Question:

The assignment topic is about organizational culture based on a published business case (taken from company website, books, newspapers, articles or academic papers)
In addition to analysis the case student should also integrate into report at least two academic articles on the topic relevant to the case all articles most come from scholarly or academic journal.
The assignment report should have a minimum of 5000 words
The report should observe the following structure:
• Introduction where the topic/s chosen to approach the case is/are put forward and the case problem is briefly summarized.
• Strategic analysis of the case where the strategic context – external and internal – and key strategic issues are highlighted.
• Summary of the scholarly article where each of the chose articles is summarized.
• Revisiting the case where an attempt is made at applying the summaries/conclusions of the articles to the case
• Conclusion and recommendations
It is especially important that all supporting literature including the text book used in the report be referenced in the standard fashion.

Answer:

Contents

Introduction. 3

Strategic analysis of the case. 5

Summary of the first scholarly article. 9

Summary of the second scholarly article. 13

Revisiting the case of Pierre Fabre. 18

Conclusions and recommendations. 21

References. 22

 

Introduction

The topic chosen in the analysis of Pierre Fabre in this paper is organizational culture. In this analysis, the aim is to explore the various ways in which organizational culture can be turned into a competitive advantage and how history impacts upon the strategic position of an organization. The topic also puts into perspective the need for strategists to question aspects of culture that are normally taken for granted.

The case study is approached from the perspective of the importance of culture in determining the strategic direction of an organization. Emphasis is on the fact that there are always many dangers to be faced along the way as long as strategists fail to acknowledge how the past influences the strategies of the present time as well as the future.

History is also important in the analysis of the case study. There is a need for histories of organizations to be put into consideration in the course of managing strategy. It is obvious that managers who spend many years in the same organization or industry gain tremendous experience. They base their decisions on this experience. In this case, it is possible for this experience to have been shaped by the influence of that history. It is virtually impossible for a manager to extricate himself from the history of an organization that he has managed almost his entire adult life.

This topic also entails a definition of organizational culture and an explanation of its importance. Emphasis, in this case, is on the basic beliefs and assumptions that are shared among members within an organization. The influence of culture as a frame of reference is as important to the analysis of the case study as the assessment of culture’s influence on organizational strategy.

The aspects of organizational culture and history are used to analyze the concept of strategic drift. An analysis is presented on four main phases of change, namely, incremental change, strategic drift, flux, and finally the choice between transformational change and death (Johnson, 1992). Between the point of strategic drift and flux, environmental change may occur. Such a turn of events necessitates strategic change. Such a scenario is discussed in the context of the case study.

The case study explored in this paper is about Pierre Fabre, a multinational pharmaceutical multinational corporation that started as a small town pharmacy. The case study problem entails exploring how culture acted as a competitive advantage in the case of Pierre Fabre. It also examines how the history of the company has pervaded strategic options, namely, manufacturing, distribution through selected pharmacists, and the localization of research and development. It also pervades the development path adopted for all products which, in this case, involves the use of natural substances. The other two aspects of the company’s history include innovation as a source of organizational capabilities, and the ‘humanistic’ management style.

In the case study, of particular importance is the background of the Pierre Fabre Group, its turnover, its transition from pharmacy to pharmaceutical manufacturing, and what it takes to become a Pierre Fabre manager. The aim is to examine the historical and cultural roots of the multinational pharmaceutical company and how it continues to influence operations and strategy to this day.

Strategic analysis of the case

In the internal strategic context, issues relating to the company’s culture and its influence on the organizational strategy of Pierre Fabre Group are addressed. The company has managed to thrive internationally while maintaining the culture and values of the locality where it was founded. The strong links with the cultural values of its place of origin have not prevented the French firm from becoming the second largest pharmaceutical company in the country. In fact, the cultural and historical links have turned into a competitive advantage. This speaks volumes about the crucial role that the internal strategic context of a company’s positioning in the market.

At this point, it is imperative to define organizational culture, which is the main topic being used in the strategic analysis of this case. It is also imperative to define the role of culture in shaping organizational strategy. The term “organizational culture” may be defined simply as structures of meaning that have been socially established. It may also be defined as the basic beliefs and assumptions shared by all members of a corporate organization. Organizational cultures are normally taken for granted but they always influence the company’s operations. In the case of Pierre Fabre, the organizational culture has created a scenario where the company’s foundations remain strongly rooted in the southwest of France. This is where the company started. Forty five percent of the employees of Pierre Fabre Laboratories live and work in the southwest of France.

