Running head: COLLEGIATE SOCCER AS ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Organizational Communication as Collegiate Soccer
Carson Mckole
Central Washington University
Authors Note
Carson Lee McKole, Communication Studies Department, Central Washington University;
Adviser/Sacheen Mobley-Welsh, Assistant Professor, Department Of Communication, Central
Washington University, 400 East University Way, Ellensburg WA 98926. Please direct all
correspondence from NWCC to Communication Mentor Sacheen Mobley-Welsh @
Mobleys@cwu.edu.
Carson Lee Mckole is an undergraduate student at Central Washington University in the
Department of Communication. She is pursuing a degree in Communication Studies with minor
in Spanish and is an avid reader of communication theory. Ms. McKole can be contacted at
mckolec@cwu.edu
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Abstract
Organizational Culture Theory demonstrates utility in today’s society due to its connection with
corporate organizations. The majority of society is employed through some type of organization,
therefore, the theory can be used by many on a daily basis to understand culture within a
workplace. Organizational culture applies to a magnitude of organizations and can offer insight
into their culture. This paper seeks to explain and predict the behavior and culture of a collegiate
soccer team through the framework of Organizational Culture Theory. Soccer teams replicate
corporate organizations through culture creation, symbol use and interpretation and cultural
diversity. Discussion focuses on specific examples provided by collegiate soccer teams such as
physical, behavioral and verbal symbols that can be explained by applying the organizational
Culture Theory. Recognizing the similarities between Organizational Culture Theory and
collegiate soccer teams can provide coaches and players with information on how to improve and
maintain team culture.
Keywords: organizational culture theory, collegiate Soccer, team culture, symbol use,
culture creation
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INTRODUCTION
The Organizational Culture theory has inspired new ideas in relation to culture and its
effect on behavior within organizations. Closer examination of specific relationships within
corporate organizations, for example pregnant or Muslim employees, arose from the studies of
this theory. Researchers have also directed their attention to the organizational culture of higher
education systems. College campuses provide many opportunities for organizational culture
research expansion for example, gender roles, student discipline, and teaching techniques
(Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Organizational Culture Theory has withstood the test
of time due to its ability to generate new thought processes that pertain to organizational
communication. Many different types of organizations will continue to use and expand upon the
ideas presented by the Organizational Culture Theory.
Collegiate soccer teams could highly benefit from the ideas provided by Organizational
Culture theory due to the rich culture visible within these teams. Autoethnographies place
personal experience within social and cultural contexts allowing researchers to raise questions
about cultural creations and constraints (Reed-Danahay, 2009). My personal experience and
participation on a collegiate soccer team allowed to me draw connections between team
interaction and Organizational Culture Theory. In order to validate my research and opinions, I
based my observations off my participation and experiences with the Central Washington
Women’s soccer team over the past four years.
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE THEORY
Organizational Culture Theory has withstood the test of time for many years. This theory
has continued to be used throughout history because western society will never part with the use
of organizations. Today’s society is maintained through the use of organizational structures and
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institutions. Organizational life affects the majority of individuals in today’s society because
organizations employ them. Understanding organizational culture is crucial to enjoying success
and diversity within an organization. Organizational Culture Theory provides an excellent model
for understanding and explaining the complex and dynamic structures involved in organizations
and institutions.
Organizational culture is seen as the essence of organizational life (Pacanowsky &
O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). What constitutes the essence of life within a culture is intricate and
varies based on the significance of the organization. In order to understand the complexity of an
organizational culture, the climate and atmosphere must be taken into account (Pacanowsky &
O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Culture within an organization is created through the symbols and
their associated meanings (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Symbols are enacted in
organizations through routines, actions, conversations, hierarchies and any other interaction that
holds meaning within the organization (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Geertz (2008)
compares cultures with in organizations to the elaborate web designs of spiders (Modaff, 2008).
No spider web is identical because each web has a different strength, history, producer and
significant set of variables that constitutes its creation (Modaff, 2008). Just like the cultures of
the world, the cultures within organizations have many similarities and differences. By focusing
on the similarities of these cultures, Organizational Culture Theory provides an effective tool for
understanding many different types of organizations. Organizational Culture Theory is best
defined through three assumptions which provide further explanation of culture creation, symbol
use and diversity within the organization’s culture.
