Relative Utility of Culture and Climate Analysis to an Organizational Change Agent: An Analysis of General Dynamics, Electronics Division

The organizational culture and climate of General Dynamics, Electronics Division was examined in relation to several change efforts implemented between the years of 1983 and 1992. An attempt was made to identify those elements of the organization's culture that contributed to resistance to planned change. The relative merits of climate analysis and cultural analysis are discussed Two conflicting subcultural structures were identified which represented substantial difficulties for change implementation. The study concluded that using organizational climate analysis may not be sufficient to provide change agents with the means to affect change, and that analysis of cultural assumptions is needed to reveal the most substantial barriers to change.