Corporate culture refers to values, beliefs, business principles, traditions, ways of operating, and internal work environment. An organization’s culture is either an important contributor or an obstacle to successful strategy execution. The beliefs, vision, objectives, business approaches and practices underpinning a company's strategy may be compatible with its culture or not. When they are, the culture becomes a valuable ally in strategy implementation and execution. When the culture is in conflict with some aspect of the company's direction, performance targets or strategy, the culture becomes a stumbling block that impedes successful strategy implementation and execution. A culture grounded in values, practices, and behavioural norms that match what is needed for good strategy execution helps energize people throughout the company to do their jobs in a strategy-supportive manner, adding significantly to the power and effectiveness of strategy execution.