Assumption One Culture Creation
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The first assumption guiding Organizational Culture Theory refers to the creation of
organizational culture. Organizational members are actively creating their climate and mutual
understanding of reality through their experiences and interactions, which results in a shared
understanding of the organizations core values (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). All
members of the organization, employers, employees and supervisors, take part in co-creating the
principles and values of their organization (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Values
shape the organizational reality by creating standards and expectations for the members
(Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). The values are learned by members through the
sharing of information, which is done mainly through exchanging stories about the work place
(Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). When a new employee joins a company they may
gain a sense of the values implemented by the boss based on the stories told by veteran
employees. Active participation is crucial when learning values within an organization, if an
employee is uninvolved in the activities of the workplace they will be unable to hear the stories
that depict values. Active participation is also how organizations maintain their shared
understanding of symbols.
Assumption Two Symbol Use
The second assumption of Organizational Culture Theory refers to the essential need for
the effective use and interpretation of symbols in an organizational culture. Organizational
Culture Theory has adopted the Symbolic-Interpretive perspective, meaning symbols are used
within organizations as representations of meaning (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982).
The verbal and non-verbal symbols organizational members create, use and interpret can be
categorized into three areas. Physical symbols make up the first category used to classify
symbols within an organizational culture. Physical symbols include logos, buildings, décor,
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appearance and material objects (Pacanowsky & O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). A logo is a
commonly used physical symbol that is created and used by organizations to maintain their
culture. If provides employees and their superiors with a shared identity under one symbol.
Behavioral symbols are the second category in organizational cultures (Pacanowsky &
O'Donnell-Trujillo, 1982). Behavior symbols often support the ideas visible in the organizations
physical symbols. For example, if a company dresses in business attire as opposed to casual,
their organization is more likely to have behavioral customs that include more opportunities for
punishment (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Behavioral symbols of an organizational culture
include ceremonies, rituals, traditions, customs, rewards and punishments (Pacanowsky &
Trujillo, 1983). Ceremonies and rituals provide the members of the organization with
opportunities to involve themselves in the pre-existing organizational culture. The consistency of
these behaviors allows culture to adapt and grow through its members (Pacanowsky & Trujillo,
1983).
Verbal symbols make up the final category visible in the use and interpretation of
symbols within an organization (cite). Verbal symbols include anecdotes, jokes, jargon, names,
nicknames, explanations, stories, myths, history and metaphors used by members in order to
communicate and describe organizational reality (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Nicknames and
jargon create a sense of belonging within organizations because they are based on shared
experiences between organization members (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Anecdotes and
stories aid in the explanation of company routines by their ability to provide information on
procedures (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Supervisors may communicate their expectations and
management styles through stories about past experiences. For example, a supervisor may tell a
humorous story about dealing with an uncooperative employee, their story creates a positive
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atmosphere while at the same time exposing their expectations for employees. The usage of
symbols by all organizational members is necessary in order to create and maintain
organizational culture. The cultural values within an organization must be communicated
through the use of symbols in order to create a separation from the individual values of
organization members. Diverse cultures exist within organizations and this variety of culture
creates the possibility for a variety of meanings associated with actions.
Assumption Three Culture Diversity
The third assumption of Organization Culture Theory pertains to the idea that individuals
and groups within organizations sometimes have different values than those of the organization.
Different cultures are created within organizations (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). For example,
different departments of a company are likely to have more cohesion than those from separate
departments. The accountants within a company may have accounting jokes or metaphors that
would not be applicable to other members of the organization. Organizational culture is
extremely diverse because members have many different backgrounds (Pacanowsky & Trujillo,
1983). Past job experiences also come into account under this assumption because employees
often apply their previous experiences to everyday life.
Key Concepts of Organization Culture Theory
The assumptions of Organizational Culture Theory are better understood through the
exploration and study of communication performances and how they attribute to an
organization’s culture. Communication performances play a major part in creating a shared sense
of organizational reality and culture because they provide a script for the behavioral patterns of
organization members. Within this theory, performance refers to the idea that organization
members take on a variety of roles that dictate their behavior. These cultural performances are
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generally categorized into five categories, ritual, passion, social, political and enculturation
(Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983).
