Pull yourself up by your bootstraps

Ferdinand de Saussure's "Course in General Linguistics" laid the groundwork for structuralism, emphasizing language as a system of conventions. Structuralism's influence extends to organizational analysis, highlighting formal structures like charts and informal ones like culture. Culture, a powerful, non-formal structure, influences behavior, often overshadowing formal authority. Changing culture requires acknowledging its complexity and power dynamics. Organizations must understand both formal and cultural structures to achieve effective change, as illustrated by examples in biotech and software firms. Structuralism's perspective encourages recognizing multiple power structures to guide healthier organizational operations.