Aspects like innovation, productivity, efficiency, burn-out prevention, recruitment, employee retention, collaboration, environmental awareness, integration and optimization after mergers and acquisitions have taken place and change readiness are all influenced by the culture of organizations.

Culture either enables or hinders management in achieving its strategic goals. Being aware of the role culture plays in your company or your customers´ company helps you to make by far the best out of it. You cannot cure a "decease" without having a proper diagnosis. The Hofstede Model helps you to accurately diagnose what the problem is. Yet, even if there is no problem you will benefit by our approach as there is always scope for improvement in an ever changing world.

The Hofstede model on strategy, culture and change provides consultants and end-users with knowledge and a toolset that "enables you to use culture as a practical tool of management". It places topics such as employee engagement and employee satisfaction in a broader perspective of an organization´s overall business strategy. It provides a framework into which all organizational and personal development activities are linked together to optimize concerted action. Too often change initiatives are limited to one particular objective, such as realization of more open communication, without being able to assess what the impact of more open communication will have on realization of all other objectives.

In 2012 FeedbackDialog organizes the first certification course in Finland from March 28th-March 30th. The course is divided in two parts.

Participation in the first part, taking one day, is aimed at those who want to get a better understanding of The Hofstede Model on Strategy, Culture and Change. Both lecturers on organizational theory and management and practitioners are invited to attend, resulting in a certification to lecture on the Model granted by The Hofstede Centre.

Participation in the second part, taking two days, is aimed at practitioners becoming certified consultants after completion.

The course will be given by our master trainer Bob Waisfisz, who is the founder of The Hofstede Centre. Bob has been working together with the renowned scholar Geert Hofstede since 1980.

The Content of the three days

March 28th:

Theoretical workshop on the Hofstede Model. The following topics are covered

• Background of development of the Model
• Proper research
• Content of the Model
• Proper use of the Model
• Comparison with other approaches
• Comparison with other models

After completing of the day you will be able to lecture on The Hofstede model on Strategy, Culture and Change and to link organizational culture to your own educational activities.

Costs: 1500 euros excl. VAT. This price includes one lunch, one dinner, refreshments and two books.

March 29th-30th: A hands-on workshop on the model and it´s practical applications as a follow-up to the first day. The following topics will be covered:

• Preparation of an assignment and discussion of all options that can be presented to a client
• Real-life scan of an organization everybody knows something about: A Criminal Investigation Department
• Conducting workshop 1 in which optimal culture will be assessed and optimal scores will be compared with the actual scores derived from the hands-on scan
• Conducting workshop 2 in which report will be discussed and potential follow-up actions
• Follow-up actions: What to do, how and when

After completing all three days you will have become a certified practitioner and eligible to use the auditing and change toolset in your own work. Costs: euro 3,000.- excl. VAT (excluding euro 1,500.- for the theoretical day). This price includes one free scan (one unit) worth euro 1,500.- plus two lunches, one dinner and refreshments. Note that this free scan has to be used within three months after completion of the course.

Organizations where the model and its tool-set have been used during 2011 include JCI International, Staples, the Dutch Red Cross, Kazachstan Mobile, Richard Allis, Westenburg, Procore, Univé, The Phoenix Group, etc. Companies ranging in size from 22 people to 10.000+ employees.

To enrol, contact sales@feedbackdialog.com or call +358451375007 (Egbert Schram).