The New Corporate Cultures: Revitalizing The Workplace After Downsizing, Mergers, And Reengineering

by Terrence E. Deal, Allan A. Kennedy

In the early '80s, Allan Kennedy and Terry Deal launched a new field of inquiry and practice, with the publication of Corporate Cultures, in which they argued that distinct types of cultures evolve within companies and have a direct impact on strategy and performance. Fifteen years later, the authors have teamed up to assess the effects of globalization, short-termism, technology, downsizing, outsourcing, mergers, and reengineering on corporate culture. They find that despite these tremendous pressures, organizations, by their very nature, will create self-reinforcing communities; the pattern today is for mini-cultures to form within the larger corporation. The challenge for managers and leaders at all levels is to find ways to knit these cultures together to unleash learning and encourage everyone to take ownership and pride in their work. Taking examples from innovative companies around the world, the authors offer new strategies for "exercising cultural leadership," -- rebuilding the cultural fabric of the organization, energizing the workforce, enhancing corporate performance, and preparing for new challenges in the 21st century.

312 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 1999

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found that this book focused primarily on the 'pathophysiology' of corporate culture experienced as a result of downsizing, mergers and reengineering rather than possible measures to heal the wounds/disease. Many times during the first 2/3 of the book, I had 'ah-hah!' moments as I understood better the reasons for the various business changes/organizational shifts/right-sizing that the companies I have worked for have undergone as well as some of the evidence for culture strengths and weaknesses and the impact on productivity.

The intended readers are senior executives or consultants working with company on various projects. There is little for much of the workforce other than better understanding of why one really likes work or finds work not fulfilling. There is nothing that would be helpful to members of R&D organizations within companies, other than the aforementioned possible gains in insight and recognition that R&D will probably (in order to be successful) have a different sub-culture within a larger organization.