Page 42 - The Complexity Perspective 20 02 18

to the founder of the organization. As long as the business
survives economically, this upward and downward interplay
deepens and becomes more embedded over time, creating a

distinct organizational identity at the system level and the
identification of the employees with that identity. As it grows the
organization accrues traditions, myths, symbols, beliefs,

assumptions, values, norms, artifacts, even language patterns
that are shared by all members of an organization. In this view,
culture can be thought of as an acquired body of knowledge
whose interpretation and understanding provide the identity of

the organization and a sense of shared identity among its
members. By the time a firm is gigantic and global the resultant
culture may be so strong that it becomes globally distinct in its

own right. A concrete example is found in the work of Gert
Hofstede, who found the IBM culture of his time (the early
1970s) so persistent globally he was able to use it as a
benchmark isolating deviations country by country that he

attributed to national differences.

This does not discount the development of sub-cultures within

the organization. These are akin to strong ties in network theory,
with a group have deeper shared attitudes perhaps based on
professional identify or the technical demands of the job.

So, to answer our initial question, does culture Emerge in bounded
systems? Our answer, too a (very limited) degree.

Disruption and Culture Change

Disruption is the problem de jour as the world economy goes through
the Information Revolution.

42
©Business Games Works 2018 (Version 1)