Communication Science Perspective Application of Schein’s Organizational Culture Model and the Challenges of Value Integration: Context of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP)

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the application of Edgar H. Schein’s three-layer organizational culture model (artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions) from a Communication Science Perspective in understanding value integration challenges in multinational corporations (MNCs), with the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) as the primary contextual framework.  The technique was qualitative-analytical, consisting of a survey of the literature about Schein’s theoretical model, coupled with recent international research on cross-cultural integration, subsidiary management and sustainability-driven corporate culture. The results indicate three key challenges in the process of value integration in MNCs: identity opposition from local stakeholders, communication distortion owing to cultural distance, and power asymmetry between headquarters and subsidiaries.  The discussion stresses that integration strategies (e.g. structured socializing, leadership signaling, incentive alignment, knowledge transfer) are only effective when targeting the level of basic underlying assumptions, not objects or espoused ideals.  The study indicates that the success of Unilever’s USLP hinges on the balance between global value consistency and local adaptation, especially in emerging nations where the infrastructure and environmental literacy are still low.  The research provides practical insights for MNC managers and communication practitioners on how to design culturally sensitive value integration strategies, and theoretically, the study extends Schein’s model to sustainability-driven corporate transformation in cross-border contexts.