Purpose – Decentralization and company cultures have emerged to master increasing external flexibility, as in a competitive bank in Sweden, raising issues of the sustainability in terms of competence and competence development. The purpose of this paper is to study how the staff members in a bank perceive a company culture and how this perception is related to background aspects (gender, age, etc.), and engagement in regular regulating activities decided by the company.

Design/methodology/approach – An “abductive” approach inspired by action-, adult developmental-, complexity- and “holon” theory comprise a frame of reference applied on a multi-methodological case study in progress, within which a survey distributed in the whole bank in Sweden has been analyzed in terms mainly of a multiple linear regression analysis. Findings – Results indicate strong integration in the company culture related to active engagements in regular and regulating activities. The regression analysis clearly indicates that the cultural integration is more influenced by those activities than by individual background variables. However, results also show more critical attitudes towards the culture. This may reflect both an individual developmental aspect and a generational aspect. Research limitations/implications – Results are only one of many necessary contributions to a deeper multi-methodological ongoing approach. Originality/value – The approach combines different lines of reasoning and data providing both a broad an in-depth elucidation of the issues studied.