The point of intersection between culture and organizational strategy is also evident at Pierre Fabre. The strategy of the company has been changing gradually since it was founded in the early 1960s. In all organizational contexts, strategies change incrementally. During the first phase, the company went through incremental change. For instance, the company started as a back-store behind Castres’ main square. Since its establishment, the company has been establishing plants in other parts of France as well as abroad. In total, 53 sales offices and subsidiaries have been established.

During the first two decades of its existence, Pierre Fabre attained a strategic drift. Strategic drift is the scenario where strategies continue to be developed incrementally because of cultural and historical influences but do not keep pace with the fast-changing environment. The incremental changes occur because of the need to align the organization with environmental changes, past successes, and experimentation around a fixed theme. Cultural and historical influences constituted a major driving force for the strategic drift.

However, after two decades of operations, several management issues started emerging at the company. For instance, during the 1980s, the massive growth achieved required the managerial practices to be adapted to suit its new size, its diversification, and strong international “flavor” (Johnson, 1992). These aspects of environmental change called for a strategic change. The main dilemma was on how the transformation would be brought about without doing away with the existing organizational culture. The company’s founder felt that the culture remained a crucial component for the firm’s future cohesion, identity, and success. However, as a company expands its operations to geographically distant lands, it becomes difficult for its unique heritage to be preserved and transmitted.

The tendency towards strategic drift at Pierre Fabre was backed by the founder’s need to be steady throughout the change process. Moreover, he wanted to undertake organizational activities based on familiar solutions. Additionally, there were core rigidities arising from difficulties in changing the advantageous models of the past. Such models became difficult to change even when they had outlived their usefulness.

The strategic drift also enabled the Pierre Fabre Group to excel in terms of innovation and research. In 2007, the company spent 180 million euros on research and development. A major area of success in these efforts was the discovery of Navelbne, an anti-cancer drug (Johnson, 1992). In this regard, the company had to work with public research laboratories. This demonstrates the company’s awareness of the need to put the company in the appropriate external strategic context. Through such strategic partnerships, the company succeeded in making the anti-cancer drug a major commercial success.

The external partnerships took place in the context of far-reaching realignments in the internal operational structure. A case in point was the success in forging a link between dermo-cosmetic development and pharmaceutical research. Another indicator of success was the decision by the US Food and Drug administration to certify two of the company’s drug factories. All these achievements portray a fast-growing company that is going through a strategic drift on the basis of the organizational culture embedded into it during the firm’s formative years.

The period of “flux” came when the company recorded a downturn in performance during the early 1980s. The founder quickly realized that diversity was needed in the recruitment of managers and executives. However, the location of the company’s headquarters in Castre sometimes made it difficult for high-level personnel to be recruited. Many potential high-level executives were unwilling to leave Paris and relocate to a small town.

Nevertheless, the founder of the company has, in many instances, expressed the willingness to transform the company in response to environmental changes and the challenges of regional anchorage. A key challenge has been on how to bring about transformational change without altering the company’s culture and core values. For instance, in 2005, Mr. Fabre made the decision to transfer ten percent of the company’s shares to his employees through a stock purchase plan. This plan achieved great success, with 96 percent of the French employees opting to join this scheme. Additionally, Pierre Fabre decided to donate 45 percent of the shares to the Pierre Fabre Foundation, a non-profit organization.

The transformation process continued with the founder restructuring the management of the Group. Furthermore, the founder established an intermediary holding company, complete with a new board of directors. The directors were sourced from outside the hierarchies of the company and the founder’s family. A case in point is that of former pharmaceutical giant GSK’s CEO, Jean-Pierre Garnier, who became the Group’s CEO, with Pierre Fabre retaining the position of chairman.

In any organization, such a transformation may lead to a complete turnaround toward rapid success. However, it may also lead to the death of the organization. In the case of the Pierre Fabre Group, the transformation has not resulted in the death of the company. On the contrary, it has brought about rapid growth. It has also improved the company’s future prospects. The formation of a holding company in 2008 has continued to ensure the continued independence of the company. Moreover, the holding company continues to discharge its mandate of safeguarding the firm’s regional implantation as well as the diversity of its business activities. Moreover, the seriousness of the company has not been adversely affected by the transformation. The sales force continues to operate within the bounds of a rich, clearly defined process.

