Understanding Organizations...Finally!

CHAPTER 15

The Community Ship

While all organizations are influenced by their culture, or lack of it, some have cultures so compelling to their members—who are more than “employees”—that the force of pulling together dominates. The label Community Ship is used here to suggest that these organizations function as tightly knit communities, quite apart from other organizations, like ships at sea. They can close ranks for protection, like a herd of muskoxen that form a ring around their calves, or else use their position for evangelism, namely to launch missives at whatever they want to change on shore. (We should not, however, confuse Community Ships with communities of practice, where people with some common interest connect to share experience. ...