HRM and culture: history, ritual, and myth.

The concept of organizational culture is here applied to the practice of human resource management. Reasons for the current emphasis on culture as an organizational metaphor are suggested. Cultural indicators which have diagnostic value for human resource professionals include organizational usage of symbols, rituals, ideologies, language, stores, myths, relationships, and humor. Examples of these indicators of culture are drawn from a variety of HRM practices and functions to explore the implications of each indicator. Alternative strategies are presented for improving the management of organizational change through sensitivity to cultural impact and better utilization of existing cultural realities.