However, there are still many challenges that the transformation has not addressed. These issues have to do with both the internal and external strategic contexts. For instance, the Pierre Fabre name is hardly known outside of France. This presents the company with a serious problem, particularly in the contemporary age of globalization. Moreover, the company is yet to make a lasting impression in the aspects of green technology and sustainable development.

Summary of the first scholarly article

The first article is Ramadan’s (2010) The Influence of Organizational Culture on Sustainable Competitive Advantage of Small and Medium Sized Establishments. In this paper, Ramadan (2010) explores the relationship between culture and competitive advantage in organizations using empirical evidence. In the preliminary analysis of organizational culture, Ramadan describes three categories of organizational capital resources: human resources, organizational resources, and physical resources. Organizational culture comprises of both human resources and organizational resources (Ramadan, 2010). Ramadan points out that culture is an asset that cannot be equated to any amount of money, and that it can easily make or break an organization.

With this background in mind, the researcher attempts to fill existing research gaps in literature by analyzing the relationship between the objective aspects of organizational culture and various objective measures of outcomes of competitive advantage. The process of measuring these outcomes is based on an analysis of improvement in organizational productivity during the past three years (Ramadan, 2010). Another aspect of this measurement is the percentage of sales derived through the sale of new products released into the market within the past three years (Ramadan, 2010). These dependent variables are put into use because of the assumption that any business with reduced inventory levels, improved productivity, and new product sales is also expected to have higher profits and a better chance of survival. Incidentally, higher profits and a better chance of survival are the ultimate measures of organizational competitive advantage (Ramadan, 2010).

The paper also identifies three objective aspects of organizational culture in a business, namely, employee participation, employee training hours, and talent management. The researcher picks out these independent variables because of the assumption that any business with satisfactory levels of employee training, talent management, and employee participation also benefits from a sense of ownership, higher involvement levels, and greater responsibility among employees.

Ramadan (2010) observes that it is difficult for any business to maintain its existing competitive advantage, particularly in these competitive markets. This is primarily because of new sources being imitated by new entrants into the industry. These new entrants intentionally imitate the industry leaders’ distinctive competitive advantage, forcing the existing business organization to rethink its business model, relationships, and strategies.

Indeed, the issue of sustainability of competitive advantage is central to the theme of this article. The competitive advantage is taken to be sustainable if competitors fail to imitate its source of advantage or no new entrant succeeds in conceiving a better offering. The article provides the example of Toyota, which has grown to become the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. In recent years, Toyota has been actively differentiating itself from its competitors through quality management and customer service. In contrast, competing US automobile manufacturers have been encountering operational problems in the improvement of efficiency and quality as well as the reduction of inventory costs. Many competing firms, including Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford, should have the capability of imitating specific system capabilities of a company like Toyota. Indeed, they have been attempting to do just that. However, it appears that they are unable to replicate the root source of the competitive advantage of Toyota’s business model.

In terms of the theoretical model for the concept of organizational culture, the article identifies four hypotheses. The first one is the mission hypothesis, which is the idea that shared beliefs, a common perspective, and communal values, among participants in an organization, promote a sense of identification and internal coordination.  The second one is the mission hypothesis, which emphasizes the importance of a shared sense of direction, purpose, and strategy in galvanizing and coordinating organizational members towards the achievement of collective goals. Third, the involvement or participation hypothesis is the idea that a sense of ownership and responsibility is created through the continued participation and involvement in the activities of the organization. This leads to loyalty and organizational commitment. Fourth, the adaptability hypothesis is modeled around the idea that beliefs and norms enhance the ability of an organization to identify and interpret environmental signals and adapt them into the internal organizational environment. This promotes the growth, development, and survival of the organization.

The paper also explores the aspects of competitive advantage. Upon analysis, Ramadan (2010) concludes that competitive advantage should always reside within the value chain of a firm. The main aspects that should make up the competitive advantage include primary business activities as well as support business activities. The primary business activities listed in the article include outbound logistics, inbound logistics, operations, marketing, and after-sales service. The support activities mentioned include human resource management, firm infrastructure, procurement, and technology development. The value chain within which these activities must be embedded comprises of buyers, suppliers, and distribution channels. The author notes that when cultures reside in the firm’s culture, competitive advantage is sustained.