Ritual performances within an organization happen repeatedly and on a daily basis. There
are four types of rituals that take place in organizations; personal, task, social and organizational
(Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1982). Personal rituals are done on an individual level, many high
school teachers, for example, may check their mailboxes in the front office each day. Task rituals
are distinguished by the position assumed in the organization and result in task completion. High
school teachers may have task rituals that include enacting the lesson plan, assigning homework,
and presenting students with educational information. Social rituals are verbal and non-verbal
behavior patterns that are motivated by social relationships, for example, when co-workers eat
together regularly in the lunchroom instead of individually. Organizational rituals are traditional
planned events within the organization, the rituals range from staff and department meetings to
Christmas parties and company picnics.
Passion performances form a separate category that is defined by the organizational
narratives used by members (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). These are stories that all members
of an organization, especially employees can feel passionate about. The stories have emotional
connections to shared experiences that are specific to their organizations (Pacanowsky &
Trujillo, 1983). Organizational members can often relate to each other when it comes to
uncomfortable experiences with supervisors (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Passion
performances can act as an emotional survival mechanism for employees because their shared
experiences and truths give them the ability to poke fun at painful workplace situations.
Social performances, unlike passion performances, occur daily and take into account the
element of friendliness in member interaction (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 198). These rituals can
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range from encouraging non-verbal communication between employees to the use of manners
and etiquette when speaking with customers. These performances do not always express the true
emotions of the organization members but they display mutual efforts to create a civil
environment (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1982). Social performances are rituals that keep the work
place pleasant and are important in times of stress. These behaviors help in maintaining a
professional and constructive environment when organizational emotions are running high.
Political performances within organizations are defined by the control and power they are
attempting to communicate or gain through recognizable behavior (Pacanowsky & Trujillo,
1983). Organizations most often include the use of hierarchies, therefore the political
performances that demonstrate power roles are very important to organizational structure. Along
with power maintenance, political roles also include communication performances that seek to
influence others. These performances do not specifically pertain to supervisors expressing power
and guidance within organizations, they can also describe events where employees ask
something of their superiors.
Enculturation performance is the final performance illustrated in Organizational Culture
Theory. It is through these performances that members learn how to become an active part of
their organization and its culture. Examples of these cultural performances include orientations,
seminars, and weekly newsletters (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). These performances provide
understanding on how to effectively and continually perform to the expectations of their
organizational positions. Enculturation performances often include a combination of the cultural
performances found in organizations, provided by Organization Culture Theory. Daily routines
that provide organizational members with group cohesion and the ability to reach organizational
expectations are all examples of enculturation performances.
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Criteria for Evaluating Communication Theory
The scope of Organizational Culture Theory explores multiple communication behaviors
within organizations. This theory covers a wide variety of patterns visible in organizations, and
does not focus primarily on a small number of communicative behaviors (Pacanowsky &
Trujillo, 1982). Organizational Culture Theory mainly references examples that include
corporate cultures, yet it does not state specific boundaries for organizational types.
The belief that organizations enact specific behaviors to create diverse and unique
cultures is supported through the explicit presentation of communicative performances and
categorization of critical symbols used by organizations (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1982). The
concepts are defined specifically through examples, i.e. physical, behavioral, and verbal
symbols, and their effects, which are visible through the mutually created organizational culture.
Eisenberg (2006), believe that Organizational Culture Theory is not logically consistent due to its
dependence on shared meanings. Their criticism focuses specifically on the concept that assumes
narratives told in organizations have shared meanings and although these stories may add to the
culture of an organization, they do not guarantee shared meaning because each member tells
stories differently.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Organizational Culture Theory provides simple explanations to accompany the claims
presented. There are three claims to support the intricate organizational cultures created through
the use of symbols and shared meanings. The theory includes one key concept, communicative
performances, which are divided into five sub categories. Examples and explanations are
provided for each type of communicative performance.
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Organizational Culture Theory demonstrates utility in today’s society due to its
connection with corporate organizations. The majority of society is employed through some type
of organization, therefore the theory can be used by many on a daily basis to understand culture
within a workplace. The explanation of organizational narratives, rituals and symbols also
provides employees with a guide for interpreting corporate relationships. Organizational Culture
Theory proves to be practical because the research conducted through field logs, which contain
real observations of employee behaviors in their organizations, is visible and recordable.
