The Virtues and the Building of an Organizational Culture: Insights from the Dominican Tradition

International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 110 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 The Virtues and the Building of an Organizational Culture: Insights from the Dominican Tradition Fr Bonaventure Agbali, OP Dominican University Ibadan Abstract Organizational culture—shaped by the shared values, virtues, and behaviours of the individuals who constitute an institution—has become a defining factor for long-term stability, integrity, and success. Drawing on the philosophical insights of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, this article argues that virtue is the foundation upon which effective and life-giving organizational cultures are built. Using the Dominican Order as a case study, the paper explores how an eight-century tradition grounded in prayer, study, community life, and mission offers a coherent and time-tested framework for cultivating the virtues necessary for personal and institutional flourishing. Each of the Dominican pillars is shown to generate specific virtues—such as humility, diligence, justice, prudence, charity, and fortitude—that shape both individual character and communal ethos. By examining the reciprocal relationship between the individual and the organization, the article demonstrates that the transformation of organizational culture begins with the formation of virtuous persons, whose habits and moral excellence naturally give rise to trust, collaboration, ethical leadership, and a shared sense of purpose. The Dominican model reveals that culture is not merely a set of structures or policies but a moral ecology sustained by the virtues of its members. In a contemporary context marked by speed, competition, and fragmentation, this virtuebased approach offers organizations a humanizing and enduring path toward well-being, cohesion, and mission-driven excellence. Key words: Virtues, Building, Organization, Culture, Insights, Dominican, Tradition. I. Introduction In the fast-paced and competitive world of modern organizations, culture has emerged as one of the most decisive factors for long-term success and harmonious living. Culture shapes how individuals interact, make decisions, and pursue their interests in relation to the organization they belong to. Individuals make up organizations, and organizations are run by individuals. Many approaches to organizational culture focus on elements that are championed by the individuals who comprise the organization. So, one can see that an organizational culture is as effective as those who constitute it. To the extent to which individuals in an organization are well-behaved and efficient in their operations, to that extent will the organization be successful. Aristotle, followed by Thomas Aquinas, proposes virtue as the means to the essential characters that enable a person to live well and to flourish as a human being. They present virtues, not only as a path to happiness for the individual, but also as a means to the formation of the character that will enable the person to coexist harmoniously in society or in an organization. Thus, we need virtuous persons for the success of any organizational culture. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 111 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 For over 800years, the Dominican Order has imbued a culture and tradition that has sustained it as an organization that currently exists and operates in over a hundred countries. This tradition and culture are rooted in such values as prayer, study, communal living and service to the common good. All these are elements that provide some framework for the development of a virtuous life aimed at the well-being and flourishing of individual Dominicans, and the success of the Order as an entity. Drawing from the insights of the essential cultural values and traditions of the Dominican Order, this article explores how the cultivation of virtues can serve as the foundation for a robust, ethical, and effective life-giving organizational culture. Specifically, it identifies the cultural values from the Dominican tradition as virtue-based and proposes them as effective means, not just for the well-being and flourishing of an individual, but also for the well-being and flourishing of an organization. II. The Sense of an Organizational Culture According to Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge, “Organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations. This system of shared meaning includes values, beliefs, and assumptions that characterize the organization. These values, beliefs, and assumptions, when put into practice, (1) filter what employees pay attention to, (2) are physically manifested as material symbols (for example, uniforms, statues, etc.) and stories, and (3) form the foundation for shared meaning among members of an organization.” 