making-sense-of-change-management

The applicationscope with its problems of external adaptation and internal integration,and that have worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore,to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, andfeel in relation to those problems.’Culture is not just about induction programmes, it is everywhere inorganizational life. Culture is vitally important for the organizationbecause of its impact on performance. Molenaar et al (2002), quotingleading writers in the field, say:[T]o truly understand corporate culture, its characteristics must also beunderstood.The following is a compilation of the most prevalent cultural characteristics:Corporate culture represents behaviours that new employees areencouraged to follow (Kotter and Heskett, 1992)It creates norms for acceptable behaviour (Hai, 1986)Corporate culture reinforces ideas and feelings that are consistentwith the corporation’s beliefs (Hampden-Turner, 1990)It influences the external relations of the corporation, as well as theinternal relations of the employees (Hai, 1986)Culture can have a powerful effect on individuals and performance(Kotter and Heskett, 1992)It affects worker motivation and goals (Hai, 1986)Behaviours such as innovation, decision making, communication,organizing, measuring success and rewarding achievement areaffected by corporate culture (Hai, 1986).If we want to learn about how to change culture, we need to understandhow it is created. Schein (1999) suggests that there are six different waysin which culture evolves. Some of these can be influenced by leaders andsome cannot:• a general evolution in which the organization naturally adapts to itsenvironment;• a specific evolution of teams or sub-groups within the organization totheir different environments;• a guided evolution resulting from cultural ‘insights’ on the part ofleaders;256