How the core values are implemented and interpreted throughout an organization - A case study of a family-owned shipping company

Abstract

Organizations can be structured in different ways, depending on industry and owner structure. Each organization also have their own specific goal and values. The values then form the company's culture and creates the internal rules of how the employees should act and treat each other, what the norms are. The aim with this thesis is to see what a family-owned shipping company wants to achieve by their core values, and further on to investigate if the written core values ( espoused values) is in line with the culture that is present within the organization (enacted values). In order to reach the aim, literature related to family organizations and core values have been reviewed. In addition, interviews with employees working at the specific company have been conducted. The interviews were made in order to create an understanding of the actual culture that is present at the company today, and later on be able to compare those results with the core values that is stated by the company. In conclusion the case study states that the espoused values and the enacted values are to a great extent in line with each other. What is interesting though is that the balance between what is written and what is perceived is not due to the current management of company, but rather by the founding fathers.