The Role of Organizational Culture in the Leadership of United States Air Force Services Squadrons
Abstract
The purpose of this monograph is to examine the role organizational culture plays in the leadership of United States Air Force (USAF) Services squadrons. While some might argue that the study of organizational culture is a somewhat vague notion, there is significant theory and findings to show otherwise. In their now famous look at 'excellent' organizations, Peters and Waterman (1982, p.75) found that 'without exception, the dominance and coherence of culture proved to be an essential quality of excellent companies...In these companies, people way down the line know what they are supposed to do in most situations because the handful of guiding values is crystal clear.' While Peters and Waterman looked from a subjective standpoint on how an organization 'feels', there is some quantitative research that backs up their claims. In 1984, Daniel Dennison studied 34 American corporations to determine the link between organizational culture and financial performance as indicated by Standard and Poor's financial ratios. In summarizing his findings, Dennison states 'the data presented here provide hard evidence that the cultural and behavioral aspects of organizations are intimately linked to both short-term performance and long-term survival.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA196296
Entities
People
- Thomas P. Spellman
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology