| This study, a retrospective analysis, used a quasi-experimental design to examine the effects on culture types of a year-long action learning intervention on a sample of 102 leaders of an organized health delivery system (ODS), divided into an experimental group of 28 and a comparison group of 74. Changes in culture types were assessed through the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument, based on a competing values framework with four cultural types: clan, market, hierarchy, and adhocracy. A secondary database was used with demographic variables culled from employee records to assess current and preferred culture types at three time periods: before an intervention using action learning (AL), during the ninth month of intervention, and 9 months post AL completion. MANOVA analysis indicated selected significant differences (a) between the experimental and comparison groups' current culture scores, (b) between-subjects effects for the experimental and comparison groups relative to current minus preferred culture scores and, (c) a noteworthy significant difference between the experimental and comparison groups' agreement between current and preferred culture types. No significant relationships were found between groups in the preferred culture scores. The results suggest a link between an intervention of AL within the context of an ODS and leader perception of current and preferred culture types over three time periods. The implications for further research are described using AL as an intervention to develop leaders and promote cultural change within this kind of organizational system.;Key words: action learning, organizational culture, change, competing values framework. |
