Organizational culture persistence versus change at IKEA. How it is expressed and experienced over time in a company with a cultural focus

Thèse de Master , 2017 , 89 Pages , Note: 1,7

Gestion d'entreprise - Direction d'entreprise, Management, Organisation

The Research question of this thesis is: How is organizational culture expressed and experienced over time in a company with a cultural focus? The purpose is to describe how a multinational company with a strong focus on the management of culture and values re-interprets their core cultural values in the face of modernization and internationalization. At the same time, the preservation of the cultural core is investigated by looking at how culture is expressed at the case company. The research design of this study is a qualitative case study with the collection of empirical data through interviews, observations, and organizational documents. Abductive reasoning was employed to serve the exploratory layout of the study. A constructivist ontological and interpretivist epistemological position was taken. Quality criteria, relevant for qualitative research studies were considered.

Organizational culture is one of the most prominent topics in academia and has gained its status due to the transferability from academia into managerial practice. Today, organizational culture has become an institutionalized topic and scholars call for a need to revive the topic. Inconsistency with organizational culture and organizational vision, external market pressure and a changing composition of the workforce ask to adapt organizational culture to current times.

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Background
  • 1.2 Problem discussion
  • 1.3 Research question
  • 1.4 Purpose
  • 1.5 Limitations
  • 1.6 Delimitations
  • 1.7 Outline
• 2. Theoretical framework
  • 2.1 Paving the way for organizational culture studies
    • 2.1.1 Organizations as cultures - sociological perspective
    • 2.1.2 Culture management in organizations - managerial perspective
    • 2.1.3 Culture management and normative control - critical perspective
  • 2.2 Organizational culture concepts
  • 2.3 Organizational culture and change
• 3. Methodology
  • 3.1 Research site and research context
  • 3.2 Research approach
    • 3.2.1 Ontology
    • 3.2.2 Epistemology
    • 3.2.3 Abductive reasoning
  • 3.3 Research design
    • 3.3.1 Exploratory research design
    • 3.3.2 Qualitative case study
  • 3.4 Purposive Sampling
    • 3.4.1 Accessibility
    • 3.4.2 Sample size
  • 3.5 Data collection methods
    • 3.5.1 Organizational documents
    • 3.5.2 Semi-structured interviews
    • 3.5.3 Field-observations
    • 3.5.4 Research ethics
  • 3.6 Analysis method
  • 3.7 Quality criteria
    • 3.7.1 Trustworthiness
    • 3.7.2 Authenticity
• 4. Empirical findings
  • 4.1 IKEA culture and values - documents
    • 4.1.1 IKEA's description of culture and values
    • 4.1.2 Reinvigoration of IKEA values in 2017
  • 4.2 IKEA culture - the forever parts
    • 4.2.1 The core of IKEA values
    • 4.2.2 Procedures to keep the culture alive
    • 4.2.3 Value-based recruiting
  • 4.3 Interpretation of IKEA values – expression of IKEA culture
  • 4.4 Need for modification
  • 4.5 Employee reactions to the reinvigoration of IKEA values
• 5. Discussion
  • 5.1 Interpretation of culture
  • 5.2 Modification of IKEA values: Cultural persistence or change?

Objectives and Key Themes

This thesis aims to describe how a multinational company with a strong focus on cultural values manages and reinterprets those values in the context of modernization and internationalization, while simultaneously investigating the preservation of its core cultural identity. The study explores the expression of organizational culture within the company.

• Organizational culture persistence and change
• The expression and experience of organizational culture over time
• The impact of modernization and internationalization on organizational culture
• Methods for assessing and managing organizational culture
• The relationship between communicated and exhibited cultural change

Chapter Summaries

1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of organizational culture, highlighting its importance in both academia and managerial practice. It establishes the research question: How is organizational culture expressed and experienced over time in a company with a cultural focus? The chapter also defines the purpose of the thesis, which is to examine how a multinational company adapts its core cultural values in response to modernization and internationalization while also preserving its cultural core. Finally, it outlines the limitations and delimitations of the study and provides a brief overview of the subsequent chapters.

