Changes in the Organizational Culture

Introduction

Organizational change is a process aimed at introducing superior practices, behaviors, ideas, or processes in an attempt to drive performance. Leaders can embrace evidence-based measures to transform the cultures existing in their companies. This paper explains why it is easier to change the organizational culture of a young organization than that of an old, well-established company. It goes further to describe why the culture of a small organization is easier to change than that of a huge corporation.

Young vs. Well-Established Organization

The culture of an organization revolves around the values, practices, behaviors, principles, symbols, and norms the employees and stakeholders of a given company associate themselves with. These attributes take time to develop and become integral parts of a given organization. However, leaders have to change such cultural values whenever planning to improve performance or introduce superior attributes (Harris & Ogbonna 1998). The most outstanding fact is that a well-established and a young organization will record different experiences throughout the period.

The process should be simpler and easier for a young organization. This happens to be the case since the employees are not accustomed to specific procedures of doing things. The workers are also new in the organization and willing to embrace superior values and ideas that can deliver positive results. The level of resistance is usually low since the workers are unfamiliar with each other (Carlstrӧm & Ekman 2012).

In an old organization, employees embrace specific norms and values that are extremely hard to change. Some of the workers might have developed strong teams, thereby encouraging them to resist the proposed culture. A company that has been in operation for many years will have its unique symbols, vision, and mission. Revolutionizing such a culture will require more time and preparation. A powerful model for change is also essential if a given firm is to record positive results.

Very Small vs. Huge Organization

The number of employees, assets, and customers served to determine the size of a given company. The leader of a small firm of around 12 workers will find it easier to change its organizational culture than the one managing a huge company of over 3,000 employees. Several reasons can be presented to support this assertion. The first one is that the high number of individuals means that numerous resources, ideas, and operations will be required if the intended cultural change is to be implemented successfully.

A big corporation will require several leaders to guide all the targeted employees throughout the change process. The level of resistance will also increase since more employees will be opposed to the change (Harris & Ogbonna 1998). Since the workers are from diverse backgrounds, it can be hard to meet their unique demands and expectations.

The opposite will be expected in a small organization. This is true because its leader will find it easier to guide a small number of employees throughout the process. The manager in charge will require minimal resources to achieve his or her goals. The level of resistance will reduce significantly since the manager will find it easier to address every individual’s needs (Moyce 2015). The leader will address emerging issues and conflicts in a timely manner, thereby changing the targeted culture within a short time.

Conclusion

Organizational change is a procedure that leaders should take seriously. Critical factors such as organizational size and age should inform the most appropriate initiatives and procedures that can deliver positive results. Managers of large or old organizations should address emerging challenges and consider appropriate change models if they are to implement culture change successfully.

Reference List

Carlstrӧm, ED & Ekman, I 2012, ‘Organizational culture and change: implementing person-centered care’, Organizational Culture and Change, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 175-191.

Harris, LC & Ogbonna, E 1998, ‘Employee responses to culture change efforts’, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 78-92.

Moyce, C 2015, ‘Culture change’, Management Services, vol. 59, no. 1, pp. 28-30.