dly, while he exis ing li e a u e deals p edominan ly
wi h gene ic ins umen s and pe spec i es o ac ion o he
managemen o co po a e cul u e, his hesis has d awn om
oday’s s a -up con ex , which ins umen s ha e made a sig-
ni ican con ibu ion o he de elopmen and main enance o
co po a e cul u e and how hey a e implemen ed in p ac ice.
I became appa en om his s udy ha he implemen a ion
o u ilized ins umen s is con inuously subjec o an i e a ion
p ocess and adap ed acco ding o he cu en needs o he e-
spec i e s a -up (Does he o ma o he chosen ins umen
s ill i , does i s ill ul ill i s pu pose wi h he cu en numbe
o employees, a e new o ma s needed i necessa y?). Thus,
his wo k has addi ionally shown ha he ins umen s wi hin
he g ow h phase a e subjec o hei own dynamics due o
he apid inc ease in he numbe o employees o he s a -
ups and he accompanying cul u al needs o he company.
No all s a -ups s udied applied all he ins umen s ex-
plo ed in his hesis. By conside ing he cul u e de elopmen
ins umen s gi en in his pape , ounde s can in en ionally
and holis ically de elop a s ong cul u e om day one, hence
gaining e iciency ad an ages o e en ep eneu s who only
g adually ealize he impo ance o cul u e. The p ac ical
implemen a ion examples o he ins umen s p o ide s a -
ups wi h a mo e gene al o ien a ion amewo k o de el-
oping and main aining an e ec i e cul u e, which, howe e ,
equi es adap a ion o indi idual needs. In his con ex , he
co e alues should be he s a ing poin o all de elopmen
measu es and he implemen a ion o ins umen s.
5.3. Limi a ions
E en hough ini ial implica ions o de eloping and main-
aining a s ong co po a e cul u e in s a -ups could be de-
i ed om he da a in his hesis, he ollowing limi a ions
o he unde lying me hodological app oach should also be
conside ed when in e p e ing he esul s.
Fi s ly, quali a i e esea ch elies hea ily on he e-
sea che ’s subjec i e judgmen and in e p e a ion, especially
in he cul u al con ex . Resea che s usually ake an obse -
a ional and in e p e i e ole in s udying co po a e cul u e,
which is why i canno be s udied wi hou absolu e objec i -
i y (Schein, 2004, p. 51). The de ailed ca ego y sys em ies
o p ese e he highe -le el pe spec i e and p e en s he in-
e p e i e bias o he esea che o some ex en . In addi ion,
a de ailed desc ip ion o he esea ch p ocess (c . Chap e
3) helps o make he p ocedu e anspa en o hi d pa ies
and somehow ep oducible h ough he u iliza ion o he
ca ego y sys em (May ing, 2015, pp. 123-125). To u he
educe in e subjec i i y and p omo e discussion o pe spec-
i es, i is ad isable o include a leas a second esea che in
subsequen s udies (Gioia e al., 2013, p. 19).
Secondly, e en hough six een in e iews p o ided ich
answe s o he esea ch ques ion and nume ous cul u e de-
elopmen and main enance ins umen s could be iden i ied,
he numbe o he sample is limi ed in i s scope o d aw gen-
e alized conclusions. The e o e, he ins umen s ob ained
should no be conside ed comple e o de ini i e; ins ead,
hey should be seen as a decen selec ion o de elop and
main ain a s ong co po a e cul u e in as -g owing s a -ups,
ob ained h ough a a he small sample o s a -ups. The e-
o e, u u e esea ch should conside a la ge sample and
add quan i a i e me hods o alida e he indings, which may
s eng hen he esul s o lead o u he new insigh s and a
mo e comp ehensi e and complex unde s anding o he cho-
sen co po a e cul u e ins umen s (Eh ha e al., 2014, p.
143). In addi ion, i could be quan i a i ely e i ied wha
in luence he collec ed ins umen s ha e indi idually on he
de elopmen and main enance o a s ong co po a e cul u e
(Jani´
cije i´
c, 2011, pp. 83-84, 93).
Addi ionally, a p e alen sho coming in in e iew si ua-
ions is he ecall bias, i.e., pas e en s may no be emem-
be ed (co ec ly) a he ime o he in e iew, o inciden s
may be gi en mo e o less impo ance in e ospec han
o iginally (Becke e al., 2001, p. 619). While some na -
a i es e e o he p esen and sho - e m pas , ques ions
we e also asked abou he ea ly days o he s a -ups, making
hem mo e suscep ible o e ospec i e bias. Hence, a mo e
de ailed analysis is needed o e i y which key momen s in
cul u e de elopmen ook place, when and wi h which in-
en ion, e.g., he w i ing down o co e alues espec i ely
co po a e p inciples o he in oduc ion o a cul u al ins i-
u ion such as a Cul u e Commi ee, which deal s a egically
wi h he s a -up’s cul u e. Mo e insigh s can be gained om
conduc ing a long- e m s udy, i.e., om he ime o ound-
ing o a pa icula g ow h in pe sonnel, whe eby se e al da a
poin s a e collec ed (Eh ha e al., 2014, p. 141). Thus, an
e olu iona y p ocess can be illus a ed mo e accu a ely, and
insigh s in o he dynamic iew o cul u e in he con ex o
pe sonnel g ow h can be p omo ed.
