What is Culture?

Shwartz and Davis (1981: 33) define culture as “a pattern of beliefs and expectations shared by the organisations members. These beliefs and expectations produce norms and powerfully shape the behaviour of individuals and groups in the organisation”.

“Change is all about changing the culture and therefore, modifying the behaviours, attitudes and structures, to achieve a particular aim. A well-managed work culture (the collective behaviours and values of a company's employees) can significantly improve business performance” (Lal, 2003).

“The most common forms of change experienced across industry sectors have been redundancies, performance improvement, cost reduction programmes and culture change” (James G. 1991).

Next Steps

Would you feel confident in implementing and managing a programme of change in your Business? Let us help you. Our Change Management Consultants are Specialist Change Agents who have leading edge experience and highly developed change skills. They are able to apply these, at whatever level you require, whether this is at a very strategic level in scientifically identifying the change required, designing the change programme and winning hearts and minds, or in managing its implementation and reviewing it, we will be able to design a solution for you.

Our programme managers have extensive change management skills and a highly commercial, people focused approach and will work with you, in helping you to make the changes necessary to secure and embed competitive advantage.

To discuss your confidential needs click here to contact us.

Don't Forget

"Successful organizations recognise that organisational culture and people management issues are at the heart of cultural change. No new management practice will achieve its end unless it is delivered by a motivated workforce. Creating a culture in which outsourcing is seen as just one possible means of improving organisational effectiveness provides both a challenge and an opportunity to personnel and development professionals to prove their value by contributing an informed input to the wide-ranging business agenda". :

Angela Edward, (Policy Adviser, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, CIPD Notes and News, (1999)).

References:

James G. (1991), Quality of Working Life and Total Quality Management, ACAS Work Research Unit Occasional Paper no. 50, 33543 Lal, P (2003), Impact of the Application of the Change Process (MSc HR dissertation), South Bank University Business School, South Bank University, London. Schwartz, H and Davis, S (1981: 33) Matching corporate culture and business strategy. In Organisational Dynamics, 10.