The research model used the statistical regression function and focus was on three aspects: productivity growth; supply chain; and, new products. The first aspect explored the association between business organizational culture and percentage increases in productivity within the past three years (Ramadan, 2010). The second aspect explored the relationship between business organizational culture and the percentage reduction in the value of inventory across the supply chain over the last three years. In the third aspect, focus was on the relationship between business organizational culture and the percentage of annual business sales achieved from new products.

The author of this article arrives at a number of conclusions. The first one is that organizational culture provides a basis for the establishment of a framework within which a sustainable competitive advantage can be properly understood and maintained. The second conclusion is that sources of competitive advantage as well as its outcomes are greatly influenced by distinct attributes of the organizational culture of a firm.

The article also establishes a link between organizational culture and sustainability of competitive advantage. The analysis of results shows that employee training is the main objective aspect of culture that has the strongest association with the sustainability of competitive advantage. With regard to talent management, there is a strong association with the growth of productivity as well as the percentage of sales arising from new products. Moreover, employee participation was seen to be strongly related to the growth of productivity and reduction in inventory within the supply chain.

On the basis of these findings, three recommendations are made. The first recommendation is that managers should raise the percentage of the employees who take part regularly in empowered work teams. Second, formal training hours devoted to each employee every year should be increased. Third, priority should be on increasing the percentage of employees who will contribute to upgrading of the organization’s talent pool.

Summary of the second scholarly article

The second paper was authored by Sadri and Lees (2001) entitled Developing Corporate Culture as a Competitive Advantage. It assesses both the positive and negative effects of corporate culture on organizations. It also analyzes a number of corporations that have succeeded in putting in place a positive corporate culture. The companies analyzed include Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, and Hewlett-Packard. Just like in the first article, the author of this paper acknowledges that a positive culture is a source of competitive advantage over competing organizations.

The paper also highlights the circumstances within which corporate culture is established. It is established whenever people from diverse cultural heritages and backgrounds as well as different personalities come together to start relating with each other in a work environment. Within no time, the employees who relate with each other in various ways establish norms that will guide their operations in their respective departments within the organization. In this way, the concept of organizational or corporate culture is derived.

According to Sadri and Lees (2001), the study of organizational culture dates back to about two decades ago. Since then, the concept has become widely recognized as a key determinant of corporate strategy. More books, scholarly articles and internet-based publications continue to be dedicated on this subject. In view of this new-found importance of the concept, Sadri and Lees (2001) attempts to provide a universally accepted definition of corporate strategy. Some of the definitions provided are formal while others are informal. In one of the formal definitions, corporate culture is defined as a cognitive framework comprising of values, attitudes, behavioral norms, values, and expectations.

Several elements should be incorporated in any accurate analysis of corporate culture. One of them is that corporate culture should be enshrined not just in the mission statement, but also in the corporate vision of the company, so that there is a clear mental picture of how the future of the company should look like. Moreover, the second element highlighted by the article is the need for top organizational leaders to exhibit strong as well as charismatic values for the corporate culture to be accurately communicated. Moreover, such leaders can effectively communicate the link between proper corporate values and the personal values of all members of the organization.

The third element is the need for the employees to be highly valued within all hierarchical aspects of the organization’s operations. In many companies, attempts are made towards achieving this goal by referring to all employees as “team members” or “associates.” The element of adaptability is also highlighted, whereby an organization is able to adapt to changing external conditions (Sadri and Lees, 2001). The final element entails the perpetuation of corporate culture through various tangible symbols, including stories, slogans, and ceremonies, that emphasize the company’s corporate values.

One of the most crucial sections in this article is where it classifies corporate culture into several general categories. The article reports on the efforts of various researchers to undertake categorization efforts. For instance, one categorization provides for several types of corporate cultures: the fortress, the baseball team, the club, and the academy (Sonnenfeld, 1988). The fortress organization focuses primarily on survival while the baseball team seeks to have talented employees rewarded heavily for their efforts. The club organization put in place far-reaching strategies to ensure that everyone fits into the organization. Finally, in the academy, employees are exposed to different jobs to give them an opportunity to move from one area of the organization to the other.

