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Athena 
is the goddess of the 
task culture
. Management is seen as completing a succession of projects 
or solving problems. 
(a) 
The task culture is reflected in project teams and task forces. In such organisations, there is no 
dominant or clear leader. The principal concern in a task culture is to get the job done. Therefore 
the individuals who are important are the experts with the ability to accomplish a particular 
aspect of the task.
(b) 
Performance is judged by results.
(c) 
Task cultures are expensive, as experts demand a market price. 
(d) 
Task cultures also depend on variety, and to tap creativity requires a tolerance of perhaps costly 
mistakes.
4.4 Person culture 
Dionysus 
is the god of the
 existential 
or 
person culture
. In the three other cultures, the individual is 
subordinate to the organisation or task. An existential culture is found in an organisation whose purpose 
is to serve the interests of the individuals within it. These organisations are rare, although an example 
might be a partnership of a few individuals who do all the work of the organisation themselves (with 
perhaps a little secretarial or clerical assistance): for example, barristers (in the UK) working through 
chambers.
Management positions in these organisations are often lower in status than the professionals and are 
labelled secretaries, administrators, bursars, registrars or clerks. 
The organisation depends on the talent of the individuals; management is derived from the consent of 
the managed, rather than the delegated authority of the owners. 
4.5 A contingency approach 
When thinking about these four types of culture, remember that they do not necessarily equate to 
specific organisation types, though some styles of organisation culture may accompany particular 
organisation structures. Also, it is quite possible for different cultures to prevail in different parts of the 
same organisation, especially large ones with many departments and sites. In other words, as the 
contingency approach says: 'it all depends'. 
Handy also matched appropriate cultural models to Robert