Collegiate Soccer as Organizational Culture
Organizational Culture Theory can predict and explain the behavior of collegiate soccer
teams through examining their direct correlation to Organizational Culture Theory. Collegiate
soccer teams replicate Organizational Cultural Theory through their use of symbols and
organizational culture within their athletic environment. I will focus on several of the theory’s
fundamental themes, i.e. culture creation and symbol use, by examining college athletic teams
and how their organizational structure can be explained by Organizational Culture Theory. From
a broad frame, the politics of both corporations and collegiate teams are very similar, athletic
directors of collegiate teams mimic employers, head and assistant coaches mirror the tasks of
supervisors, and the athletes can be seen as the employees of the company. Power hierarchies
within corporate organizations are very similar to the ones used by college soccer programs. The
athletic director has the most power in this hierarchy while the athletes have the least. However,
the athletes still directly reflect thee effectiveness of the team. An error made by a member of the
power hierarchy can significantly impact the rest of the organization within corporations or
collegiate soccer teams. College soccer teams utilize numerous organizational tactics in order to
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function effectively. Collegiate soccer teams create a shared sense of organizational reality
through the interaction of individuals with in it. Despite the fact that players have diverse
backgrounds and different career histories, they are able to create their own diverse cultures as a
team.
Assumption One Culture Creation
Collegiate soccer teams create a shared sense of reality through the learning and
understanding of team values. Team members find these values through actively participating in
the organization and the team. By participating in practices, weight lifting and film sessions new
members of the team can observe the values of the team. If a team member falls asleep during a
film session and other team members wake them up, for example, it is visible that part of the
team culture is to be attentive and hold each other accountable. Collegiate soccer teams that
place less value on off field activities are less likely to encourage each other to be accountable. In
this situation it is likely that a coach would wake up a sleeping player during a film session
instead of a fellow player. Members learn team expectations from these situations, either their
team members will hold them accountable for sleeping or they will remain impartial and wait for
their coach. Teams may value holding each other accountable or they may value criticism
coming specifically from the coach, the only way to learn these values is to be actively
participating in the team.
The values preferred by an individual soccer team are also especially visible during times
of struggle. A sense of reality is created through the mandatory and inescapable pains of
collegiate soccer work outs. The workouts show players where their fitness and skill levels need
to be in order to compete at the collegiate level. Without an understanding of the reality
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surrounding the level of competition needed for success, team members will be unable to
function within the culture of the team. Teammates battle together, endure uncomfortable
situations together, and grow together, allowing them to create a shared sense of reality within
the team. There are many instances where teams spend more time with their teammates than they
do with their families. Many players learn to value their teams as organizations, explaining them
as if they were an occupation rather than a recreational activity.
Assumption Two Symbol Use
The use and interpretation of verbal, physical and behavioral symbols is critical to a
college soccer team’s culture. Examples of verbal symbols found in the organizational culture of
soccer would include the use of team jargon, which consists of jokes, nicknames and team
sayings understood by the players and coaches. Using nicknames gives players a sense of
belonging and acceptance with the organization. Nicknames originate from memorable, shared
experiences within the team. Jargon is used to simplify plays or implement the key fundamentals
preferred by the coach. An example of jargon used at soccer practice could be names that refer to
set pieces. In the instance of a corner kick, throw in, or virtually any dead ball, a team may have
a number of different runs named randomly that are only understood by the team. The use of
jargon and nicknames makes players feel accepted and a part of the team, while at the same time
creating a sense of team cohesion and understanding.
Physical symbols such as logos, buildings, dress, and appearance are also visible on
college soccer teams. Many soccer team members wear their logos proudly knowing that it is
associated with their team and its legacy. Team members are proud of their cooperative
accomplishments implied by the soccer symbol on their apparel. Players tend to dress similar to
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each other because they are provided with team clothing that depicts their team logo and sport.
This is unique to the student population because some students take pride in identifying
themselves with specific styles, while athletes elicit a sense of team pride in their style by
wearing similar clothing acquired through their team membership. Sharing dress and appearance
is also often seen when soccer teams travel to away games. Coaches often ask players to wear
matching team attire when traveling by air and bus. This illustrates team culture to out groups
because it displays a team who values each other and their school through the use of
representation through physical symbols. Spectators can recognize the sport and team through
matching apparel and logos.
