Final answer:
Siemens had a traditional, hierarchical, and risk-averse culture with a focus on engineering excellence and slow decision-making.
Step-by-step explanation:
The culture of Siemens before Kleinfeld's appointment as CEO can be described as traditional, hierarchical, and risk-averse.
Siemens had a long history and a strong emphasis on engineering excellence.
The decision-making process was slow and bureaucratic, with a focus on maintaining stability rather than innovation. The company had a top-down management approach, where decisions were made by senior leadership and implemented throughout the organization.