Breaking Down a Corporate Culture: Ethnography Meets McKinsey
Elizabeth K. Briody, PhD
Founder & Principal, Cultural Keys LLC
Adjunct Professor, Anthropology, Purdue University
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Meeting ID: 936 3208 7348
Passcode: 755351
In 2017, Dr. Briody began a collaborative project to document the evolving culture of a large, Middle Eastern petrochemical firm. The project involved a team of five business anthropologists and four professionals from McKinsey & Co. Dr. Briody will discuss two key areas of focus from this work: (1) content: identifying the strikingly similar themes and patterns in the firm’s Dutch and American operations, and (2) process: negotiating with the McKinsey colleagues about collecting and analyzing data, including the use of a study-participant drawing technique she was in the process of perfecting. The “silo” emerged as a helpful metaphor as the team sought to understand the broader cultural context including its structure and dynamics. The team’s recommendations were designed to penetrate those silo “walls” and enhance overall organizational performance.
Dr. Briody’s lecture is free and open to the public. Please join us to learn more!
This lecture series is presented with the support of the Jonathan F. Plimpton Endowment Fund.