1 When we speak of culture, it describes a framework that bears the common values of a group or organization that represents their unique backgrounds and holds them together. Simply put, Terrence E. Deal and Allan A. Kennedy define organizational culture as “the way things get done around here.” 2 Organizational culture speaks of the shared values, beliefs, attitudes, norms, and practices that shape how people within an organization interact and work together. Though it is aimed at the well-being of the organization, this is not detached from the individuals who make up the organization. When we speak of organizational culture as the “personality” of the organization, we are speaking in essence of the personality of the individuals in the organization, that is, the enduring traits and characteristics that influence their interactions with one another within the organization. These are the factors that determine the overall culture and the well-being and flourishing of the organization. The well-being and flourishing of an organization entail the well-being and flourishing of the individuals that constitute the organization. According to Bamidele Razak, “There seems to be general consensus that organizational culture refers to a structure that separates a specific organization from other organizations with a common meaning held by members. On closer inspection, this structure of common sense is a collection of 1 Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge, Organizational Behavior (Harlow, England: Pearson, 2024), 549. 2 Terrence E. Deal and Allen A. Kennedy, Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life (Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1982), 49. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 112 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 core characteristics that the organisation values.” 3 He presents the following as the primary components that capture the nature of an organization: (1) innovation and risk taking, (2) attention and risk taking, (3) outcome orientation, (4) people orientation, (5) team orientation, (6) aggressiveness, and (7) stability. With his own nuance, David Needle and Jane Burns see organizations in terms of a unique combination of variables. These include history, technology, product market, the type of employees, type of ownership, leadership and strategy. Other influences include the broader culture of the country or region, the prevailing political economy and the behaviour of the stakeholders. Many attempts have been made to simplify this range of variables through the use of models attempting to draw distinctions between generic types of organization.” 4 On their own part, the unifying fact is in an organization is a functional and efficient system which encompasses on all major elements in the organization. The key principles of organizational culture are values and beliefs that guide the actions of the organization as an entity and the individuals in the organization. The norms – written and unwritten – are also key principles that guide interactions within the organization. The symbols and rituals of the organization, like logos, official colours, anthem, ceremonies etc., also bear the identity, vision and mission of the organization. Narratives of the founder(s) and past members of the organization convey what is admired and what is discouraged in the organization. These narratives lay bare the leadership styles that are operational in the organization. In a nutshell, organizational culture defines who or what an organization is, what it stands for, and how its operations and these determine its success. In addition, organizational culture defines how the individuals in the organization work and relate, it defines their personality and their work ethics, and above all, it defines their well-being and flourishing in relation to that of the organization itself. III. The Individual in the Organization Individuals make up an organization, and the relationship between them is both reciprocal and dynamic. This is a two-way relationship through which each influences and shapes the other. Individuals contribute to the organization through their skills, talents, values, and behaviour. Their work, creativity, and attitudes help achieve the organization’s goals. Individuals who are well motivated and ethically sound strengthen the operations and performance of an organization. On the other hand, an organization influences individuals through its mission, vision, culture, structure, style, and values. The organization provides roles, norms, expectations, and incentives that shape how people think and act at work. For example, a collaborative culture encourages teamwork and openness. 3 Bamidele Razak, “Organizational Culture” in The Nigerian Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Volume 20, No. 2, November 2022: 338. 4 David Needle and Jane Burns, Business in Context: An Introduction to Business and Its Environment, 7th edition (Hampshire, UK: Cengage Larning EMEA, 2019), 235. International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 113 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 The relationship between an individual and the organization he belongs to exists at various levels, and it is guided by the prevalent culture. At the psychological level, individuals seek meaning, identity, belonging and purpose within the organization they belong to. In return, the organization offers them the fulfilment of what they seek, recognition, and rewards. At the social level, an organization becomes an avenue for harmonious coexistence and communion for individuals based on their interrelationships, shared values, and work collaborations, which enable them to develop mutual support. At the moral or spiritual level, especially in value-based organizations (e.g., religious or faith-based institutions), individuals share a common