Cultural transformations may be outlined to be one of the most challenging endeavours of managing a business, from company mergers to a seemingly simple overhaul of the company’s goals. Change already poses a predicament to those firms undertaking it, as an undefined and unmeasurable concept, as well as one that is unmanageable (Suddaby & Foster, 2017). This unique circumstance makes it pivotal to recognise the effort behind setting new goals and changing the company’s attitude to them through identifying the principles and positive examples of readjustment done to a company’s internal organisation.
Change becomes inevitable when a company is no longer able to compete on the market, resulting in either the business’ resurgence or its failure. Bringing about lasting change is an arduous process that relies on strong management to be brought to fruition through planning, support, and communication (Heathfield, 2018). Change without serious guidance may disintegrate the organisation’s entire culture through “threatening time-honoured traditions, prevailing cultural values and ways, and shared meaning” (Bolman & Deal, 2017, p. 369). Thus, Burke (2018) identifies two prerequisites for effective change that allow competently but not harmlessly developing a new organisational culture, which is clarity of vision and long-term orientation. This approach outlines change as an act that seeks to revamp the organisation’s code of conduct, resulting in a re-evaluation of ideals and goals that upper-management supports unequivocally and thoroughly (Burke, 2018). Pursuing this route may seem time-consuming, but this option remains the most established way to successful change, allowing companies to continue existing in the competitive market.
Recognising the effectiveness of long-term change is possible through the example of a company that outside influences forced to usher in reform. Despite being a multinational company, Microsoft lagged in innovation, which resulted in the business’ competitors, such as Apple and Google, occupying the better share of the market, until its restructuring in 2014 and 2016 (Troyani, 2017). Influencing human resources, as well as the structural, political, and symbolical foundations of a company require working with pre-existing structures, positively affecting them to produce or shift to a new dynamic (Bolman & Deal, 2017). Troyani (2017), congruent with the steps outlined by Burke (2018), identifies the actions of Microsoft’s new CEO as providing employees with a new sense of engagement in their work, building upon their previous work experience. Thus, Microsoft was able to achieve a unique, goal-oriented structure within a global environment, making it an example of a thriving international corporate culture, achieved through influencing their staff positively.
The feasibility of cultural change may be a proven concept, but one that is, nonetheless, accompanied by a variety of difficulties. Through implementing a mechanism of expanding its product scope, Microsoft re-achieved relevance through maintaining a positive corporate culture without infringing on possible national cultures and instead focusing on a seemingly strictly business-oriented approach. Thus, the company avoided harmful changes to its cultural organisation and principles, and, instead, set new goals in congruency with previous corporate experiences, supported extensively by staff-management communication and optimisation of already existent organisational cultures.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass.
Burke, W. W. (2018). Organization change: Theory and practice. (5th ed.). London, UK: SAGE.
Heathfield, S. M. (2018). You can consciously change your corporate culture.Web.
Suddaby, R., & Foster, W. M. (2017). History and organizational change. Journal of Management, 43(1), 19-38. Web.
Troyani, L. (2017). 3 examples of organizational change done right. Web.