In other instances, the categorization is based on the levels of sociability. In this regard, it is appropriate to determine the extent to which genuine aspects of friendliness and solidarity are nurtured within the organization. From this perspective, the organization may be categorized as mercenary, networked, communal or fragmented (Barney, 1986). It is upon the management of an organization to determine where its culture fits most appropriately in relation to other types of corporate cultures. In a networked culture, for instance, there is low solidarity and high sociability (Sadri and Lees, 2001).

On the basis of this analysis, Sadri and Lees (2001) highlight the benefits of maintaining a positive culture in an organization. Some benefits include an enjoyable work environment, improvement in morale, openness to new proposals and ideas, more sharing of information, and a greater level of teamwork. Employees interact more readily and top employees are easily attracted and retained within the organization. At this point, Sadri and Lees (2001) point out the need for carrying out an analysis of corporate culture by examining actual successful companies that have demonstrated how corporate culture can impact positively on organizational activities. It is for this reason that the authors examined three companies, namely, Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, and Hewlett-Packard.

Sadri and Lees (2001) indicate that since Wal-Mart was founded, the founder, Sam Walton, nurtured a culture of respect and concern for all his employees. He also formed a habit of visiting his various stores and meeting with customers. This formed the beginning of a culture of a properly-crafted customer service for all customers. To maintain competitiveness, the founder also encouraged change. Today, the employees continue to embrace this culture, particularly in making decisions.

Similarly, Southwest Airlines is portrayed as a business organization with a positive organizational culture, inspired by its co-founder, Herb Kelleher. Kelleher was also the company’s CEO and is, today, the Chairman Emeritus of the company. The co-founder introduced a positive culture by doing unusual acts and showing concern for issues affecting employees. For instance, he would send notes to employees to acknowledge crucial events in their personal lives such as births, marriages, and wedding anniversaries. The company is keen to ensure that this culture does not die. It is for this reason that all prospective Southwest Airlines employees are carefully screened to ensure that they will fit into that culture.

For Hewlett-Packard, the article’s aim highlights a case of a company that has managed to improve its corporate culture. The article reports that, in recent years, the company’s employees started feeling stressed and the attrition rate rose to twenty percent. The company made unusual steps in efforts to improve this culture. Employees were required to come up with three personal and business goals every year. The company also encouraged employees to cheer their colleagues whenever they achieved crucial personal goals. According to Sadri and Lees (2001), this has led to an increase in the retention rate of employees.

The article concludes that the best time to establish a positive culture is during the company’s infancy. However, Sadri and Lees (2001) point out that it is possible to make far-reaching changes to the culture of a business organization should such a drastic measure be necessary. Another concluding remark is that, in today’s globally competitive environment, a positive culture remains a critical aspect of organizational success. A positive culture is crucial not just for the creation of a competitive advantage but also for the retention of the organization’s high-valued employees.

The article recommends that the business organization’s management should always take proactive steps in its efforts to use a top-down approach in building a new vision. This vision should demonstrate behavior that is consistent with the revised organizational culture. Sadri and Lees (2001) conclude that, just like national culture, corporate culture is still at the infancy stage. Nevertheless, companies will always have an opportunity revise their culture to improve the workplace experience for employees and improve profitability (Sadri and Lees, 2001).

Revisiting the case of Pierre Fabre

There are many issues relating to the subject of organizational culture that are of relevance to the Pierre Fabre case. In the first article, Ramadan (2010) focuses on the relationship between organizational culture and competitive advantage. This issue is also highlighted in the Pierre Fabre case. In Ramadan’s (2010) article, the main issues relating to organizational culture and its impact on competitive advantage include employee training, talent management, and employee participation.

In the Pierre Fabre case, several issues relating to talent management and employee participation are highlighted. At Pierre Fabre, the organizational culture requires for precision and strictness to be safeguarded in areas of production and control. Employees have traditionally been encouraged to be participants in the decision-making process. However, this autonomy in the decision-making process among employees comes with great responsibility, whereby each individual has to be an “expert” in his or her domain. According to Ramadan (2010), this is an excellent way to enhance a company’s competitive advantage. At Pierre Fabre, this competitive advantage has already been achieved. For instance, managers of rival pharmaceutical companies marvel at the rapidity of the decision-making process at Pierre Fabre. This unique competence puts the company ahead of its competitors in both the local and global markets.

However, the Pierre Fabre case does not address the issue of employee training. The same case applies to the issue of maintaining a talent pool. Rather than creating a talent pool, Pierre Fabre has a tendency of poaching the best employees from the rival companies. A case in point is the decision to hire Jean-Pierre Garnier, the former chief executive officer of GSK. The company needs to put in place measures aimed at retaining the best employees, thereby establishing a talent pool.