Stadiums, locker rooms, and training facilities are also examples of physical symbols
used by soccer teams. These facilities function as a home away from home for athletes. Couches
and televisions are often incorporated in the layout of locker rooms to provide a comfortable
atmosphere for teams to interact in during times of transition. An example of a transition time
could be if a player had an hour break between practice and class or vice versa, the locker room
provides a familiar environment where team members are always welcome. Soccer players spend
the majority of their time at these facilities participating in team-based activities. Most teams
have weightlifting sessions twice a week, practice 5 days a week, meetings or film twice a week,
and individual players must incorporate time in the training room for taping and other medical
requirements. These physical symbols that provide teams with areas of identification encourage
team members to partake in social interaction that creates and maintains their team culture.
Stadiums influence the status of the team culture along with building association to the
culture. Soccer teams with their own stadiums are regarded as a much higher status by their
institution as opposed to a soccer team who does not have access to their school’s primary
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stadium. A soccer team with their own stadium is more likely to have a higher sense of pride in
themselves and their team versus a team who does not have their own facility. The use of
facilities can separate a university’s intermural and club teams from a collegiate team. Players on
the collegiate team identify their home field differently than those from club teams. Although
both teams play the same sport, the cultures vary immensely and use different symbols for
identification. Cultural identity and classification on collegiate soccer teams is greatly influenced
by the use of physical symbols, specifically architecture, because of their ability to create a sense
of belonging and ownership within a team.
Behavioral symbols are visible in the rewards and punishments received on college
soccer teams. Rewards and punishments are an essential part of soccer’s organizational culture
because they teach players the difference between accepted and unacceptable behaviors.
Punishments and rewards can be given out for activities that take place on and off campus. There
are often strict punishments if players become involved in unlawful affairs. Many college
athletes are often recognized within the community, therefore, being a responsible community
member is highly valued and supported by punishment in the organizational culture of collegiate
soccer. Simple punishment and reward systems encourage athletes to perform to the best of their
abilities at all times. An example of a punishment and reward system during a soccer practice
drill would be if a coach assigned the winning team to complete half a fitness exercise and the
losing team to complete the full fitness exercise. This motivates players to maximize their work
ethic and promotes the importance of consistent work ethic in a team’s organizational culture.
Assumption Three Culture Diversity
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The third assumption pertains to the variety of college athletic teams and their cultures.
Different teams have diverse cultures within themselves that cannot match any other culture in
the same sport or a different one. Every team has a unique culture that is created amongst them
and changes throughout the seasons. Although culture can change, it would not change
completely unless a new coach takes over with different perspectives and coaching techniques.
This means as players come and go, they bring different cultures and perspective with them that
can slightly alter the team’s current culture. For example, the recruiting class of 2009 may have
had a small number of skillful goal keepers. The limited background or training of the goal
keepers from 2009 affected the collegiate cultures they joined. The limited backgrounds of the
keepers cause a shift in values due to the fact that the coach will have to exert more time and
effort towards keeper training than they did in previous seasons. The organizational culture of a
collegiate soccer team can be significantly changed in the case of a new head coach. A new
coaching staff can introduce new coaching strategies, practices, and values but it will not be able
to completely alter the culture that previously existed between returning team players.
Smaller organizational cultures are also created and developed within college soccer
teams. A team has multiple units that come together and make it a whole, units are often shaped
through field position or class standing. Although everything is done as a team, members with
similar task roles often create their own cultures. For the most part, the strongest bonds are built
between teammates who have similar positions or higher levels of interaction. Field position subcultures are often created when the coaching staff splits the team into offensive drills and
defensive drills. When divided into two groups the team members within the groups develop
their own cultures through the activities and experiences of their specific group. These subcultures created during these separation drills increase cohesion which results in better
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communication during the game. Another example of this would be cultures formed within
groups teammates of the same class standing. As freshmen, first year team members share
similar experiences while becoming integrated into a team’s culture. Many times the emotional
aspect of surviving freshen year is a strong bond that holds classes within teams together. For
example, freshmen collegiate soccer players are often required to live in the dorms during preseason. Living in the same dorm gives freshmen the opportunity to share experiences and build
new relationships that are only achievable through living together. The variation of culture from
one collegiate soccer team to another along with the sub-cultures visible within one culture, are
identifiable through the different meanings attached to verbal, behavioral and physical symbols.
