Understanding Organizational Culture
- Mats Alvesson - Lund University, Sweden
Unlike other prescriptive books about organizations, Understanding Organizational Culture challenges and provokes critical thinking, giving insight in to the field of organizational culture. Mats Alvesson answers questions of definition, explores alternative perspectives, and expands on substantive issues before discussing key issues of research synthesizes for students the advances in the field of organizational culture. The author also uses examples to develop and illustrate ideas on how cultural thinking can be used in managerial and non-managerial organizational theory and theory-supported practice.
This new edition contains added pedagogical features to increase accessibility and contains expanded coverage of topics such as globalization.
It is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Management and Organization Studies, particularly for modules in Organizational Behaviour, Organizational Theory and on MBA programmes.
'Organizational culture remains absolutely central to any understanding of how organizations actually work. With his usual engaging and inimitable style, Mats Alvesson takes the reader on a riveting journey through the diverse ways in which culture itself can be understood and how these powerfully inform organizational life' -
Blake E. Ashforth
W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University
'Understanding Organizational Culture manages to communicate complex for those who are less familiar with the concepts discussed, as well as providing a depth and critique of interest to those already familiar with the topics. It is critical without being patronising, dismissive, or jargonistic, and acknowledges the challenges of practice' -
Claire Valentin
The University of Edinburgh, UK
Our ERM course ended in 2014. However, I really liked this book and it is now one that I recommend for students interested in Organisational Culture on a Level 5 Undergraduate option "Social Psychology of Work" as it goes beyond what is in the typical OB chapters
Understanding Organizational Culture is a useful book for student who will be looking to study organizations as part of their final year project, especially useful for studying the aspects of leadership and marketing.
Good standard text on this subject.
All key aspects of culture covered giving clarity to our students
I thought this book was a thoughtful and comprehensive review of the role and importance of culture in organisations. Unfortunately I am not sure how well it resonated with the needs of the students I currently teach. The issues around culture in public services are so current as a means of explaining adverse events. Sadly this book does not quite hit the mark for us at the moment.
This book does not seem appropriate for this terms units but has been passed on to colleagues to use for the Level 7 Units and will be an extremely valuable resource
Understanding organizational culture is a good introductory book for those who want understanding of basic concepts of organizational culture and its various applications in the business and management field. The book is well articulated in easy to understand style that include many real word examples.
A useful background reading material.