The recommendations made in Ramadan’s article are also of great relevance to the Pierre Fabre case. One of these recommendations addresses the need for managers to increase the number of employees participating in empowered work teams. Incidentally, this effort can greatly contribute to the development of a talent pool. With such a talent pool in place, the need to poach the best employees from rival companies should not arise.

It is also imperative for an employee training program to be introduced at Pierre Fabre. Such a program should be made into an integral part of the company’s organizational culture. Nevertheless, Ramadan (2010) acknowledges that there are certain practices that are best integrated into the company’s operational strategy during its formative years. The author even gives the example of Toyota, the leading automobile maker in the world. All Toyota’s competitors have found it very difficult to integrate the aspects of competitive advantage that the company uses. This is because, unlike the competitors, Toyota integrated these aspects during its formative years. Similarly, Pierre Fabre may find it extremely difficult to integrate aspects of culture that did not exist when the multinational pharmaceutical company was being founded.

Similarly, most of the issues highlighted in the article by Sadri and Lees (2001) resonate in the case of Pierre Fabre. As Sadri and Lees (2001) point out, it is possible for corporate culture to be developed into a competitive advantage. It is imperative for an assessment to be made on the extent to which the Pierre Fabre case highlights the various elements of a positive corporate culture. Sadri and Lees (2001) mention three elements that are necessary for ensuring the successful implementation of a positive corporate culture.

In the first element, focus is on ensuring that corporate culture is enshrined in not just the mission statement but also in the vision of the company. This means that employees should have a clear mental image of how the company’s future should look like. At Pierre Fabre, the founder has always been keen to promote the concept of the “Magic Triangle” since the early days. The Magic Triangle links the trio of the prescribers, specialists and physicians, client/patient, and pharmacist. Toward this end, the company’s employees seem to understand the company’s goal of providing medical legitimacy as a justification to premium pricing.

The second element highlighted by Sadri and Lees (2001) requires top organizational leaders to exhibit strong values to be able to communicate the corporate culture. In this case, focus should be on the leadership qualities of Jean-Pierre Garnier, the newly hired CEO. His credentials are impressive, given that he was formerly a CEO of GSK, an equally successful multinational pharmaceutical company. The third element is the importance of highly valuing employees regardless of their position in the organization’s hierarchy. Pierre Fabre has traditionally proffered to hire a local workforce in the belief that this is an excellent way of reinforcing a feeling of cohesion, “belonging”, and “social peace.” However, as the company ventures into the international market, this culture is increasingly under threat. The culture may need to be changed to reflect new realities in today’s globalized world.

Conclusions and recommendations

The organizational culture at Pierre Fabre has greatly contributed to the company’s continued success. Its uniqueness has created a competitive advantage that no competitor can imitate. However, the top managers of the company’s should be ready to change certain aspects of this culture in order to maintain this competitive advantage. For instance, some top managers who are used to the comfort of Parisian life may be reluctant to relocate to a remote town where Pierre Fabre’s headquarters are.

This paper makes the following recommendations:

1. The Pierre Fabre Group should introduce formal training sessions for all employees. This will promote a sense of belonging as well as contribute to a positive organizational culture.
2. The company should also put in place a talent management strategy. This strategy will contribute to the growth of productivity as well as the percentage of sales arising from new products.
3. In today’s globalized world, Pierre Fabre can no longer rely on a local workforce drawn from the small town of Castres in South-West France. The company should start sourcing workforce from diverse regions and countries in order to increase the company’s competitive advantage in the international market.

 

References

Barney, J.B. (1986). Organizational culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage? The Academy of Management Review, 11 (3), pp.656-665.

Johnson, G. (1992). Managing strategic change— strategy, culture and action. Long Range Planning, 25 (1), pp.28-36.

Ramadan, W. H. (2010). The influence of organizational culture on sustainable competitive advantage of SMES, best business practices for achieving world-class status, the link between business & region. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland State University.

Sadri, G. and Lees, B. (2001). Developing corporate culture as a competitive advantage. Journal of Management Development, 20 (10), pp.853-859.

Sonnenfeld, J. A. (1988). The hero’s farewell: what happens when CEOs retire. New York: Oxford University Press.