Organizational culture change and management development

The approach adopted in the facilitation of this change process was based on extensive experience of working in the Public Sector over the last decade. Culture change is a much debated issue, and whilst a rigorous examination of such approaches is beyond the scope of the discussion here, we argue that any efforts in this arena must acknowledge the complexity of the task. In practice organizational culture is not a single, identifiable phenomenon: it is experienced differently and variously throughout an organization. We do find, however, that as a concept it has value in organizational development as a means of facilitating the exploration of key aspects of behaviour and performance. We are thus not seeking certainty and precision, but rather looking for open discussion, a sense of ownership rather than mere involvement, and a developing consensus rather than agreement. The iterative nature of the change process is central.In the case presented here we identify progress in defining and operationalising a new culture throughout the organization, but we would not claim to have established a common view of that culture. Nor would we claim that the task is complete. The struggle of this programme has been to engage in open and challenging dialogue, to work with conflict, and to live simultaneously with both a sense of achievement and a sense of stuckness