The Impact of Organizational Sub-cultures on the Implementation of Component-based Development : A Case Study of an International Investment Bank

This paper presents a case study of the investment banking arm of a multinational banking corporation (Invebank) which is attempting to introduce Component-Based Development (CBD). Problems were apparent in this adoption because, while CBD requires extensive knowledge sharing and collaboration, sub-cultural differences between groups within Invebank meant that this proved difficult to enact. Thus, the paper considers the complexities of sub-cultural differences in firms and provides a salutary reminder that the implementation of so-called corporate-wide integrative ‘solutions’ such as Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, as well as CBD, cannot, automatically, bear fruit in terms of firm performance. Further, the paper highlights the point that there is more to the issue of organizational sub-cultural differences than the oft-cited business-IT divide. The more simplistic entreaties to knowledge sharing and the nurture of collaborative cultures and consensus are also brought into question.