ABSTRACT
Many attempts by researchers to quantify organisational culture and culture change are hindered by lack of empirical models to aid investigation. Where the organisational culture is viewed as strong, it is often described as distinctive, and seen as characterised by consensus on beliefs, norms, values and ideals. This strong culture is where the leadership communicates to its staff expectations of how they should behave. Some believe the role of employees is to serve the top management. Supporters of the imposition of strong cultures believe that an organisation’s effectiveness is dependent on the development of strong culture and this will therefore lead to greater employee commitment and improved quality. The belief is that corporate-defined culture will secure ‘unusual effort on behalf of apparently ordinary employees’. Hospitals, like all other organisations, have by their very nature a number of subcultures.
