Why corporate culture is so hard to change

Corporate Culture
Why are they so hard to change?

Researchers at Ohio State University have concluded a study of
286 businesses that were spun off from the parent company
between 1980 and 2005. Looking at 10 policy areas, they found a
remarkable connection to the policies of the company from which
they were spun off.

This further exemplifies the difficulty with which culture can be
changed. Corporate cultures are well ingrained at all levels of an
organization. New people to an organization they complain about
certain elements of a culture, but once they start to follow the
accepted culture of the organization they begin to find success.
The more they follow the culture, success continues.

When they reached the upper levels of the organization, any
proposed change to the culture is a threat – why would they want
to change a culture that made them successful?
So how do you change the corporate culture?

Actually there are two ways that cultures can be successfully
changed.

From entry-level up. Most experts will tell you that this is
impossible. They are incorrect. Cultures have been change
from the ground up when the culture has been so
oppressive a mutiny occurs. Workers at the lowest level of
the organization can create a culture that slowly passes up.
It is a very difficult and very rare process, one that is not
recommended.
From the top down. To be successful in changing a
corporate culture, it has to be sponsored by the highest
levels of an organization. Sponsorship does not mean
approval – it means participation. Unless the top levels of
the organization truly want change, it will not happen.