Succession planning is perhaps one of the hottest topics today as a result of ethical issues, compensation, development and implementation. Global organizations faced with fast-paced change can no longer afford long, lengthy internal development of an heir apparent. However, those organizations who seek faster, external executive hires have found it no panacea as organizational culture often trumps talent and industry experience. Recent research points to those who do internal succession well, with little disruption and ready change depend on their ability to execute plans (Charan & Colvin, 1999, 2001). A qualitative study was conducted with 30 participants of executive and mid-level managers from a large, Fortune 500 company to investigate the influence of organizational culture on the succession planning process. The results indicate that the founder has tremendous influence on organizational processes (i.e., succession planning) via the culture which he or she created early on. According to Schein (1992), succession planning processes serve as secondary embedding mechanisms to perpetuate existing cultural values; as a result they are difficult to change. The vast majority of research to date has utilized quantitative, positivistic methods in the study of succession planning resulting in a multiplicity of variables furthering functionalist pursuits of predictability and generalizability rather than furthering our understanding of the process itself, situated in its natural environment. This study contributes significantly to current research in that it reveals organizational values, purpose, roles, decision-making criteria, selection, development and promotion of potential heir-apparents and how these variables play out in the implementation of a succession plan. Furthermore, previous research suggests that the CEO has primary control over the succession planning process and its results. Although their role is indeed important, this study suggests that it is the trust, identification and commitment of an organization’s members (i.e., employees) and the cultural alignment of organizational processes which ensure that the execution of the succession plan results in a “successful” successor. Human Resource Development is therefore poised to make a bigger impact than ever before as a strategic partner to executive levels of organizations today. Exemplary development and implementation initiatives will need to be managed throughout the ranks.

The purpose of this study is to investigate two Handelsbanken offices and how they work in similar ways when dealing with internal communication. The goal is to answer if and in what way the managers` and the employes perceive their internal communication at the two bank officies. By a comparation between the two decentralisized officies the aim is also to study what differences and/or similarities that exists in internal communications? Are managers and employees satisfied with the communication that flows in the organization? I find it interesting to investigate in wheather there exist a similarity in the internal communication between the managers and the employees since it is a decentralized organization. I have made five semi-structured interviews with two managers at two different Handelsbanken offices. Additionally two interviews with two employes at one of the offices and also one interview at the other Handelsbanken office. By the study I have found that all respondents have a positive impression according the internal communication. Both managers and employees in the offices have an effective cooperation, and also promotes an open environment where they have a good communication between each other all the time.

För att en organisation ska kunna överleva i en tid som präglas av förändring och hård konkurrens, krävs en organisationskultur som främjar innovation. Många av de komponenter som litteratur inom innovationsområdet beskrivs som essentiella för just en sådan här kultur, återfinns också i improvisationsteater. Den här studien binder samman dessa två områden, både ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv och genom en praktisk, undersökande studie. Studiens hypotes var: ”Improvisationsteaterworkshops kan, av ett arbetslag, upplevas som ett fungerande verktyg till att på längre sikt kunna skapa en organisationskultur som främjar innovation.” För att kunna verifiera eller falsifiera hypotesen, genomfördes tre improvisationsteaterworkshops på ett företag där åtta deltagare på ett lekfullt och prestigelöst sätt fick ta del av hur improvisationsteater kan relateras till arbetslivet på olika sätt. Datainsamlingen skedde med hjälp av reflekterande dagböcker och intervjuer. Samtliga åtta deltagare ansåg att det de upplevt på längre sikt skulle kunna bidra till att skapa en organisationskultur som främjar innovation, och studiens hypotes kunde därigenom verifieras.

This thesis concerns the subject of social media in the internal communication, how it can function to improve the communication among the coworkers. Good Old has been the web agency of our case study, through them we have gained understanding of the phenomenon. Media and communication theories and interviews have given us the foundation of the thesis.Our conclusion shows that it is beneficial to use social media internally in the type of company that Good Old is. Furthermore, the result shows that it can improve the communication, increase organizational learning and unity among coworkers. Finally social media can make organizations more effective.

