1 Partnership working andorganisational culture Edward Peck and Helen Dickinson
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چکیده
In discussions of partnership working between health and social care agencies, one issue seems to recur more than any other: culture. Furthermore, it appears simultaneously to be both an aspiration for partnerships (e.g. to change culture) and an obstacle to partnerships (e.g. conflicts rooted in culture). This concurrent recognition of the importance of, and uncertainty about, culture is reflected in the huge volume of writings about culture in an organisational context where the term has many and varied definitions. As Scott and his colleagues (2003b) point out, ‘[U]nsurprisingly in view of this diverse array of phenomena, little agreement exists over a precise definition of organisational culture, how it should be observed or measured, or how different methodologies can be used to inform routine administration or organisational change’ (p. 925). The aim of this chapter is to bring some clarity to discussions of culture in relation to partnership working. Concern about culture in partnerships is not restricted to the public sector. There is compelling evidence from the private sector that culture is also a central issue in the success of alliances, mergers and acquisitions in the commercial field (see Field and Peck, 2003). Cartwright and Cooper (1996) have examined the cultural characteristics of companies and how these can affect the outcomes of mergers and acquisitions. They argue that the degree of ‘cultural fit’can be critical in determining the outcome of a merger or an acquisition; they also suggest that most fail and that poor cultural fit between the new partners – leading to staff experiencing a loss of morale and a loss of commitment – is the main cause.
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تاریخ انتشار 2008