Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Certification Practice Test

Which of the following is NOT one of Charles Handy's four cultural types?

1. Person

2. Task

3. Strategy

4. Role

The correct answer is: Strategy

Charles Handy, a renowned organizational theorist, identified four primary cultural types in his work: Power Culture, Role Culture, Task Culture, and Person Culture. These cultural types provide insights into the dynamics of organizational behavior and management. The option identified as "C" refers to "Strategy," which is not one of the four cultural types outlined by Handy. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of the other types that capture different aspects of organizational culture. "Role" culture, for instance, emphasizes structure, rules, and well-defined roles within organizations, highlighting the functionality of established procedures. "Task" culture is focused on achieving specific objectives and is characterized by teamwork and project-based approaches. "Person" culture centers around the individuals within the organization, where the people themselves are the key resource, and their skills and expertise are valued above the operational hierarchy. In summary, the concept of "Strategy" is not defined as a cultural type in Handy's model, making it the correct response to the question. Understanding these cultural types helps in recognizing how organizations function and adapt to their objectives and environments.