Vårt syfte med denna studie är att undersöka organisationskulturen på Getinge Sterilization AB för att se om det förekommer skillnader i grundläggande antaganden för arbetarna, tjänstemännen och ledningen d.v.s. om det skiljer sig åt avseende deras uppfattning om sin vardagsverklighet, vilka dessa skillnader är och varför de uppstår. Vi vill även förstå hur dessa skillnader kan påverka organisationers möjlighet till framgång. Vi har tillämpat en kvalitativ ansats i syfte att nå en djupare förståelse för hur informanterna uppfattar organisationskulturen på fallföretaget. För att nå en sådan förståelse har vi sammanlagt gjort 12 semistrukturerade intervjuer med elva olika personer samt tre observationer. Vi har även granskat olika interna och externa dokument. Vi har valt ett abduktivt förhållningssätt i vår undersökningsprocess. Genom hela forskningsprocessen har vi använt en kartläggningsmodell (Scheins trefaktormodell) och vid analysstadiet har denna använts som ett verktyg för att bearbeta den insamlade datan. Vi har funnit att arbetarnivån uppvisar några unika drag i organisationskulturen som till viss del delas av tjänstemannanivån medan ledningen uppvisar en relativt ordinär ledningskultur. Detta innebär att det finns tydliga skillnader i grundläggande antaganden mellan de olika nivåerna i företaget. De tydligaste skillnaderna finns mellan arbetarnivån och ledningsnivån med tjänstemannanivån ofta någonstans emellan. Skillnaderna beror troligtvis på att arbetarna, tjänstemännen och ledningen har olika vardagsverkligheter att förhålla sig till. Dessa skillnader kan medföra problem i framtida förändringsarbete när företaget behöver anpassa rådande organisationskultur till mer moderna omständigheter. Organisationskultur, vardagsverklighet, grundläggande antaganden, subgrupper, kvalitativ. / The aim of this study is to examine the organizational culture at Getinge Sterilization AB to see if there were differences in the basic assumptions for the workers, the clerical staff and the management, that is; Is there a difference regarding their everyday reality? What are these differences and why do they occur? We also want to understand how these differences affect the company’s ability to succeed. We have applied a qualitative approach in order to reach a deeper understanding of how respondents perceive the organizational culture at Getinge Sterilization AB. To reach such an understanding, we have made a total of 12 semistructured interviews with eleven different people. We have also conducted three observations. Finally we studied various internal and external documents. We have chosen an abductive approach in our research process. Throughout the research process, we used a mapping model (Schein’s three factor-model) and at the analysis stage has this been used as a tool to process the gathered data. Our findings shows that the working level exhibits some unique features in the organizational culture, which to some extent is shared by the clerical staff-level while the management show a relatively ordinary management culture. This concludes that there are clear differences in the basic assumptions between the different levels in the organization. The most obvious differences exists between the working level and the management level with the clerical staff-level somewhere in between. The differences likely occur because workers, clerical staff and management relate to different everyday realities. This differences can cause problems in future organizational change processes when the company needs to adapt the existing organizational culture to more modern circumstances. Organizational culture, everyday reality, basic assumptions, subgroups, qualitative.

Thee market-driving approach has been cited by several business academic scholars (Jaworski,Kohli, & Sahay, 2000; Carpenter, Glazer, & Nakamoto, 2000; Kumar, Scheer, & Kotler, 2000;Harris & Cai, 2002; Hills & Sarin, 2003; Carrillat, Jaramillo, & Locander, 2004; Schindehutte,Morris, & Kocak, 2008) as a significant approach of the market-oriented company that canprovide a sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, the organizational cultures developed bythe transformational leadership behavioral style are likely to play an important role in themarket-driving approach (Carrillat et al., 2004). Hence, it is necessary for the market-orientedfirm to understand the interrelationship between these two elements in order to develop asuccessful competitive position in the long-run.The main purpose of our thesis is to create a framework for understanding the interrelationshipbetween the market-driving approach and the organizational culture, which is applicable for amarket-oriented firm. To achieve this objective, we have to identify the types of organizationalcultures and leadership behavioral styles, which are occupied in a market-driving company.Furthermore, we also have to define the relationship between the market-driving approach andthe organizational culture; whether the market-driving approach or the organizational culture isthe origin of effect to the other.To answer our research question, a qualitative approach was applied by conducting semistructuredinterviews with two case studies, which are well-known market-driving companiesoperating in Thailand, IKEA Thailand and Land and Houses. We scope the area of study only inThailand according to our ability of understanding, analyze and access the sources of informationregarding Thai companies.From the research findings, both IKEA and Land and Houses share a similarity of theirorganizational culture, adhocracy and market cultures, and their leadership behavioral style,transformational leaderships. The relationship between the organizational culture and the marketdrivingapproach within these two companies reveals only one direction; their organizationalcultures led by transformational leadership stimulate their market-driving approach. Moreover,we also found that transformational leadership itself can directly generate the market-drivingapproach.Hence, this result provided us with a new conceptual framework that indicates thetransformational leadership as the main factor, which directly and indirectly develops themarket-driving approach.

