Ethnography in a corporate setting case study: Tetra Pak Tubex Portugal

Abstract

This dissertation deals with the concept of corporate culture. The study is mainly based on a case study of Tetra Pak Tubex Portugal - where ethnographic work was carried out - and includes a comparison with two other institutions: an investment bank and Apple Computers. The method used to study Tetra Pak Tubex Portugal was mainly participant observation at the company’s premises in Lisbon for over six months. The conclusions reached regarding key aspects of the culture were then compared with two other ethnographies through bibliography. The main contribution of this study is the use of the ethnographic method to study corporate reality and provide a critical view of the method, as compared to methods pointed out by other disciplines such as Psychology and Sociology. On more practical terms, key aspects of the culture in three different settings will be described, giving the reader the opportunity to reflect on these differences.