2. Theoretical framework: This chapter lays the groundwork for the study by reviewing existing literature on organizational culture. It examines different perspectives on organizational culture, including sociological, managerial, and critical perspectives, and discusses key concepts related to organizational culture and change. The chapter synthesizes various theories and models to provide a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the research. It sets the stage for the empirical investigation by providing a strong theoretical lens through which to interpret the findings.

3. Methodology: This chapter details the research design and methods employed in the study. It describes the chosen research site (IKEA), the qualitative case study approach, the data collection methods (interviews, observations, and document analysis), and the data analysis techniques used. The chapter also addresses issues of research ethics and discusses the criteria used to ensure the trustworthiness and authenticity of the findings, emphasizing the study's commitment to rigorous qualitative research practices.

4. Empirical findings: This chapter presents the empirical findings of the study, drawing on data collected from interviews, observations, and organizational documents at IKEA. It analyzes IKEA's stated culture and values, exploring the company's attempts to reinvigorate these values in 2017. The chapter also examines the enduring aspects of IKEA's culture, including its core values and the mechanisms used to maintain them. The findings are presented in a structured manner, showing both the intended changes and the persistence of existing cultural elements.

5. Discussion: This chapter interprets the empirical findings presented in Chapter 4. It analyzes the interplay between the intended modification of IKEA's values and the persistence of its existing culture, examining the disconnect between communicated and exhibited change. The chapter discusses the implications of the findings for understanding organizational culture change and preservation in a multinational company. It critically evaluates the effectiveness of IKEA's cultural management strategies and highlights the complexities of balancing change with continuity.

Keywords

organizational culture, organizational culture change, organizational culture preservation, assessing organizational culture, normative control, IKEA, qualitative case study, multinational company, modernization, internationalization, cultural values, cultural persistence, cultural change.

Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview

What is the overall topic of this document?

This document provides a comprehensive preview of a thesis exploring how a multinational company (IKEA) manages and reinterprets its cultural values in the context of modernization and internationalization, while examining the preservation of its core cultural identity. It focuses on the expression and experience of organizational culture over time.

What are the main sections covered in the thesis preview?

The preview includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. Each chapter summary provides a detailed overview of its contents. The objectives highlight the core research questions and aims. The keywords provide a concise summary of the key concepts.

What is the research question addressed in the thesis?

The central research question is: How is organizational culture expressed and experienced over time in a company with a cultural focus?

What theoretical framework is used in the thesis?

The thesis draws upon existing literature on organizational culture, examining sociological, managerial, and critical perspectives. It synthesizes various theories and models to provide a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the research.

What methodology is employed in the thesis?

The thesis employs a qualitative case study approach, focusing on IKEA. Data collection methods include semi-structured interviews, field observations, and analysis of organizational documents. The analysis method focuses on interpreting the interplay between intended changes and the persistence of existing cultural elements.

What is the research site used in this study?

The research site is IKEA, a multinational company known for its strong focus on cultural values.

What are the key themes explored in the thesis?

Key themes include organizational culture persistence and change, the expression and experience of organizational culture, the impact of modernization and internationalization on organizational culture, methods for assessing and managing organizational culture, and the relationship between communicated and exhibited cultural change.

What are the chapter summaries?

The preview provides detailed summaries of each chapter, outlining the content and purpose of each section. Chapter 1 introduces the topic and research question; Chapter 2 lays out the theoretical framework; Chapter 3 details the methodology; Chapter 4 presents the empirical findings from IKEA; and Chapter 5 discusses the findings and their implications.

What are the keywords associated with this thesis?

Keywords include organizational culture, organizational culture change, organizational culture preservation, assessing organizational culture, normative control, IKEA, qualitative case study, multinational company, modernization, internationalization, cultural values, cultural persistence, and cultural change.

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This document serves as a comprehensive preview, offering a structured and professional overview of the thesis's content for academic use, facilitating analysis of its themes.

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While not explicitly listed in the FAQs, the full document mentions the limitations and delimitations of the study are outlined in Chapter 1 of the thesis itself.

• Université: Linneaus University
• Note: 1,7
• Auteur: Anna Lena Bischoff (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2017
• Pages: 89
• N° de catalogue: V1002276
• ISBN (ebook): 9783346378637
• ISBN (Livre): 9783346378644
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: organizational, ikea