sense of vocation or ethical purpose. The relationship between an individual and an organization is often based on an understanding or a contract. The contract stipulates the rights and responsibilities of both parties. While the individual expects fair treatment, respect and professional growth, the organization expects loyalty, integrity and performance. When both sides fulfil these expectations, the organization succeeds and the individuals are happy and fulfilled. The organization provides opportunities for individuals to develop personally and professionally. Individuals, in turn, enhance the organization through their dedication, innovation, and moral integrity. An organizational culture is the bond that connects individuals to an organization. When individuals internalize the culture, they act in ways consistent with the organization’s vision and mission. On the contrary, when there is a misfit, there will be conflict, tension and disengagement, and these are inimical to the well-being and flourishing of both the individuals and the organization. The mutually beneficial relationship between individuals and an organization cannot be possible without virtuous living on the part of the individuals. IV. Dominican Tradition and Organisational Cultures The Dominican Order is not just a religious order filled with rich religious and spiritual traditions; it also has a rich intellectual tradition. Apart from the likes of Thomas Aquinas, there are numerous Dominicans who have made great contributions in various fields of study. For example, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, there is a statue of the Dominican priest Francisco de Vitoria. He is recognized as the Founder of International Law and a great contributor to the development of the idea of human rights. These and other principles he developed are considered foundational to the mission of the United Nations, and that is why he is honoured with a statue at their headquarters. The Dominican Order was founded to counter errors with the truth; thus, it has been an enduring tradition of the Order to seek the truth through the study of divine and human knowledge. In addition to the tradition of seeking the truth through studies, the Dominican Order also has a tradition of divine communion through prayer and human communion through communal living. Finally, the Dominican Order seeks to serve others and the common good through various missionary activities. All these are aimed at the well-being and flourishing of Dominicans themselves and those they serve. Prayer, study, community life and mission are the four pillars on which the Dominican Order as an organization has stood and flourished for over 800years. These pillars are the foundational and International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 114 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 fundamental elements that shape the life and mission of the Order. They express how Dominicans operate through a balanced life of faith, community, and service. These pillars embody the organizational culture that has guided Dominicans as individuals and the Order as an organization over the centuries. These pillars provide not only a spiritual or theological vision but also an organizationally relevant framework that is also deeply human. V. The Four Pillars of Dominican Life The following are the four pillars of Dominican life: 1. Prayer: Prayer is the heart and the source of Dominican life. Dominicans are first called to communion with the Divine through prayer and contemplation; they are called to seek union with him in love and truth. Through prayer and contemplation, a Dominican is equipped with supernatural aid to assist them in his daily life and work. Dominicans join the Church at various hours of the day in prayer, recitation of the Rosary, and the celebration of the Eucharist. They also spend personal time in silent prayer and meditation on the Scriptures and other spiritual texts. St Dominic himself has his famous nine ways of prayer. Prayer nourishes the Dominican’s soul so that his words and actions flow from a living encounter with the Divine, and so that he may effectively encounter others in society. 2. Study: In the Dominican tradition, study is not about acquiring laurels but about acquiring knowledge for information and the formation of the human person. Study for Dominicans is the search for the Truth (Veritas) and all truths. Dominicans seek not only knowledge of the Divine, but also all forms of knowledge because it is believed that all knowledge comes from the Divine. Dominicans hold that the authentic flourishing of the human person depends on the search for truth and integrity in thought and action. This is not an optional task but an essential part of their integral formation – the formation of the mind, body and soul or intellectual and spiritual formation. The knowledge acquired through study is first aimed at the well-being and flourishing of the person, and then this same knowledge is applied to others for their well-being and flourishing. Knowledge empowers the Dominican to respond to the needs and questions of the times in the service of others. In an organizational context, the search for truth through study translates to transparency, intellectual honesty, and the willingness to confront difficult realities rather than hide behind comforting illusions. 