Developed by Robert Quinn and John Rohrbaugh at the University of Michigan, the Competing Values Framework is one of the most widely used and empirically validated models in organisational science.
It maps organisational culture across two fundamental tensions: Flexibility vs Stability and Internal vs External focus — producing four distinct culture types, each with its own leadership style, success criteria and strategic priorities.
No culture type is inherently better than another. What matters is the fit between your culture and your strategy — and your awareness of the tensions that your current profile creates.