Dr. Linda Ford's new book on business culture, "The Fourth Factor," illustrates why it is critical for business managers to understand and manage organizational culture. The Austin-based business consultant provides a primer for business people on this crucial and often-overlooked aspect of business.
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) October 17, 2007 -- According to Dr. Linda Ford, running a successful business requires more than managing customers, products and cash. Yet, there are an alarming number of businesspeople who don't realize that they must manage the fourth factor -- culture.
In her new book on business culture, "The Fourth Factor: Managing Corporate Culture," Ford declares that companies can strategize to grow or to reverse negative trends -- but because, "culture eats strategy for lunch," a failure to factor culture into the equation dooms even the best-conceived strategy.
Ford, an Austin-based business consultant who specializes in business culture, defines culture as a company's sense of "the way we do things around here." In her new book, she also sees culture as the proverbial 800-pound gorilla that does anything it wants. The book provides a primer for business people to help understand and manage this crucial and often-overlooked aspect of business.
Though Ford acknowledges that this isn't the first book to tackle the topic of organizational culture, she notes that her book is differentiated by:
- accessible explanations of how culture works,
- descriptions of specific behaviors as well as high-level principles to better illustrate culture's impact on business,
- an examination of the challenges and opportunities of shaping business culture in a multicultural society, and
- a systemic approach which gives those who want to change their business culture the tools to do that.
Ford notes, "Leaders at all levels of the organization play a role in creating culture. If a leader wants to change the culture in her organization, she needs to first understand how culture works. You wouldn't try to run a business without knowing how to read a balance sheet; learning to understand culture is just as essential to your success."
For more information on Ford and the book, please visit http://www.fourthfactoronline.com/.
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