In this two years master's thesis a regional project, Futurum.kom, is studied through the experiences of eight librarians from two of the participating libraries. The interviewees have all attended local and regional seminars where questions about core values, target groups and the role of the public library were discussed, among others. The seminars resulted in a number of core values and target groups. During the project, a number of advertising campaigns are to be conducted. The first one of these had recently been implemented at the time of the present study.  The aim of the thesis is to investigate the interviewees organizational self-perception in relation to the project. Potential outcomes regarding the professional role are also studied. The thesis takes its theoretical premiss in theories of organizational identity, as well as in the concept of marketing culture. A qualitative method of semi-structured interviews is used. Results show an increased self-reflection, expressed through questioning what the library is, and who it is for. Also, an increased communicative awareness seems to have been developed, partly through the project. Although results are vague, there seems to be an ongoing shift in the organizational self-perception, manifested by an identified need of changed work procedures. In this respect, results indicate that the way of thinking about the library tends to be somewhat less library-centered and reactive, and more customer-focused and proactive, which is generally positively perceived. It is argued that the project can be understood as “management of meaning”; i.e. the project, its target groups and core values, supports a shift towards a stronger marketing culture. Although the core values as such seem to have had various impact, they do play a part in the questioning-process described above. Regarding the larger library, the project in many ways can be said to support the market-oriented approach that has previously been implemented. It therefore seems plausible that the change in organizational self-perception is more profound to the smaller library.

Even though companies are facing a continuously changing environment, far from all businesses manage to succeed with their organizational changes. (Olson, 2008) If wanting to meet market demands and avoid unnecessary costs it is important to ask the question if we can, in some way, predict, understand or influence the process of change. (Ahrenfelt, 2001) The purpose of this thesis is to determine if life-cycle theories can be used exclusively when planning and managing a process of change. To answer the purpose, the thesis is based upon a qualitative case study at Consafe Logistics group. Theobjective with the empirical studies, executed through nine interviews with various managers, was to determine whether or not life-cycle models and organizational culture can be of assistance when managing change. The studies showed that the opinions differ between the respondents and that the topics internal communication and documentation were frequently brought up during the interviews. Theoretically, this thesis addresses different life-cycle change theories and an alternative model for implementing change through organizational culture. Furthermore the theoretic section considers the areas Project organization, Leadership in processes of change, Knowledge, competence & education, Internal communication and Documentation. The thesis showed that applying life-cycle theories to a change can be of limited use since there are big difficulties in placing the different activities throughout the change in achronological order. The theories can be used however to highlight the relationship between activities which can be useful for making time savings. Irrespective of the order activities are managed in a process of change, measurable goals, feedback and support throughout the process are central for the change’s outcome. This thesis has resulted in a general life-cycle model for managing organizational change based upon existing theoriesand empirical studies. Finally, culture and inertia are described as two factors that either facilitate or inhibit the success of the change depending on how they are managed.

