The Organizational Value of Humility: Proposing a Typology of Culture Maturity
PDF

Keywords

humility
virtue
humble behavior
culture maturity

How to Cite

Cuenca, R., & Amelia Tomei, P. (2025). The Organizational Value of Humility: Proposing a Typology of Culture Maturity . Review of Business Management, 27(01). https://doi.org/10.7819/rbgn.v27i01.4291

Abstract

Purpose – Although virtuous practices enhance organizational excellence, the virtue and culture of humility are little studied in the field of management due to their conceptual challenges. In order to cover this gap, and considering that the virtue of humility is increasingly evolving as a cultural value, this study proposes a typology of humility culture maturity (THCM) that signals a progressive path of this virtue as a value in organizations. 

Theoretical framework – This theoretical-exploratory study is derived from Schein's (2010) organizational culture models, Galbraith's (1983) concepts, Maldonado et al.'s (2018) organizational humility model, and Owens et al.'s (2013; 2015) individual humility model. 

Design/methodology/approach – The typology design is based on the procedures for configuring culture maturity models, such as those of Parker (2006) and Rocha et al. (2023). 

Findings – The combination of these theories makes it possible to propose a continuum of five stages of culture maturity: rhetorical, embryonic, stimulated, full and virtuous, with each stage reflecting different behavioral regimes respectively, progressing from unconcerned, reactive, obligatory, voluntary to unconscious, where humility practices are performed in an organic way and internalized in virtuous actions, in a demonstration of culture maturity. 

Practical & social implications of research – The study broadens the understanding of the humility culture, making its analysis more useful, since it indicates specific descriptions and behaviors of humility related to each stage of cultural progression towards maturity. This theoretical study makes the examination of humility in organizations more utilitarian, opening space for further design and empirical testing of both functional models of organizational culture and humility culture maturity, which are instrumentally lacking in the literature and so important for organizational excellence. 

Originality/value – The THCM represents an original proposal that fills a gap in the literature in management studies dedicated to organizational humility and humility culture maturity.

https://doi.org/10.7819/rbgn.v27i01.4291
PDF

References

​​Ali, M., Li, Z., Khan, S., Shah, S. J., & Ullah, R. (2020). Linking humble leadership and project success: the moderating role of top management support with mediation of team-building. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-01-2020-0032

​Anand, A., Walsh, I., & Moffett, S. (2019). Does humility facilitate knowledge sharing? Investigating the role of humble knowledge inquiry and response. Journal of Knowledge Management, 23(6), 1218–1244. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-06-2018-0353

​Argandona, A. (2013). Reputation and humility in corporate management. In IESE Business School, University of Navarra (WP-1071-E.).

​Argandona, A. (2015). Humility in Management. Journal of Business Ethics, 132(1), 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2311-8

​Argandona, A. (2017). Humility and Decision Making in Companies: Vol. January (WP-1164-E).

​Bibus, A. A. (2015). Supererogation in social work: Deciding whether to go beyond the call of duty. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 12(2), 27–40.

​Bourne, H., Jenkins, M., & Parry, E. (2019). Mapping Espoused Organizational Values. Journal of Business Ethics, 159(1), 133–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3734-9

​Cameron, K., & Winn, B. (2012). Virtuousness in organizations. In Cameron K.S.; Sprelitzer G.S. (Ed.), Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship (pp. 231–243). Oxford University Press, Oxford.

​Chandler, J. A., Johnson, N. E., Jordan, S. L., B, D. K., & Short, J. C. (2023). A meta-analysis of humble leadership: Reviewing individual, team, and organizational outcomes of leader humility. The Leadership Quarterly, 34(1), 101660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101660

​Collins, J. (2001). Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 66–76.

​Comte-Sponville, A. (2001). A small treatise of the great virtues (Metropolit).

