In addition to their formal structure and the rules and standard operating procedures used to support and operate the structure, organizations also rely heavily on their organizational culture as an important tool in controlling and coordinating the activities of their members (e.g., executive, managers and employees), formulating communications among those members, and providing incentives and reasons for them to act in ways that the leaders of the organization considers to be necessary in order to achieve and sustain organizational effectiveness and comply with the requirements and expectations of the organization's external environment. The culture of a particular organization is created and maintained by its members, particularly the founders and senior managers, based on a variety of influencing factors and they are also the ones who can change and transform the culture when they are convinced that such actions are necessary in light of the then-current environment that the organization is facing. One of the most interesting recent trends relating to organizational culture is the emergence of research on the role that it plays in supporting implementation of strategies to create more sustainable businesses. This book provides an introduction to the purpose of organizations, elements of organizational culture, strategies for managing organizational culture and research on creating a sustainability-oriented organizational culture and organizational change and development.