This study attempted to discover the operative cultural assumptions that guide school people's solutions to external and internal problems and that are taught to new members as the correct way to approach these problems. Schein's (1984) levels of culture and their interaction formed the conceptual framework for the study. The research method was based on Schein's (1985a) Joint Exploration Through Iterative Interviewing methodology which involved a series of encounters and joint explorations between an outside investigator and various inside key informants. <p>This methodology incorporated a triangulation approach using data from interviews, observations, and archival material. Data were collected over a four-month period within one school nominated by central office personnel of the Westville Catholic Board of Education. Throughout the data collection phase, formulating hypotheses about the school's assumptions was used to guide data collection and analysis. Data were categorized based on Schein's methodology of using basic assumptions to form cultural paradigms. <p>Data concluded that three basic assumptions guided life at St. Gabriel School: (1) the Catholic faith and the Christian value system pervaded all school activity; (2) a transactional leadership style influenced decision-making, relationships, communications, and the teaching-learning situation; and (3) the student's social needs were emphasized at the expense of academic learning. Staff, students, and parents appeared to be socialized into all three assumptions. This study revealed that the principal had a major impact upon how all three assumptions arose and were maintained. The religious assumption was initiated as part of the principal's leadership role. His leadership style emphasized student's social needs and resulted from his espoused philosophy of learning. Teachers, parents, and students possessed the same basic assumptions. Each group contained individuals who espoused values different from those embedded in the three assumptions, but the predominant members representing each group were living out the assumptions. While some members in each group desired change, no one was able to effect change. The possibility of establishing a school culture which encompasses the school effectiveness characteristics within the context of these three basic cultural assumptions would be problematic. St. Gabriel School did not demonstrate a shared vision on academic learning were planned curriculum, high expectations, and ongoing assessment reflected school academic goals. Collaborative and transformational relations were not characteristic of the staff. <p>Schein's (1984) conceptual model, developed for the study of basic cultual assumptions, was useful in deciphering the culture of St. Gabriel. Schein's analysis of culture as existing at three different levels proved to be an important distinction as data were collected. His Joint Exploration Through Iterative Interviewing methodology enabled the underlying assumptions to be brought to the surface. Schein provided a valuable theoretical framework and an appropriate methodology for studying the deepest level of an organization, that is, its cultural assumption. Judgements and conclusions about schools can be made on superficial levels of observation. In order to truly understand the functioning of any school probing beneath these source levels is necessary. This study confirmed that, for this instance, principals have a dominant influence on the culture of schools, therefore, they should be helped to use a cultural lens in order to understand and assess the state of effectiveness of their schools. Finally, a number of theoretical, methodological, and practical implications were noted.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore the organizational culture within the corporation The Body Shop. I have been working with two different question formulations. The first is to answer how the culture can be described. To answer this I have been using Edgar H. Scheins theory of cultural levels. I have been using the two lower levels, artifacts and espoused values. The second question formulation is to answer how the culture within The Body Shop can be reproduced. To my help to answer this I have been using John Van Maanens theory of strategies for socialization. I have been working with a qualitative approach. My data was collected through interviews, observations, printed texts and The Body Shops Swedish and global websites. My results using Scheins cultural levels points out that the culture within The Body Shop, at least outwards, is strong and distinct. The implementation of Van Maanens strategies of socialization indicates that the socialization of new members in the organization tends to have a high congruence with the organization´s culture and values. / Sammanfattning Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka kulturen inom företaget The Body Shop. Jag har arbetat utifrån två frågeställningar. Den första är att besvara hur kulturen kan beskrivas med hjälp av Edgar H. Scheins kulturnivåer. Den andra frågeställningen är att besvara hur kulturen reproduceras med hjälp av John Van Maanens socialisationsstrategier. Studien har gjorts med en kvalitativ ansats. Det insamlade datamaterialet består av två intervjuer med butikschefer inom The Body Shop, tryckta källor samt företagets svenska och globala hemsidor. Beskrivningen av kulturen inom The Body Shop är gjord utifrån Scheins två första kulturnivåer, artefakter och värderingar. Tillämpningen av Van Maanens socialisations­strategier har visat att kulturen inom The Body Shop reproduceras genom socialisationen av nyanställda butiksmedarbetare. Mina resultat tyder på att The Body Shop utåt sett har en tydlig och stark kultur. Resultaten tyder också på att de sätt man socialiserar nyanställda på medför att dessa genom socialisationen uppnår en hög överensstämmelse med företagets kultur och värderingar.