What can be analyzed to gather clues about a company's culture?

Analyzing practices, symbols, rituals, and values provides a comprehensive understanding of a company's culture. Culture encompasses the underlying beliefs and behaviors that shape how employees interact with one another and with stakeholders outside the organization. Practices refer to the habitual ways in which work is done, symbols may include logos or office design that reflect company identity, rituals highlight important traditions or events that reinforce community within the organization, and values articulate what the company stands for and how it prioritizes different aspects of its operations.

In contrast, looking at employees' salaries primarily offers insights into compensation structures rather than the deeper elements of culture. Marketing techniques may reflect brand identity and strategy but do not directly reveal internal cultural dynamics. Investors' opinions can provide an external perspective but do not necessarily reveal internal practices or the shared values that truly define the company's culture. Therefore, examining practices, symbols, rituals, and values is the most effective way to analyze and understand a company's culture.