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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/01437739610127496. When citing the article, please cite: Ian Brooks, (1996), “Leadership of a cultural change process”, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 17 Iss: 5, pp. 31 - 3.

This paper uses a cultural perspective to explore the problems of change within the British Civil Service. The catalyst for such change is the Government's “Improving Management in government: Next Steps” report (1988). Its intention is to alter radically the structure of the government in the 1990s and beyond. Such a transformation is consistent with other government change initiatives introduced into the NHS, the education service and the prison system. These are both radical and ambitious and illustrate the growing determination to counter what are regarded as the weaknesses and inefficiencies of centralized bureaucracy.

Explores the successful role of leadership in initiating and sustaining a major process of change. The findings build on the work of others who have so ably demonstrated the influence of powerful leaders. Research is based on qualitative data from an ethnographic study which immersed itself in the minutiae of organizational life. Outlines the processes that have unfolded in the wider context of NHS change. Discusses the findings and debates supporting evidence. The resultant model of change indicates that successful leadership of cultural change requires leaders to think culturally, to be guided by a cognitive model of change and to employ the cultural tools of symbolism while actively focusing on the politics of acceptance. Hard systems and structural changes can be implemented in parallel with soft symbolic and political activity. A highly receptive context, either real or created, assists by providing a trigger for change.

Examines the potential for reducing the dysfunctional consequences of demarcation between work groups and professions in the NHS. Suggests that change may be achieved by interpreting and manipulating rituals which preserve the negative aspects of professional and work group autonomy. Discusses a number of rituals observed in a case study hospital during an extensive research exercise and demonstrates how they help maintain potentially dysfunctional culture norms and behaviours which, consciously or not, serve to resist moves to achieve more flexible, team‐orientated, patient‐centred changes. In addition, explores new rituals which may question current practices, and argues that attention to rituals in the wider change process may facilitate the desired change. Suggests that changes which confront unnecessary demarcation, but which do not undermine professional integrity, can create real benefits for NHS hospitals.

This paper explores the “Western” concept of psychological capital in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and highlights critical areas of divergence and notable dimensions of similarity.

This is an empirical study conducted in a wide range of Chinese organisational forms, employing an inductive approach based on critical incident technique.

This research showed that the concept of psychological capital appears to have a degree of applicability and salience in China. A series of dimensions common in Western organisations were found in our research, including Optimism, Creativity, Resiliency, Self‐confidence, Forgiveness and Gratitude, Courage and Ambition (Hope). These were found to be common types of psychological capital both in China and in the West. However, the dimensions of Courtesy and Humility (Qian‐gong‐you‐li in Chinese), Self‐possession and Sincerity fell into the “different” category.

This paper is a first attempt to examine psychological capital in a range of organisational forms and industrial sectors in China using a grounded theory approach. It not only reports various dimensions of Chinese psychological capital, some unique to this research, but also compares and contrasts these dimensions between China and the West, highlighting further research opportunities.

Explores a managerial philosophy which focusses on teamwork. Investigates how a simple yet sound belief in people takes shape on the ground and infiltrates all aspects of organizational activity. The context is a heavy truck assembly plant which is Swedish‐owned yet located in northern France. Outlines the novel processes of work organization employed in this complex multicultural setting. Although both European countries, Sweden and France, are, in key cultural terms, polar opposites, represents an example of a successful inter‐cultural business activity. Based on a series of semi‐structured interviews with senior management from both France and Sweden and considerable observation of activities on the shopfloor, looks at the nature of, and differences between, Swedish and French national cultures in an attempt to account for the success of the plant and the skill of its managers in overcoming potential cultural pitfalls and discusses the contributions made by each culture to the success story.

Debates a controversial issue in healthcare management, that is, whether internal rotation (day‐night) or permanent night shifts is an appropriate shift system for nursing staff. A multidisciplinary approach draws together international research from the fields of occupational psychology, management, ergonomics and medicine. Explores evidence on sleep, physical and mental health, job satisfaction, performance, absenteeism, and social and domestic disruption, all important factors in considering appropriate shift patterns. Suggests that both nurse choice (or non‐choice) of shift and adjustment, or otherwise, of circadian rhythms are important causal factors influencing the debate. As no unequivocal picture emerges, recognizes some of the real and potential limitations of a paper of this kind; however, the balance of argument tends to favour the maintenance of permanent night shift nurses as opposed to the further extension of internal rotation systems. This is especially the case as many nurses will still be given a choice of shift pattern which may, in itself, negate some of the potential ill‐effects of night working. Decisions further to extend internal rotation may, in the light of the complex, ambiguous and equivocal evidence, be informed by partial knowledge and influenced by a managerial perspective.

This paper introduces the concept of the emotional climate of the workplace and explores how it both shapes and is shaped by the emotions experienced, expressed and redefined by nurses. It extracts emotional aspects of an organizational climate framework developed by Litwin and Stringer and examines these with respect to nurse’s experiences. The primary research was carried out at a general hospital NHS Trust in the East Midlands of the UK using a grounded theory methodology. The research methods included semi‐structured interviews and observation. The themes identified include many of those found by Litwin and Stringer, others which represent variations upon these, and a new set, which, when combined, identify the emotional climate of the organization. The findings have confirmed that the “experiment” of using a 33‐year‐old positivistic framework to investigate aspects of qualitative research has enabled a robust contribution to the conceptual area of emotional climate.

Illustrates how organizational culture can stifle effective problem solving and decision making. In the organization in question this had critical implications for quality, staff retention and organizational change. The myopic, non‐innovative generation of apparent solutions to major organizational problems made the organization a victim, not a master, of change. Precedent determined action so that “more of the same” becomes the forte of the organization. Investigates the nature of the organizational culture and the mechanisms of influence it exerted over the problem‐solving process. The research utilized a qualitative methodology well suited to investigating organizational culture and was based in a civil service agency. Suggests an alternative, or model, culture, the adoption of which would enable the organization to cope with environmental and organizational change. Offers recommendations which derive from the research.