RECIPROCAL EFFECTS BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN OFFICE COMMUNICATION-SYSTEM - A CASE-STUDY

As part of a study investigating the implementation of an office communication system and its effects on work and organizational processes in a large transportation company, reciprocal effects between organizational culture and the new technology were analysed. It was found that in one department which was characterized by a well established culture, the communication system was integrated fairly easily and thereby reinforced the culture. In a second department, which was in the middle of a strong internal cultural conflict, the new technology was used unsuccessfully by one subgroup to support cultural change. By refusing to use the communication system in the intended way, the other members of the department resisted that attempt. In both departments, the technology did not effect a change, rather it was integrated into pre-existing cultural patterns.