Coerced Practice Implementation in Cases of Low Cultural Fit: Cultural Change and Practice Adaptation During the Implementation of Six Sigma at 3M

Practice Transfer in Organizations: The Role of Governance Mode for Internal and External Fit

“…This has implications for processes of practice transfer as one crucial organizational phenomenon (Kogut and Zander 1992). For example, previous research discusses how practice transfer may involve 'cultural dissonance' (Canato et al 2013), meaning that a particular newly implemented practice may not fit with the pre-existing organizational culture, or it more broadly identifies cultural, political, and technical fit as important dimensions in transfer processes (Ansari et al 2010). More generally, existing research discusses the challenge of balancing replication and adaptation over the course of transferring knowledge or practices (D'Adderio 2014; Winter et al 2012), but we still have an underdeveloped understanding of how organizations may create fit within the organization and in the environment.…”

“…It develops the premise that effective transfer will involve both internal fit, meaning alignment with the organization's "(perceived) needs, objectives, and structure" (Ansari et al 2010, p. 68), and external fit, meaning that a particular practice must gain and sustain support and legitimacy in the environment. While research increasingly discusses questions related to fit dimensions within the organization, and how fit may be attained by adapting the practice and/or the organizational setting (Ansari et al 2014;Canato et al 2013), the question of external fit, and how it may perhaps be sought and created actively by organizations interested in transfer, has received surprisingly little attention in the literature. Furthermore, there is little knowledge of how organizations may try to navigate in the light of these two potentially conflicting goals.…”

“…Ansari et al 2010;Beechler and Yang 1994). This may be due to misfits at both the organizational (Ansari et al 2014;Canato et al 2013) and the environmental level (Kostova and Roth 2002). As a result, practices are known to undergo recontextualization (Brannen 2004) as they travel across national borders and business environments.…”

“…Importantly, in order to create and sustain internal fit, organizations will need to build coalitions and ensure support internally. For example, Canato et al (2013) provide a detailed account of how the introduction of a novel practice involves an emerging collective understanding within the organization, whereby perceived misfits at the organizational level are overcome by adapting both organizational factors, in this case the organizational culture, and the practice itself. However, agreeing on a shared understanding and in the process internalizing a new practice is only one sub-dimension of internal fit, and it is likely to interact with the degree to which the new practice is implemented, and hence the extent to which it helps achieve the goals of the organization.…”

The Banality of Organizational Innovations: Embracing the Substance–Process Duality

“…These initiatives, based on the need for clarity and consistency of initiatives, were at odds with 3M's culture of innovation where R&D employees were offered 15% time to experiment on projects (Garud et al, 2011b), and where narratives of innovation celebrating deviance rather than conformity circulated (Shaw, Brown, & Bromiley, 1997). The mismatch that emerged between the re-designed organization and innovations had a negative impact on 3M's innovativeness (Canato, Ravasi, & Phillips, 2013;Garud et al, 2011b;Useem, 2002). George Buckley who took over McNearny's position as 3M's CEO had this to say about the Six Sigma initiatives:…”