3. Community: Dominican life is inherently and deeply communal. Dominicans live, pray, study and work together in community - reflecting the Gospel ideal of unity and fraternity. In the community, they share faith, support one another, and seek the truth together. Decisions are made through dialogue, mutual respect, and a sense of shared discernment and responsibility. The community life of Dominicans is also a witness to the world that people of different backgrounds and personalities can coexist in harmony. In this way, Dominican community life becomes a living school of friendship and virtue that prepares each member to engage fruitfully with the outside world. For an organization, this suggests that culture is not imposed from the top but co-created through participation and dialogue, fostering trust and a true sense of belonging. 4. Mission: The Dominican mission is to serve the common good through preach, teach and other services. This is the delivery of the fruits of the first three: prayer, study and community life. Dominicans are called to pray, study and live in community in order to share with others the fruits International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 115 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 of their prayer, study and community life. The mission of the Dominican Order is to serve the people wherever they find themselves through preaching, teaching, writing, dialogue, etc. They are called to bear witness through acts of mercy, justice and truth. They engage in intellectual, pastoral and social work in order to uphold and defend the dignity of the human person, his wellbeing and flourishing. In any organization, mission provides purpose beyond profit – a unifying “why” that gives meaning to daily work. Together, these elements reveal the Dominican Order, not as a collection of isolated individuals but as a virtuous community oriented toward truth and service for the good of all. VI. Virtue as the Foundation of the Dominican Pillars A virtue is a stable disposition that enables a person to act rightly and consistently, choosing and doing the good, and doing it well. Virtues shape individuals' moral character, guiding their choices beyond mere rules or external rewards. Virtue ethics, with its roots in Aristotelian Philosophy and Christian Moral Theology, focuses on character rather than rules or outcomes. The Dominican tradition – particularly as expressed by Thomas Aquinas – develops this approach by emphasizing that good actions flow from a well-formed character or habitus. When applied to organizations, this means that sustainable excellence depends on cultivating virtues both individually and collectively. The organizational culture of the Dominican Order is built on its tradition of prayer, study, community life and mission, and these pillars are virtue-based. This means that prayer, study, community life and mission help to cultivate certain virtues in those who faithfully practice them. Through these pillars, the Dominican tradition integrates intellectual, spiritual, and communal dimensions of life. For Dominicans, virtue is not a private perfection but a means of serving truth and charity within the community. This has been the experience of the Order as an organization. Part of the reason why it has succeeded over the centuries is the organizational culture it has built around these pillars, more importantly, the virtues these pillars have elicited in Dominicans. These are the virtues that shape a Dominican-inspired organizational culture: 1. Prayer: Prayer is the foundation for the virtues of faith, hope, and charity that produce confidence, trust, strength, and perseverance. It helps to cultivate love for the Divine and others. In an organization, charity or love becomes care for colleagues, compassion in leadership, and a commitment to the common good. The need to pray enables us to develop the virtue of humility and gratitude. The belief in a Supreme Being empowers a person to go beyond himself and to conceive of something greater than himself, and this is humbling. Through the act of prayer, man learns to pay due reference to something greater than himself and he also learns to persevere in difficult situations. Prayer may be seen as something spiritual, but in the Dominican tradition, it is contemplatio et actio (Contemplation and Action). Dominican spirituality links interior reflection with effective action. A virtuous organization likewise balances reflection on its core values with action, ensuring that work flows from integrity and discernment. 2. Study: As we have indicated, Dominicans see study as a search for knowledge and the Truth. The search for the Truth begins with the love of the Truth. Hence, the love of the Truth is the prerequisite for anyone who seeks to cultivate a life of study, and it is also a virtue that is enhanced International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 116 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 through study. Truth is not only a value but a way of being. A culture grounded in truth encourages transparency, authenticity, and a shared search for knowledge and understanding. The love of truth enables one to seek knowledge for its own sake, and not for pride, power, or applause. The discipline of study helps one to develop the virtues of humility, patience, perseverance, diligence, docility, and prudence. One cannot fill a cup that is already filled. Hence, humility enables us to realize our ignorance and to seek true knowledge. The search for knowledge requires patience and perseverance because of the difficulties involved. One must remain diligent in the search and docile to absolve all that he encounters. The search for knowledge must be done prudently through counsel, good judgment and effective action. 