Niccolo Machiavelli once said, “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” It is how well your organization manages change that impacts the success of the business. Change affects all areas of business- formal and informal groups, work culture and climate, and organizational design. The organization is accountable to all stakeholders, most importantly their clients. The organizational culture influences services as perceived by those clients. This paper will consider a case study where the middle manager in a health care organization has merged with a previous competitor. Up until now, employees saw the competition as an enemy that provided a poor quality of care. The new corporation, however, has in place several inpatient and outpatient services that the organization does not. This paper will address the impact of the sale on the culture of the new combined organization. It will also address how the middle manager can ensure that the combined staff will work together to provide quality care without taking on a competitive stance. Lastly, it will describe what the organization will look like in terms of systems and shape.
The primary interest in mergers and acquisitions is to create or exploit synergies (Dalton, n.d.) Unfortunately most mergers and acquisitions fail because there is too much focus on finances while neglecting the human and cultural dimensions that need to blend in order to create a one, developing and advancing organization. Executive leadership plays a significant role in characterizing organizational culture by their leadership and actions. An organizational culture is the work environment that surrounds you. It shapes the organization, the work relationships, and the work processes.