​Cortes-Mejia, S., Cortes, A. F., & Herrmann, P. (2022). Sharing Strategic Decisions: CEO Humility, TMT Decentralization, and Ethical Culture. Journal of Business Ethics, 178(1), 241–260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04766-8

​Crossan, M., Mazutis, D., & Seijts, G. (2013). In Search of Virtue: The Role of Virtues, Values and Character Strengths in Ethical Decision Making. Journal of Business Ethics, 113(4), 567–581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1680-8

​Cuenca, R., Tomei, P. A., & Mello, S. F. (2022a). A humildade nas organizações: um estudo bibliométrico. Cadernos EBAPE.BR, 20(5), 653–674. https://doi.org/10.1590/1679-395120210130

​Cuenca, R., Tomei, P. A., & Mello, S. F. (2022b). How to infuse an organizational culture with humility: A study of humble behaviors and practices. Global Business and Organizational Excellence, 42(1), 39–58. https://doi.org/10.1002/joe.22171

​Cunha, M. P., & Rego, A. (2015). As virtudes nas organizações. Analise Psicologica, 33(4), 349–359. https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.1022

​Davis, D. E., Worthington, E. L., & Hook, J. N. (2010). Humility: Review of measurement strategies and conceptualization as personality judgment. Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(4), 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439761003791672

​Diana, I. N., Supriyanto, A. S., Ekowati, V. M., & Ertanto, A. H. (2021). Factor Influencing Employee Performance: The Role of Organizational Culture. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(2), 545–553. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2021.vol8.no2.0545

​Domańska-Szaruga, B. (2020). Maturity of risk management culture. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(3), 2060–2078. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2020.7.3(41)

​Dornheim, P., & Zarnekow, R. (2023). Determining cybersecurity culture maturity and deriving verifiable improvement measures. Information and Computer Security. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-07-2023-0116

​Dutton, J. E. ;, & Sonenshein, S. (2009). Positive organizational scholarship. In Encyclopedia of positive psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

​Frostenson, M. (2016). Humility in Business: A Contextual Approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 138(1), 91–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2601-9

​Galbraith. (1983). The anatomy of power. Challenge, 26(3), 26–33.

​Ghoshal, S. (2005). Bad management theories are destroying good management practices. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4(1), 75–91.

​Hamzagić, E. (2018). The importance of the organizational identification in forming organizational perception. International Review, 3–4, 31–38. https://doi.org/10.5937/intrev1802031h

​Hofstede. (1990). Measuring Organizational Cultures; A Qualitative and Quantitative Study across Twenty Cases. Science, 35, 286–316.

​Hu, J., Jiang, K., Erogan, B., & Bauer, T. (2018). Leader humility and team creativity: The role of team information sharing. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(3), 313–323.

​Hudson, P. T. W. (2001). Safety Management and Safety Culture: the long, hard and winding road. Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems, 3–32. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9509550

​Jennings, L., Sovereign, A., Bottorff, N., Mussell, M. P., & Vye, C. (2005). Nine Ethical Values of Master Therapists. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 27(1), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.27.1.lmm8vmdujgev2qhp

​Jespersen, L., Griffiths, M., Maclaurin, T., Chapman, B., & Wallace, C. A. (2016). Measurement of food safety culture using survey and maturity profiling tools. Food Control, 66, 174–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.01.030

​Kupfer, J. (2003). The moral perspective of humility. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 84, 249–269.

​Lemoine, G. J., Hartnell, C. A., & Leroy, H. (2019). Taking stock of moral approaches to leadership: An integrative review of ethical, authentic, and servant leadership. Academy of Management Annals, 13(1), 148–187. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2016.0121

​Li, R., Wang, S., & Wang, H. (2022). Leader humility and team creativity: The role of team creative efficacy and task interdependence. Journal of General Management, 47(4), 246–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/03063070211035766

​Malbašić, I.; Rey, C.; Potočan, V. (2015). Balanced organizational values: From theory to practice. Journal of Business Ethics, 130(2), 437–446.

​Maldonado, T., & Vera, D. (2019). Humble workplace cultures embrace the honesty, experimentation, and learning that lead to success. Greater Food Magazine.

​Maldonado, T., Vera, D., & Ramos, N. (2018). How humble is your company culture? And, why does it matter? Business Horizons, 61(5), 745–753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2018.05.005

​Maldonado, T., Vera, D., & Spangler, W. D. (2022). Unpacking humility: Leader humility, leader personality, and why they matter. Business Horizons, 65(2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.032

​McElroy-Heltzel, S. E., Davis, D. E., DeBlaere, C., Worthington, E. L., & Hook, J. N. (2019). Embarrassment of riches in the measurement of humility: A critical review of 22 measures. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 14(3), 393–404. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1460686

​Morris, J. A., Brotheridge, C. M., & Urbanski, J. C. (2005). Bringing humility to leadership: Antecedents and consequences of leader humility. Human Relations, 58(10), 1323–1350. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726705059929

​Murray, A. (2001). Humility: the journey toward holiness. Bethany House.

