| Leading organizations even in best of times is no mean | | | | transforming business). |
| task. When faced with challenges like mergers and | | | | The assessment of present culture is the first step in |
| acquisitions, transnationalization/ globalization, or total | | | | this direction. "It is a complex and tedious task. |
| restructuring of work processes, the task becomes | | | | Internalized beliefs, assumptions, and values cannot be |
| even more daunting. The authors have, set before | | | | easily observed or measured". Deciphering culture |
| themselves, the task of presenting an effective | | | | requires observation, among others, of company |
| 'business strategy' for managing such transitions. | | | | history, socialization process, organizational stories, |
| 'Management of culture' is the crux of this strategy. In | | | | myths, legends, rites and rituals, employees' feelings of |
| particular, they seek to examine the issue of | | | | involvement, identification and commitment, routines of |
| development of and changes in organizational culture. | | | | decision-making and conflict resolution, and physical |
| They also undertake to outline the pivotal role played | | | | layout. This assessment forms the basis for |
| by Organizational Communication in this process. | | | | considering the type and character of changes |
| What is culture? How does it affect business? Why | | | | required. Not much is forthcoming from the book on |
| should we bother about culture and what has | | | | this issue. Probably, this stems from the universalistic |
| communication to do with it? We will take a brief look | | | | assumptions made by the authors. Consider an |
| at these queries in the following paragraphs. Depending | | | | example; our assessment indicates that an |
| upon the context, culture could be taken to mean | | | | organization has a concentrated power structure. |
| degree of urbanity (as in civilized vs. brutes), fine arts, | | | | What should our goal be? Is empowerment in the |
| common system of values, traditions and rituals, or | | | | interest of the organization? If yes, what should be the |
| philosophy in general. All of these forms part of or | | | | level of empowerment? Do we introduce |
| have bearing upon organizational culture. Broadly | | | | full-empowerment at once? Or do we chart out a |
| speaking, culture is 'the fabric of meaning in terms of | | | | stage-by-stage course? In other words, the dynamics |
| which human beings interpret their experience and | | | | of change process are not taken into account. |
| guide their actions' (Geertz). The way the | | | | The authors have made a strong case for |
| organizational members think and feel has critical | | | | management of culture, empowerment and such other |
| impact on work performance, commitment, adaptability, | | | | issues of current relevance. However, for a book that |
| and affinity with the task environment. Management of | | | | seeks to address the question of change, the most |
| culture came to foreground after the success of | | | | important question is not providing the justification for it, |
| Japanese companies. This success was attributed to | | | | especially when its need is generally acknowledged. |
| cultural differences. Books like Theory Z (Ouchi), The | | | | Rather, it is how to attain that change and how to |
| Rites and Rituals of corporate life (Deal & | | | | negotiate the roadblocks on the way. The absence of |
| Kennedy) and In Search of Excellence (Peters & | | | | such review definitely limits the utility of the book. |
| Waterman) brought cultural concepts into common | | | | Similarly, the dynamics of influence of macro-level |
| corporate parlance. The authors believe that, today, | | | | culture on organizational culture or the existence of |
| this has become ever more important. This is because | | | | various sub-cultures within an organization have not |
| of simultaneous demand for greater flexibility and | | | | been treated adequately. |
| higher control, which are contradictory in nature. | | | | This book is like a pulsar star, emitting bursts of bright |
| Designing learning organizations, empowerment of | | | | luminosity intermittently. The chapters on Organizational |
| employees, planning for quick response, etc | | | | Communication, Technology and Culture Development, |
| necessitate provision for higher freedom, greater | | | | and Ethics of Cultural Control are arguably its brightest |
| flexibility, and lesser surveillance and supervision. At the | | | | moments. It will suffice to pen down a few |
| same time, the organizations must retain control to | | | | observations on these topics before we round off. |
| coordinate the efforts of its members for meeting the | | | | The first of these topics discusses various discursive |
| fluid demands of the environment. This goal can be | | | | instruments of framing (communication) like stories and |
| met effectively "by managing the hearts, minds and | | | | myths, rites and rituals, metaphors, slogans and |
| souls of people, in short, culture". After all, if the | | | | catchphrases, and artifacts in detail. In 'Technology and |
| members willingly adhere to cherished norms, why | | | | Cultural Development', the authors discuss impact of |
| would the organization need to exercise close | | | | technological changes on organizational culture, |
| supervision. To put it differently, the culture of an | | | | structure, and power in a very informative manner. |
| organization forms bedrock on which the platform for | | | | The topic on 'Ethics of cultural control' is also written |
| its success or failure is laid. | | | | well. But, it commences with rather an odd, and not so |
| If that were the case, is it possible for an organization | | | | pleasant, an observation. "Despite the opportunity for |
| to give lie to the claim of T.S. Eliot that altering culture is | | | | abuse, leader-induced cultural change can lead to |
| next only to absurdity? Or can an organization pick | | | | cultures ethically far superior to existing or native |
| and choose the culture as suits its needs? "While | | | | cultures." It has two connotations. First, leaders are |
| cultural values are deep-rooted, it is possible for an | | | | more capable of ethical behavior than their followers. |
| organization even to radically transform its culture by | | | | Second, it has racial insinuations, since the context for |
| intervening in the culture reproductive processes. By | | | | this discussion is in the backdrop of companies turning |
| accentuating or weakening various cultural elements, | | | | multinational. One is left to wonder whether the authors |
| the culture can be given an entirely different shape". | | | | imagine a hierarchical system of righteousness in which |
| Intervention in reproductive processes consists of | | | | the natives come last! |
| systematic hiring (and firing) of employees, training and | | | | Finally, organizations when handling transitions like |
| development, advocacy and legitimization of new | | | | mergers should deliberate on not just strategic, financial |
| values, arrangement of physical artifacts, etc. The | | | | and operational aspects, but also on human aspects. |
| strategy, suggested for the purpose, is basically an | | | | "Cash flow statements may spell wonders, but the |
| adaptation of unfreezing-changing-refreezing | | | | venture doom when organizations find the cultures are |
| framework. Establishing a sense of urgency, forming | | | | incompatible". This is the central message of the book. |
| powerful coalition, creating and communicating vision, | | | | Overall, this book is best suited to meet the needs of |
| empowering employees, producing small wins and | | | | introductory courses in the field, especially for |
| consolidating changes and institutionalizing form the | | | | non-management professionals. |
| core of this strategy (Kotter's framework for | | | | |