O he limi a ions go hand in hand wi h he in e iew si -
ua ion as such. E en hough con iden iali y and anonymi y
o wha was said we e indica ed a he beginning o he in e -
iews, i is possible ha in e iewees may no ha e e ealed
all aspec s o he u h o an ex e nal esea che and may
ha e concealed in o ma ion hey we e eluc an o disclose o
pu hemsel es and hei company in a posi i e ligh (Eh ha
e al. 2014, p. 292; Podsako and O gan 1986, p. 535). The
ac ual obse able beha io may he e o e di e om he e-
po ed beha io (Ba on & Hannan, 2002, p. 29). Thus, he
ex en o which co po a e cul u e was ac ually conside ed in
he in oduc ion and design o all ins umen s such as eam
e en s, o ganiza ional s uc u e, p ocess design, e c., canno
be demons a ed. This could be coun e ac ed by in e iew-
ing addi ional employees in c i ical posi ions.
Las ly, in his s udy, co po a e cul u e was usually exam-
ined om he pe spec i e o one ounde o one manage
who was among he i s employees o he s a -ups, which
is why he na a i es a e mainly based on a pe son’s es i-
mony in his s udy. In wo s a -ups, da a was collec ed om
wo people, whe eby di e en insigh s could be gene a ed.
Depending on he unc ional o ien a ion wi hin one’s own
company, he in e iewees may ha e unconsciously s ee ed
he ocus owa ds a pa icula company a ea and hus in-
s umen s u ilized he e. The e o e, he ounde s’ and man-
age s’ iewpoin s a e ega ded as pe sonal opinions on he
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-1768 1765
subjec a he han gene ally accep ed s a emen s. In some
ins ances, e en con adic o y s a emen s we e made. Fo his
eason, i would be ad isable o collec mo e da a om a -
ious employees o he s a -ups and include C-le el, middle
managemen o eam membe s in he da a collec ion o im-
p o e he alidi y o he esul s and o ob ain a mo e com-
p ehensi e o e iew o di e en ins umen s and p ac ices
o de eloping and main aining co po a e cul u es in s a -
ups (Podsako & O gan, 1986, p. 542).
5.4. Fu u e Resea ch
This s udy ep esen s an ini ial explo a o y app oach o
de eloping and main aining co po a e cul u e in s a -ups a
he ins umen al le el. Based on he esul s o his s udy and
associa ed limi a ions, ecommenda ions o u he esea ch
can be de i ed as ollows.
This s udy examined as -g owing s a -ups ha a e con-
side ed cul u ally a ac i e, which is why u he esea ch
is needed o also ocus on s a -ups ha ha e los a ac i e-
ness in e ms o hei co po a e cul u e du ing apid g ow h.
Empi ically collec ed da a could yield u he implica ions o
he managemen o co po a e cul u e and unde line he im-
po ance o speci ic ins umen s and p ac ices o a oid a neg-
a i e end in he co po a e cul u e.
Fu he , hype -g ow h s a -ups wi h an a e age s a
g ow h a e o mo e han 150 % o e i e yea s could be
s udied (Minola e al., 2015, p. 6). While he g ow h a es o
some s a -ups indica e hype -g ow h, no all ha e eached a
company age o i e yea s. The ex en o which he iden i ied
ins umen s o cul u e de elopmen and main enance a e
e ec i e in he long e m due o u he pe sonnel g ow h,
o he ex en o which hey a e adap ed, emains o be in es-
iga ed. Besides, u u e esea ch migh ocus on he impac
o indi idual ins umen s on cul u e de elopmen and main-
enance
Secondly, se e al s a -ups s udied g ew especially apidly
du ing he global Co id-19 pandemic, in which businesses
had o adap o a ully emo e mode o wo k in e media ely.
This s udy was no conduc ed wi h a ocus on he impac
o he global pandemic on co po a e cul u es (Spice , 2020,
p. 1738). The e o e, ano he a ea o esea ch is he impac
o he pandemic on he s eng h o a s a -up’s cul u e. Ac-
co dingly, i emains o be explo ed how implemen ing he
ins umen s discussed in his s udy o de eloping and main-
aining co po a e cul u es in s a -ups will adap again a e
he pandemic and in u he g ow h. The pandemic also
aises he ques ion o how s ong co po a e cul u es can be
de eloped in s a -ups ha pu sue a pu ely emo e s a egy
and in end o do so in he u u e.
Since only he pe spec i e o manage s and ounde s was
examined in his s udy, i would be bene icial also o su ey
a signi ican numbe o employees o examine which ins u-
men s a e pe cei ed by hem a all and, om hei poin o
iew, ha e con ibu ed signi ican ly o he de elopmen and
main enance o hei s ong co po a e cul u e. Including he
pe spec i es o employees, he e ec i eness o speci ic ins u-
men s such as e en s unde a cul u al mo o, isi s o o he
o ices, employee su eys, o he awa ding o alue awa ds
in all-hands mee ings could be examined.
