Management Services: “Culture Change” by C. Moyce

The author argues that organizations must adopt a universal business culture to succeed in various endeavors. However, the attempt to alter the organizational culture is subject to challenges due to the issues presented by differences in personalities. The author notes that a culture change is a difficult task due to diversity, which is evident within the workforce. Modern firms have adopted the concept of diversity of the workforce to earn the gains that come with a diverse workforce.

In that regard, contemporary business managers have to deal with diversity issues to succeed in implementing the various strategies and policies. Therefore, creating a universal culture in such organizations becomes a hard task for business leaders. Employees are prone to resisting any form of change in the operations within the organization due to the fear of losing their jobs. The same reasons may compel employees to resist the proposed changes in the organizational culture, especially where management is ineffective.

Therefore, in light of the arguments presented above, I agree with the author that culture change is a hectic task for modern managers. However, if such changes were communicated to the employees effectively, it would be possible to mitigate resistance. The workforce needs to be apprised of the importance of workforce diversity, and the need to adopt a universal culture in the organization.

The other argument that the author presents is that culture is enjoined with the individual’s beliefs and norms. In this case, the perception of people regarding moral behavior differs from one individual to the other. Thus, it is a hard task to convince the employees to drop their beliefs and adopt a new set of rules. This statement is congruent with my view regarding what comprises culture. I am a strong believer that different people perceive culture differently and that altering the individuals’ view about moral behavior is an arduous task.

However, the author seems to suggest that culture change is only dependent on the individuals’ beliefs, and thus he disregards other factors that may equally influence the process of adopting a common culture. In my view, other factors must be considered when effecting a culture change apart from personality differences. Such factors include the nature of tasks and the industry of operation. For tasks that require teamwork, the change should target group as opposed to individual behaviors.

Finally, the author breaks down the process of introducing a common culture in an organization. He emphasizes the importance of consultation between the management and the junior staff. Employees need to be engaged when making major decisions for the firm. Allowing their inputs increases their morale due to the sense of inclusivity instilled in them. Organizations that allow the employees’ inputs to have higher chances of achieving the set objectives than those that do not involve the junior staff in decision-making.

This assertion is informed by the view that the workforce is motivated when working on goals that they have set for themselves. In the case of a culture change, the involvement of the employees is crucial since it will help in boosting the compliance levels. Employees set the behavior standards, and thus they are motivated to comply with them. Additionally, communication neutralizes the effects of rumors that may have adverse effects on the prospective changes.

The author also emphasizes the need to provide incentives to promote the adoption of the desired behaviors by the workforce. He cites promotion as one of the incentives that could improve behavioral changes in an organization. Employees tend to perceive leaders as their role models. Therefore, promoting employees with the desired behaviors could be a sure way of achieving the desired cultural change.

References

Moyce, C., 2015. Culture Change. Management Services, pp. 28–30.