Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
The Effects of Organizational Culture
On Strategic Planning
Don Ellis
Bethel College
February 4, 2008
Issues in Management MOD 310
Brian Bradberry
Abstract
Organizational culture does effect strategic planning. In the research and personal experience below it is shown that culture can and will effect strategic planning. The inept or adaptive culture can decide whether a strategic plan succeeds or fails. People are at the heart of an organizational culture and that culture is at the heart of the strategic plan.
The Effects of Organizational Culture on Strategic Planning
Organizational culture is rooted in deep soil in any organization. It is the way the organization lives and breathes, the way of life. That culture also has a strong effect on how strategic planning is developed. Is the culture strength, weakness, opportunity or it can be a threat? In the paragraphs that follow we will examine the effects of the culture on developing an organizations strategic plan.
What is organizational culture? Bethel (2007) defines organizational culture as “the shared set of beliefs, expectations, values, norms, and work routines that influences how members of an organization relate to one another and work together to achieve organizational goals”. This culture defines the work organization. It is not about work rules, direct supervision or disciplined processes. It is about the people and what expectations they create through internalized processes from the environment they are participating in. Organizational culture is a means of control. The control comes when a strong organizational culture is in place with values and norms driving members of staff to focus on what is best for the entire organization (Bethel, 2007). Understanding organizational culture is a key to understanding its impact on strategic planning.
Organizational culture can also be broken down into two types, an...