Finally, he opic o co po a e alues opened up ano he
u u e esea ch s eam, as he in e iewees also conside ed
hese o be an essen ial co e o hei co po a e cul u e. How-
e e , as can be seen om he esul s, he s age o he s a -
ups a ied in he s age o hei li ecycles a which hey had
codi ied hei co po a e alues. This can be a s a ing poin
o u he esea ch o de e mine i i has any impac on he
company, whe he he ounding membe s al eady o mula ed
he s a -up’s co po a e alues a he ime o he ounding o
i hey we e he ou come o a company-wide p ocess ( ew
yea s) la e . Resea ch on his would p o ide u he implica-
ions o managemen .
6. Conclusion
A g ea numbe o esea ch esul s make appa en ha
de eloping a s ong co po a e cul u e can be essen ial o he
success o companies and he well-being o hei employees
and con e sely, ha neglec ing co po a e cul u e can en ail
many cos s o bo h companies and hei employees (Wa ick,
2017, p. 6) as demons a ed by he in oduc i e example o
N26. S a -ups, in pa icula , need a s ong co po a e cul u e
o o e come he hu dles hey ace in hei ea ly and g ow h
s ages o p e ail agains compe i o s and o su i e in he
long un (G ossmann & Slo osch, 2015, p. 243).
The e is a mul i ude o de ini ions o co po a e cul u e
and app oaches o analyze, in luence i consciously o uncon-
sciously, o shape i pu pose ully. Fu he mo e, i was shown
ha co po a e cul u e is no some hing s a ic bu e ol es wi h
he li e cycles o a company. The cul u e o a s a -up is no
excep ion and is subjec o e en g ea e dynamics in i s en i-
onmen (G ossmann and Slo osch 2015, p.242; Ries 2011,
p. 27). Howe e , s a -ups ha e ha dly been he subjec o
esea ch in he con ex o co po a e cul u e.
The aim o his hesis was o show how s a -ups app oach
he opic o co po a e cul u e, de elop, and main ain i du -
ing apid g ow h. The e o e, a quali a i e esea ch app oach
was chosen o add ess he ollowing esea ch ques ion: How
can he co po a e cul u e o a s a -up be posi i ely de eloped
and main ained while coping wi h a wo k o ce g owing signi -
ican ly? The ocus o he esea ch was on ins umen s ha
con ibu ed o co po a e cul u e de elopmen and main e-
nance in s a -ups.
The indings indica e ha s a -ups, due o hei apid
g ow h in pe sonnel, a he see he need o c ea e an en-
i onmen in which he shaping and de elopmen o hei
co po a e cul u e can ake place consciously and ac i ely. In
addi ion o he ision and mission o he s a -ups, ac i e co -
po a e cul u e o ma ion s a s wi h he de ini ion o he com-
pany’s alues, which can be ound as a common h ead in
a ious cul u e de elopmen and main enance ins umen s
as g ow h con inues.
The la ge he wo k o ce ge s, he mo e impo an i be-
comes o explici ly exp ess he co po a e cul u e and o in-
oduce measu es ha allow he cul u e o be p ese ed a
A. Simon /Junio Managemen Science 9(3) (2024) 1733-17681766
i s co e, i.e., o main ain co po a e alues in he long e m
and o sus ain hem h ough he e lec ed use o app op ia e
ins umen s.
E en hough he e m co po a e cul u e is a ague con-
cep o many ounde s and manage s ha is di icul o pu
in o wo ds, his wo k has ne e heless shown ha a la ge
in e sec ion o ins umen s used eme ges among he a ious
s a -ups. Ne e heless, he ins umen s can only se e as a
guiding amewo k, as he implemen a ion o hese di e s
in pa among he s a -ups and depends on hei a ge ed
co po a e alues.
Fu he mo e, i was shown ha he implemen a ion o
he ins umen s is subjec o a con inuous adap a ion p o-
cess o adjus hem acco ding o he g owing wo k o ce o
he company. A he same ime, i became appa en ha in
addi ion o he ole model unc ion o he ounde s and man-
age s, ec ui ing and a ious e en o ma s bu abo e all he
de ined co po a e alues, a e assigned a signi ican con ibu-
ion o he main enance o co po a e cul u e o s a -ups in
he g ow h phase.
By conduc ing a long- e m s udy om he ounding phase
o he g ow h phase, a mo e accu a e de e mina ion o he
ini ial use and signi icance o he nume ous ins umen s
ob ained in his s udy would be acili a ed, as well as he
equi emen s o hese ins umen s ha accompany apid
g ow h. Su eying employees o di e en anks could also
lead o u he aluable insigh s.
Since co po a e cul u e can be an essen ial ac o o a
company’s compe i i eness, especially o s a -ups, his he-
sis con ibu ed o c ea ing awa eness o i on a p ac ical and
scien i ic side, p o iding ounde s wi h a s uc u ed o e iew
o ins umen s o de elop and main ain hei s a -up’s cul-
u e.
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