​Nielsen, R., & Marrone, J. A. (2018). Humility: Our Current Understanding of the Construct and its Role in Organizations. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(4), 805–824. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12160

​Nielsen, R., Marrone, J. A., & Slay, H. S. (2010). A new look at humility: Exploring the humility concept and its role in socialized charismatic leadership. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 17(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051809350892

​Oc, B. (2018). Contextual leadership : A systematic review of how contextual factors shape leadership and its outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 218–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.12.004

​Oc, B., Bashshur, M. R., Daniels, M. A., Greguras, G. J., & Diefendorff, J. M. (2015). Leader humility in Singapore. Leadership Quarterly, 26(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.11.005

​Ou, A. Y., Seo, J. J., Choi, D., & Hom, P. W. (2017). When can humble top executives retain middle managers? the moderating role of top management team faultlines. Academy of Management Journal, 60(5), 1915–1931. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.1072

​Ou, A. Y., Tsui, A. S., Kinicki, A. J., Waldman, D. A., Xiao, Z., & Song, L. J. (2014). Humble Chief Executive Officers’ Connections to Top Management Team Integration and Middle Managers’ Responses. Administrative Science Quarterly, 59(1), 34–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839213520131

​Ou, A. Y., Waldman, D. A., & Peterson, S. J. (2018). Do Humble CEOs Matter? An Examination of CEO Humility and Firm Outcomes. Journal of Management, 44(3), 1147–1173. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206315604187

​Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2012). Modeling how to grow: An inductive examination of humble leader behaviors, contingencies, and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal, 55(4), 787–818. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0441

​Owens, B. P., & Hekman, D. R. (2016). How does leader humility influence team performance? Exploring the mechanisms of contagion and collective promotion focus. Academy of Management Journal, 59(3), 1088–1111. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2013.0660

​Owens, B. P. ;, Wallace, A. S. ;, & Waldman, D. A. (2015). Leader narcissism and follower outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(4), 1203–1213.

​Owens, Johnson, M. D. ;, & Mitchell, T. R. (2013). Expressed humility in organization. Organization Science, 24(5), 1517–1538.

​Owens, Rowatt, & Wilkins. (2011). Exploring the Relevance and Implications of Humility in Organizations. In K. S. Cameron & G. M. Spreitzer (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Positive Organizational Scholarship (pp. 260–272). Oxford University Press.

​Parker, D., Lawrie, M., & Hudson, P. (2006). A framework for understanding the development of organisational safety culture. Safety Science, 44(6), 551–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2005.10.004

​Paterson, T. A., Huang, L., Li, X., & Yang, D. (2023). Aspiring to be an entrepreneur while on paid employment: A moderated mediation model of entrepreneur identity aspiration. Journal of Business Research, 161(February), 113836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113836

​Peng, A. C., Wang, B., Schaubroeck, J. M., & Gao, R. (2020). Can Humble Leaders Get Results? The Indirect and Contextual Influences of Skip-Level Leaders. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 27(4), 329–339. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051820952402

​Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: a handbook and classification. Oxford University Press.

​Rego, A., Owens, B., Yam, K. C., Bluhm, D., Cunha, M. P. e., Silard, A., Gonçalves, L., Martins, M., Simpson, A. V., & Liu, W. (2019). Leader Humility and Team Performance: Exploring the Mediating Mechanisms of Team PsyCap and Task Allocation Effectiveness. Journal of Management, 45(3), 1009–1033. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316688941

​Rego, A., Ribeiro, N., & Cunha, M. P. (2010). Perceptions of organizational virtuousness and happiness as predictors of organizational citizenship behaviors. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(2), 215–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-009-0197-7

​Rego, A., Vitória, A., e Cunha, M. P., Owens, B. P., Ventura, A., Leal, S., Valverde, C., & Lourenço-Gil, R. (2022). Employees’ Improvisational Behavior: Exploring the Role of Leader Grit and Humility. Human Performance, 35(2), 113–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2022.2038171

​Rocha, R., Duarte, F., Lima, F. P. A., Mercado, M., Araújo, A., Garotti, L., & Campos, M. (2023). Framework for the assessment of the safety culture in the oil and gas industry. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2023.2293389

​Ruberton, P. M., Kruse, E., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2017). Boosting state humility via gratitude, self-affirmation, and awe: Theoretical and empirical perspectives. In D. D. and J. N. H. E. L. Worthington, Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of humility: Theory, Research, and Applications (pp. 260–273). Routledge.

