A Cultural Audit: First Step in a Needs Analysis?

For some time now, we have been inundated with descriptions and advice concerning the care and the development of “corporate cultures”. It has been said that many of our business and industrial inadequacies result from outmoded management techniques that have created dysfunctional cultures and that “the notion of corporate culture addresses the real human issues that often impinge on the success of…” an enterprise. In that training, or human resources development, is (or should be) closely linked to these “human issues” and to the success or failure of the organisation, the concept of corporate culture must be addressed when designing training or development programmes. This article will outline one method of using these concepts to enhance the training process.