3. Community Life: The community is a school of love and virtue because it constantly challenges and refines the heart. Living and working with others – whether in a family, religious house, or an organization - calls forth virtues that shape us into well-rounded, mature persons. From the Dominican tradition, the community is that conducive ambience for prayer and study; thus, it is those who pray and study who live in community. The community is the place where one can grow in love and understanding of others, and this is the ingredient for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence in any organization. In the community, we learn to grow in the love of others, altruistic service, forgiveness and shared pains and joys. In our daily interactions in the community, we learn to treat others with kindness, gentleness and generosity of heart. When we are able to live together with others, we grow in the virtue of patience amid the inevitable misunderstandings and disagreements. Through dialogue and patience, a community can sustain relationships and prevent domination or isolation. In the community, we are humbled when we realize our weaknesses and limitations, and our dependence on others. To thrive in a community, one must be obedient to the rules, one must listen, collaborate and be ready to yield his will for the common good. Temperance is the ability to moderate desires and ambitions. A temperate organization avoids excesses – whether in profit-seeking, workload, or ego – and fosters balance and sustainability. In the community, we acquire a just culture that ensures fairness, equity, and respect in treatment, compensation, and opportunity. Living in community requires the virtue of simplicity and detachment from personal will and desires that are not in accord with those of the community. Hence, life in the community helps one to cultivate the virtues of simplicity and detachment. Every community is led by a superior or leader who is also a member of the community. Leadership in community is an exercise in prudence, humility, and justice and this sets a moral tone that can serve in any organization. In organizations, prudence guides leaders and teams to balance competing priorities while remaining faithful to the mission. Good leadership in an organization promotes policies that enhance the common good. It also promotes reward systems that reinforce virtuous behaviour rather than mere performance metrics. For the Dominicans, community life reinforces virtue through shared routines, accountability, and the rituals of reflection. 4. Mission: In their missionary activities, Dominicans serve others and the common good. They do this, not only through external activities, but also through inward transformation in love and service. Through their activities of preaching, teaching, social work, etc. Dominicans help to make the world a better place. Through these activities, they abound in the virtue of love for others and they can reach out to others with compassion, mercy and care. The risks and challenges involved International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 117 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 in these activities are avenues to develop the virtues of courage and fortitude. Organizational courage manifests in ethical decision-making, transparency, and the defense of integrity even under pressure. This is the ability to remain steadfast amid difficulties and to overcome them. The challenges also bring about patience and perseverance as the necessary means to success. Above all, there is a shared language of mission and a common purpose in the organization. When everyone speaks in terms of purpose and values, virtues become a living part of the daily conversation. From the foregoing, we can identify virtues such as love, prudence, humility, integrity, diligence, patience, perseverance, docility, respect, justice, courage, fortitude and many others. These virtues that are rooted in the Dominican pillars or organizational culture serve as worthy models for any modern organization for the following reasons: First, this tradition or culture has been tested and trusted for over 800years and it has proven to be effective. Second, it is of benefit, not just to individuals but also to an organization as an entity. Third, it is countercultural in an era dominated by speed, efficiency, and individual achievement. By prioritizing truth over expediency, community over isolation, and virtue over mere compliance, organizations can build cultures that endure and inspire. Finally, the model is proof that excellence without virtue is hollow, and innovation without integrity is unsustainable. A culture shaped by virtues does not simply aim for external success but fosters internal coherence – a shared sense of meaning and moral purpose that unites people in their work. In this way, organizations become not only more effective but more humane. Virtue as taught and practised in the Dominican tradition goes beyond personal morality to the shaping of institutional habits and organizational