Study Options
Organizational Culture Theory can explain and predict the behavior within a collegiate
soccer team by analyzing the concepts through a narrow scope. The majority of the focus in this
explanation is done through the analysis of communication behaviors within college soccer
teams. Through this analysis one can achieve a better understanding of the creation of culture
and the nature of communication practices within college soccer teams. These explanations
accurately relate to organizations in the form of collegiate soccer teams, taking into account
supervisors and others involved in the athletic hierarchy.
By examining and applying communication patterns observable in the culture of a
collegiate soccer team to the assumptions of the organizational culture theory one can receive
explanation and insight on their current and future behaviors. The culture of collegiate soccer
teams can be explained and predicted through the application an understanding of the
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organizational culture theory. Elaborating on this relationship will provide notable information
for coaches and sports analysts in regards to team camaraderie and its overall effect on success.
The testability of the Organizational Culture Theory is supported through the application
of assumptions in comparison to the intense observational findings. The research needed to
understand an organizations culture serves as a way to test its accuracy. By producing detailed
field logs, researches are able to pin point patterns within organizational cultures. Accuracy is
visible through the comparison of the common cultural patterns and use of symbols and
performances.
There is difficulty presented in how one might study Organizational Culture Theory and
its relation to collegiate soccer, however it is not impossible. Studying how collegiate soccer
represents Organizational Culture Theory is possible through observation, participation, and the
use of field journals. Due to the fact that organizational culture requires the explanation of shared
values with regards to culture creation, it is relatable to the culture created within collegiate
soccer teams.
Observing a collegiate soccer team would provide a researcher with valuable data of
physical symbols other aspects of the culture that are observable from an outsider standpoint.
Video recordings of practices and meetings would provide an ability to observe behavior actions
of specific players. These recordings can be compared and combined with observational note
taking as well. Physical symbols such as the stadium or training facilities can be affectively
researched by a group outsider because they can estimate the presence of the soccer team on the
campus population. A researcher could also examine the relationships between levels of the
organizational hierarchy, for example the coaching staff and the athletic department, or the
coaching staff and the players. There is only so much one can learn from sitting on the side line.
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In order to understand the organizational culture of a soccer team one must familiarize them self
with every aspect of the team culture.
Fully submersing oneself into a culture is believed to be one of the best ways to learn
from and understand it (Pacanowsky & Trujillo, 1983). Participation is somewhat unrealistic in
this case but is the best way to truly study the ins and outs of a collegiate soccer team’s
organizational culture. Participating in collegiate soccer at Central Washington University is
what encouraged me pursue connections between communication theories and team cohesion.
Therefore, I believe the best way to participate during research would be to find a collegiate
soccer player willing to conduct research or share their experiences of participation. At the same
time, this still raises issues such as group bias, for example within the subcultures of the team.
An offensive player would not be able to provide accurate insight on the culture created between
defensive players.
In the occasion of observation and participation of a collegiate soccer team’s organization
culture, extensive note taking would be extremely necessary. Occurrences or experiences that
may not seem applicable at the time may correlate to information found later in the study. Due to
the fact that the majority of the research required when studying this concept is qualitative, field
journals are the best way to record observations or experiences during participation periods.
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE IMPLICATIONS
The comparison of organization culture theory and culture formed within collegiate
soccer teams can be studied and applied to unlimited amounts of sports teams all around the
nation. Specifically, it can be applied to collegiate soccer teams in the Pacific Northwest culture
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in order to effectively create and modify team culture. Collegiate soccer teams replicate
Organizational Cultural Theory through their use of symbols and organizational culture within
their athletic environment. This comparison can be adjusted and applied to provide future insight
on cultures within football, basketball, baseball, and other team sports. Further research on the
comparison of organizational culture theory to collegiate soccer can be explored in regards to
whether or not gender, sport, and levels of competition support or reject the comparison.
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Pacanowsky, O. T. (1990). Communication and Organizational Cultures. New York: Longman.
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