Abstract
Many leaders believe they can change the culture of an organization through their will alone. Thus, leaders in a variety of organizations have struggled on how to manage, lead, and institute organizational culture change. Advice has come from a variety of sources. While some of this advice may be effective, the literature has shown that the majority of organizational change initiatives fail. This paper examines culture forms. By understanding the ontology of culture, one can best influence subsequent cultural change. This paper proposes that social ontology is best understood through social transaction theory. This theory explains not only how organizational culture is formed, but also how it responds to attempts to change it. Thus, by understanding the underlying mechanisms of culture formation and transformation, effective approaches can be developed to demonstrate how lasting change can be instituted.
Presenters
Thomas Brian WhalenProfessor of Business, Business Administration & Economics, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Ontology, Culture, Leadership, Management, Change