culture. When these virtues are embodied by individuals and embedded in practices, they generate trust, coherence, and resilience – the key markers of a healthy organizational culture. VII. Key Insights from the Dominican Tradition for Organizational Culture Every organization, whether religious, educational, or corporate, develops a distinctive culture — the shared values, beliefs, and ways of acting that define its identity. Yet, at its deepest level, organizational culture is not built by policies or slogans, but by persons. It is the virtues of individuals — their habits of moral and spiritual excellence — that give life, coherence, and integrity to an organization. The Dominican tradition, rooted in the pursuit of truth (veritas) and the service of the common good, offers profound insights into how personal virtue shapes communal life. Individual virtue is the keystone of organizational culture and the Dominican tradition provides the avenue for the cultivation of individual virtues. This is elaborated as follows: 1. Virtue is the foundation of the good character that is needed to build an effective organizational culture. A virtue is a stable disposition or habit that enables a person to act rightly with integrity, excellence, and consistency. When individuals within an organization cultivate a life of virtue, their personal moral excellence becomes the building block of a good organizational culture. In other words, there is no virtuous organization without virtuous persons. 2. Personal virtues lead to shared cultures in an organization. Organizational culture is essentially a pattern of shared values, beliefs, and practices that guide how people behave at work. Virtues held by individuals gradually shape the characters that correspond to those virtues. For instance, when people act honestly, the culture becomes one of trust. When they show justice, fairness International Journal of Research (IJR) e-ISSN: 2348-6848 p-ISSN: 2348-795X Vol. 12 Issue 12 December 2025 Received: 22 November 2025 118 Revised: 7 December 2025 Accepted: 11 December 2025 Copyright  authors 2025 DOI: HTTPS://DOI.ORG/10.5281/ZENODO.17901893 becomes the organizational norm. When they practice temperance and prudence, the organization grows in balance and wise decision-making. When they display fortitude, the culture encourages resilience and courage in challenges. When they live a life of charity or compassion, the environment becomes human-centred and supportive. Thus, personal moral habits are what make ethical organizational systems possible. 3. Virtue is a source of trust and credibility in an organization. Virtuous individuals act with integrity even when unobserved. Their reliability and consistency build trust – the invisible glue that holds an organization together. A culture of trust, in turn, enhances collaboration, open communication, employee commitment and public credibility 4. Virtue is not only personal, it has a communal dimension and this is profitable to an organization. Virtue flourishes in interpersonal relationships. When virtuous individuals interact, their shared habits of goodness reinforce one another, creating a moral community where ethical behaviour is natural and expected. This is why Thomas Aquinas teaches that virtue contributes to the common good: each person’s virtue uplifts the whole community. 5. From the Dominican tradition, virtues are seen as means of embodying truth, justice, and charity in community life and work. Truthfulness ensures integrity in communication and work. Justice builds fairness in relationships and organizational structures. Charity fosters genuine concern for the human person, making the workplace a community, not merely a system. Humility allows openness to learning, collaboration, and shared leadership – essential for a culture of dialogue. In a Dominican-inspired organization, virtues are not just private traits but communal lights that guide the organization toward its shared goals. 6. A virtue-based leadership can enhance the positive transformation of an organizational culture. Leaders play a key role when they embody virtues and when they model what the organization stands for. They are more effective when they lead by virtuous examples. Virtuous leadership inspires moral imitation, sets the tone for ethical decision-making, and encourages policies that align with moral excellence. Over time, these behaviours crystallise into a virtuous organizational culture – one that pursues not only success, but goodness and human flourishing. We reaffirm that individual virtue is the soul of organizational culture. Through virtuous persons, values become visible; through consistent practice, values become culture. Individual virtues contribute to organizational culture through a process of moral contagion, that is, the way good habits inspire and reinforce similar behaviour in others. Thus, virtues are to individuals what culture is to an organization: both are formed through practice and both direct actions toward purpose and excellence. VIII. Conclusion In this paper, we have demonstrated the importance of organizational culture, the value of the Dominican tradition in relation to virtues and how they can serve as effective models for the wellbeing and flourishing of an organization. Organizational culture is ultimately the mirror of the people who compose it. Systems and strategies matter, but character endures. In the Dominican