​Sahri, M., Arifin, M. I. R. M., Fasya, A. H. Z., & Ibad, M. (2023). Assessment of health and safety culture maturity level in the shipping industry in Surabaya. Bali Medical Journal, 12(3), 2886–2890. https://doi.org/10.15562/bmj.v12i3.4350

​Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

​Schein, E. H., & Schein P. A. (2018). Humble Leadership: The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

​Siuta, D., Kukfisz, B., Kuczyńska, A., & Mitkowski, P. T. (2022). Methodology for the Determination of a Process Safety Culture Index and Safety Culture Maturity Level in Industries. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5), 2668. https://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH19052668

​Spagnoli, P., Defalchidu, L., Vlerick, P., & Jacxsens, L. (2024). The Relationship between Food Safety Culture Maturity and Cost of Quality: An Empirical Pilot Study in the Food Industry. Foods, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040571

​Spagnoli, P., Jacxsens, L., & Vlerick, P. (2023). Towards a food safety culture improvement roadmap: diagnosis and gap analysis through a conceptual framework as the first steps. Food Control, 145(June 2022), 109398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109398

​Spagnoli, P., Vlerick, P., Heijse, L., Engels, A., & Jacxsens, L. (2024). A multi-case study exploring the effect of interventions on food safety culture maturity. Food Research International, 197(P2), 115286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115286

​Spagnoli, P., Vlerick, P., & Jacxsens, L. (2023). Food safety culture maturity and its relation to company and employee characteristics. Heliyon, 9(11), e21561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21561

​Stephens, J. P., Heaphy, E. D., Carmeli, A., Spreitzer, G. M., & Dutton, J. E. (2013). Relationship Quality and Virtuousness: Emotional Carrying Capacity as a Source of Individual and Team Resilience. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 49(1), 13–41. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886312471193

​Tangney, J. P. ; (2000). Humility: Theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and directions for future research. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(1), 70–82.

​Tomei, P. A., Cuenca, R., & Mello, S. F. (2022). Humildade nas organizações (Ed. PUC-Rio, Ed.).

​Tomei, P., & Russo, G. (2014). Analise Do Alinhamento Cultural De Uma Organização: Um Estudo De Caso Da Arfco. Gestão & Planejamento - G&P, 15(2), 382–409.

​Vera, D., & Rodriguez-Lopez, A. (2004). Strategic virtues: Humility as a source of competitive advantage. Organizational Dynamics, 33(4 SPEC.ISS.), 393–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2004.09.006

​Waseem, M., Iqbal, S., & Khan, K. (2023). Effect of humble leadership on project success: the mediating role of team engagement and the moderating role of organizational culture. Journal of Facilities Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFM-01-2023-0009

​Wendler, R. (2012). The maturity of maturity model research: A systematic mapping study. Information and Software Technology, 54(12), 1317–1339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2012.07.007

​Zander, L., Jonsen, K., & Mockaitis, A. I. (2016). Leveraging Values in Global Organizations: Premises, Paradoxes and Progress. Management International Review, 56(2), 149–169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-015-0277-0

​Zhang, H., Ou, A. Y., Tsui, A. S., & Wang, H. (2017). CEO humility, narcissism and firm innovation: A paradox perspective on CEO traits. Leadership Quarterly, 28(5), 585–604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.01.003

​Zheng, J., Wu, G., Xie, H., & Li, H. (2019). Leadership, organizational culture, and innovative behavior in construction projects: The perspective of behavior-value congruence. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 12(4), 888–918. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-04-2018-0068

​Zhou, J., Bu, M., & Jia, L. (2022). Leader humility and inter-firm collaboration: the moderating role of firm status and environmental uncertainty. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 43(6), 953–977. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2021-0538

If a paper is approved for publication, its copyright has to be transferred by the author(s) to the Review of Business Management – RBGN.

Accordingly, authors are REQUIRED to send RBGN a duly completed and signed Copyright Transfer Form. Please refer to the following template: [Copyright Transfer]

The conditions set out by the Copyright Transfer Form state that the Review of Business Management – RBGN owns, free of charge and permanently, the copyright of the papers it publishes. Although the authors are required to sign the Copyright Transfer Form, RBGN allows authors to hold and use their own copyright without restrictions.

The texts published by RBGN are the sole responsibility of their authors.

The review has adopted the CC-BY Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 allowing redistribution and reuse of papers on condition that the authorship is properly credited.