The new Managing Director transformed the operation, culture and structure of the organisation

Culture change is applicable through a variety of methods like strategic planning, training, organisation, redesign to promote teamwork, and changes to appraisal systems.

Many writers through their methods and techniques to change the culture of a company.

In our opinion the most effective method to achieve the change are the six ´practical´ steps of Cummings and Worley, which consist in:

• Formulate a clear strategic vision: First of all the company should have a clear vision of the new strategy of the firm and of the behaviour and shared values.8

              In the AB Organisation this vision will include internal and external

aspects. The company wants an absolutely new style in the organisation,   with a participative policy and an internal partnership, taking into        account the opinion of all parts of the company.

From the external point of view, the company wants to substitute the aggressive and conflictive relations with the industry, by “partnership initiatives”.

• Display top-management commitment: The top of the organisation

has to manage the cultural change. The managers and administrators   have to be totally committed to this change and work constantly on this on this goal.9

In this case the cultural change will be carry out by the new Managing Director and his managing pool, which have to motivate and create enthusiasm for change in the whole company.

• Model culture change at the highest level: The new culture has to be transmitted by the Senior executives with their own actions. Through their behaviour they have to symbolise the behaviours and values of the new culture.10

To achieve this objective we have to implement systems to train the Senior Executive for this role, thus they can understand the implications of the new system and convince the staff of the necessity of the new culture.

• Modify organisation to support organisational change: If a company wants to change his culture, this has to go enclose with the modification of the organisational structure, human resource systems, management style and information and control system.

This modifications can be useful in the orientation of peoples behaviour to the new culture.11

As said before, AB Organisation will change his structure in all aspects of the organisation, the participative management, increased communication in all direction, constant analyse of the companies situation, etc.

• Select and socialise newcomers and terminate deviants: The people of  the company should fit with the new culture in their attitudes and behaviour. So a effective method of changing culture is to change organisational membership. The staff which can’t get used to the new situation should be taken apart of the organisation.12

To introduce the change process in AB Organisation we have to create constant communication to convince the staff and avoid uncertainty for them. Though we have to put aside the members of the staff who don’t fit with our new culture.

• Develope ethical and legal sensitivity: The programs of cultural change try to promote values that help the job security, control, employee integrity and equitable treatment.13

The application of a new culture is a process with few risks and problems, which have to be taken into account by the managers, which are:

Resistance to change, Organisational control and Power.

In a company we can find several cultures, so different groups or

departments can have subcultures that are in conflict with the dominant culture of their organisation. So if some groups think that the dominant culture is not appropriate, we will have a serious problem in the company.14

The process can last from 6 to 15 years, even if it is successful, and although we can achieve economic benefits in short term with a new culture, in long term it possibly stems and demise.

The appearance of a new situation will always met resistance in a company, by the people who want to maintain the old rules and customs. Above all we will find resistance from the top of the organisation, from the middle and senior managers, who are afraid of their status, power and personal beliefs.15

All kinds of cultures have dangers, for example a strong culture may disturb diversity and prevents alternative strategies arising, and this type of culture damages also the communication inside the company.

From another point of view, an autocratic management creates distanced position to the rest of the company and won’t be able to change the existing culture.

Organisational control disturbs the power balance which will be linked usually to position and resource power.

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