Using Culture Gap Analysis to Manage Organizational Change

Abstract

Most organizations have gaps between their existing and their desired cultures. These culture gaps provide insight to an organization's ability to change and effective targets of change. Engineering and technical managers concerned about the cultures of their organizations in the midst of ISO 9000 certification processes, rapid changes and growth, and dramatic market and technological restructuring now have a tool and a process for evaluating their organizations.We devised an instrument to measure these culture gaps. We applied this instrument in a university-based R&D facility for pilot testing and then conducted a full study at the headquarters of a life insurance firm. We found that divisions having people who were supportive, tolerant, fair, and cooperative had higher teamwork scores. High pay for good performance, employment security, praise for performance, and opportunities for professional growth corresponded with higher levels of employee commitment. Managers can use information about these relationships to help close culture gaps and improve job satisfaction, increase employee commitment to the organization, and improve levels of teamwork.