Organizational Culture and Leadership (The Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)

“Culture” has become a trendy word in today’s business talk. Many popular books espouse it as a cure-all to every organizational malady. Much hype certainly permeates those book, but Edgar Schein’s work cuts through the hype with an academic lens. Known as the father of the field of organizational culture, Schein describes his early explorations about it with the now-defunct DEC and how his ideas expanded with later work. As a result, this 5th edition presents an engaging textbook that moves seamlessly from theory to practical cases to elucidate key insights.Not just for an academic crowd, this classic book contains many actionable topics, like how to analyze a culture is covered in depth. Many firms prefer culture surveys, but Schein warns that culture surveys, if wrongly done, can actually harm an organization by mistakenly exposing once-dormant artifacts. He also describes all that’s involved in changing culture, including potential mistakes to watch out for.He identifies, better than I’ve ever read or heard before, how cultural dynamics and personal traits can translate into generative results, played out over time. I learned about how a group’s founder can successfully navigate the waters of letting others lead and learning from others’ contributions. I’ve seen too many promising ventures die when a leader exerts their ego over countervailing guidance.If you’re in a position of influence over an organization – whether in its infancy, mid-life, mature years, or even in decline – reading this book can benefit you directly. Its comprehensive approach will point out what you need to improve in your circumstance. Many books only talk about one fix for one situation. This book offers a foundational, 360-degree look at a scholar contributions to the business world.

Purchased for my wife and she’s happy with it.

This was a required text for a class on Organizational Culture but I would suggest it for those who are interested in what the mechanics and components are surrounding the topic. Schein, does a great job of breaking concepts down and demonstrating a topic that can be elusive for some, mysterious for others, but important for all. Perhaps you are in a leadership role and need to understand how to adapt a company to better suit changing conditions. Perhaps you are new to a company and are trying to understand what they stand for. This book can help you to understand your place in the overall organizational culture, and what it means to be a a part of that overall system.There are chapters that explore the history and make up of an organization's culture (with examples that demonstrate various components), the role of leaders, macro cultures, how organizations change and adapt, and how leaders can and should grow with their companies to reinforce culture. There are plenty of benefits to reading a book like this for those interested in the ethics and morality of business.

A good book for the psychology behind organizational change and leading change. Culture is the informal structure within organizations (how we do things here) and leadership is helping individuals move through the change process. Schein does write from an academics perspective, which I enjoy, but is conversational enough to be read by anyone interested in organizational change.

Interesting, great read, good information! Great price

Arrived quickly and in perfect condition

Had to purchase book for doctoral program. Great information! Will use for future reference and encouragement.

I love the vision that Mr. Schein paints. The vision of a Learning Organization that espouses:1. Proactivity2. Commitment to “Learning to Learn”3. Positive assumptions about Human Nature4. Belief that the environment could be managed5. Commitment to truth through Inquiry and dialogue6. Positive Orientation toward the future7. Commitment to Full and Open Task-relevant communication8. Commitment to full cultural diversity9. Commitment to Systemic Thinking10. Belief in the value of internal cultural analysis.