The importance of being earnest: reflections on an attempt to create an information-led organizational culture in the NHS.

Abstract

Presents a study of organizational culture in a community health-care Trust in the UK. The Trust has been involved in attempting to create what was described as an information-led culture and is concurrent with the implementation of a new information system. Describes some of the recent management initiatives which were intended to improve communications within the Trust and to provide employees with a better understanding of the changes which have been taking place. Identifies findings which suggest that there was some distance between the perceptions of management and those of employees. While the senior management team appear to have been in earnest in attempting to ensure that staff have the information and understanding they need, the results of an organizational culture survey suggest that these efforts may have been ineffective.