Cultivating Culture in Greenfields: The Heinz Wattie's Case

Abstract

The establishment of new plants in Greenfield sires is a strategic organisational initiative providing the opportunity to develop alternative systems of staff values and beliefs which may be more appropriate for capitalising on external product marker opportunities. This paper explores whether an alternative organisational culture can be established at a Greenfield sire within a New Zealand food processing plant. This case organisation utilised the provisions of the Employment Contracts Act 1991 to establish alternative employment conditions in the Greenfield site to those of its Brownfield sire. A comparative analysis was made utilising quantitative organisational culture data from Human Synergistic's Organisation Culture Inventory. The data reveals the similarities and differences between the Greenfield and Brownfield sires and provides the basis for discussion of whether culture can be managed through the mechanism of a Greenfield site. Critical elements in creating a desired culture are identified.

Equity Sensitivity and Organizational Citizenship Behavior in a Team Environment

“…T eams are increasingly important in today's organizations. Greenfield sites, in which existing companies set up new operations with a work design and culture that are significantly different than the parent company, are modern examples of how teams can radically change traditional production techniques in new plant operations (Hursthouse & Kolb, 2001). Fortune 100 companies such as Cummins Engine, General Foods, and General Motors use greenfield plants and empowered teams to bring new products to market (Becker, 2007).…”

Field of dreams: team implementations and greenfields

“…Although it has been argued that greenfields existed at the end of the nineteenth century (Newell, 1991) the concept of the modern greenfield originated in the USA in the 1970s and 1980s (Hursthouse and Kolb, 2001). Initial designs evolved from a sociotechnical systems approach; work teams and other innovative management practices were used in combination with new technology to increase the effectiveness of new plants (Emery, 1980;Pasmore, 1988;Trist et al, 1977;Walton, 1972).…”

“…The high initial costs of Japanese start-ups in the US were found to offset initial plant productivity, but outcome measures such as inventory turns, absenteeism and turnover offer an early advantage to Japanese transplants (Schroeder, 1992). Hursthouse and Kolb (2001) demonstrate the use of a greenfield to establish new employment terms and conditions in an organizational culture change effort. It is important to recognize that we have very limited research on the long-term impact of these critical national and organizational cultural issues.…”

“…Hursthouse and Kolb (2001) contrasts cultural differences in a team‐based greenfield and a traditionally managed brownfield plant, both run by a food processing company in New Zealand. Statistically significant differences in culture as measured by 96 items in the Organizational Culture Inventory are interpreted as the successful ability of the company to establish new management practices based on a desired team culture in the greenfield operation.…”

Are new organisations at the cutting edge of employment relations innovation?

“…Researchers have explored work practices (Wilkinson and Ackers, 1995), recruitment and selection (Hallier, 2001), culture (Hursthouse and Kolb, 2001), ageing (Leopold and Hallier, 1999), employee consultation (Townsend, 2005) and teams (Mallon and Kearney, 2001) in greenfields sites, but these case studies do not tell us about the generality of the new organisation experience. Perhaps they attract attention precisely because they are unusual in some way, rather than because they represent how new organisations operate.…”