Institutional culture [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Institutional culture ======

**Institutional [[culture]]** refers to the **shared values, norms, beliefs, practices, and assumptions** that shape the behavior and identity of an organization or institution — such as a hospital, university, corporation, or government body.


* **Unwritten rules**: "How things are done here."
* **Power structures**: Who makes decisions and how.
* **Communication style**: Formal vs. informal, transparent vs. opaque.
* **Attitudes toward change**: Innovative, conservative, risk-averse, etc.
* **Moral tone**: What is rewarded or punished — excellence, loyalty, conformity, silence?

* In a **surgical department**, an institutional culture may value **hierarchy and decisiveness**.
* In a **university**, it may promote **intellectual freedom** or, conversely, **bureaucratic inertia**.
* In a **corporation**, it could center around **competition, innovation, or compliance**.

Institutional culture influences everything from **decision-making** and **staff morale** to **patient outcomes**, **academic integrity**, or **employee turnover**. It often persists regardless of individual leadership — and can **resist or facilitate change**.