La interacción de los valores personales y la cultura organizacional: evidencia de un estudio de caso en el Sur de Brasil

The objective of this study was to analyze the interrelational configuration between personal values (Schwartz model) and elements of organizational culture (Schein model) in a Brazilian Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE). To this aim, a qualitative approach was adopted using a single case study design. The purposive sample consisted of 10 employees from an engineering company in Western Santa Catarina. Data collection employed triangulation of techniques: values questionnaire (PVQ), participant observation, document analysis, and focus groups. The results reveal a cultural dynamic of “paradoxical complementarity”: the values of self-direction (innovation/autonomy) and conformity (rules/hierarchy), although theoretically opposing, coexist functionally. It was evidenced that the structure provided by conformity and the psychological safety derived from benevolence act as necessary supports to enable technical self-direction. It is concluded that organizational culture in this context is not static but acts as a regulatory mechanism mediated by leadership, balancing control with freedom. Thus, the study contributes empirically by demonstrating how managing contradictory values can foster sustainability in resource-constrained enterprises.