Culture fit refers to the extent to which two organizations align in terms of values, behavior, leadership, and decision-making style. It is therefore not about 'the same culture,' but about cultural compatibility: can people work together based on a shared understanding of what is important, how decisions are made, and how conflicts and success are handled?

Culture fit operates on various levels: between leadership teams, between departments, and in daily routines. In acquisitions, it is not a soft prerequisite, but a hard success factor. Without culture fit, there is a high probability that integration will stall, employees will leave, or innovation will stagnate.