ABSTRACT
By exploring the concept of culture, the factors affecting or influencing it and how it is developed in a setting and manifested through the ethos this chapter will consider the practical implications of 'culture' for colleagues work together and children's learning and development. By considering how culture is defined, it considers why addressing culture, in its broadest sense, is central to developing effective practice. The different cultures of those who work in the same setting should be considered when developing internal structures. These differences are largely concerned with attributes. Attributes may include character, situation, organisational climate, race, gender, tradition, and many other factors, all of which suggest that people from different cultural backgrounds feel comfortable in working in different ways. Culture is influenced by the social environment, the formal management systems, policies and structures and the actions and behaviours of the people in the setting, and other factors.
