Handy C. -1993- Understanding Organizations ◎

🔹 – Web of control. Fast, but relies on a central figure. 🔹 Role Culture – Pillars of logic and rules. Stable, but slow (think bureaucracy). 🔹 Task Culture – Net of expertise. All about getting the job done, often in teams. 🔹 Person Culture – Cluster of individual stars. The organization serves them (e.g., partnerships).

Handy broke down organizational culture into four simple but powerful types:

Fave quote: “Organizations are not buildings or charts. They are relationships.” Let’s discuss Handy (1993), Understanding Organizations handy c. -1993- understanding organizations

Just finished revisiting – and it’s striking how relevant it still is.

Organizations are not machines. They are cultures, politics, and psychological contracts. 🔹 – Web of control

Essential secondary reading for undergraduate or MBA students of organization theory. Option 3: Short & Punchy (Goodreads / Instagram / Threads) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Still sharp after 30 years.

If you work in HR, OD, or leadership and haven’t read Understanding Organizations – fix that. Stable, but slow (think bureaucracy)

If you’re in change management, OD, or leadership, this is still a masterclass.