Module 10 Hillton Case Study

Hillton’s Transformation Case Study 14.1:

Module 10

Due November 13, 2011

Question #1:  Contrast Hillton’s earlier corporate culture with the emerging set of cultural values.

Hillton’s earlier corporate culture and its artifacts:

* Hillton’s earlier corporate culture was one of entitlement and comfort

* Employees were promoted fairly quickly.

* Promotions are determined by seniority (not performance).

* Guarantee of employment (the city of Hilton Had never laid off employees)

* Lack of performance measure and accountability - few controls in place.

* Lack of respect for taxpayers.

* Lack of corporate planning, information and cost control systems.

Domination: Hillton’s senior management came from outside services group. This worked for many years when culture content were aligned with the external environment (i.e. in the mid 1960’s and 70’s society accepted the ‘family run’ type of public service), and the need for hard services such as building roads, utility construction etc was top priority as the population began to grow.

Hillton’s emerging corporate culture and its artifacts:

* Managers are hired from outside and are ‘qualified professionals’.

* Promotions are determined by both performance and seniority

* Loy offs: employee are terminated when not needed

* Managers are held accountable through a system of performance measures.

* Strong orientation toward customer satisfaction.

* Strong computer and cost control systems.

* Domination: Hillton’s senior management came from administrative services and related inside jobs.

Population growth in Hillton has flattened and the demand for hard services has been reduced, but the need for soft (library service and recreational services) services is on the rise.  So the new ‘professionals’ are becoming more aligned with the external environment and are supporting the public’s increasing demand for such services.  The managers in the ‘hard’ service areas...