Briefly discuss the three perspectives or theories about the relationship between organizational culture and performance as asserted by John Kotter and James Heskett.

Answers will vary. John Kotter and James Heskett have reviewed three theories about the relationship between organizational culture and performance and the evidence that either supports or refutes these theories. The three are: the strong-culture perspective, the fit perspective, and the adaptation perspective. The strong-culture perspective states that organizations with strong cultures perform better than other organizations. This type of culture is also highly resistant to change. Strong cultures are thought to facilitate performance for three reasons. First, strong cultures are characterized by goal alignment. Second, they create a high level of motivation because of the values shared by the members. Third, they provide control without the oppressive effects of a bureaucracy.
The fit perspective argues that a culture is good only if it fits an industry or a firm's strategy. For example, a culture that values a traditional hierarchical structure and stability would not work well in the computer manufacturing industry, which demands fast response and a lean, flat organization.
The third theory about culture and performance is the adaptation perspective. Its theme is that only cultures that help organizations adapt to environmental change are associated with excellent performance. An adaptive culture is a culture that encourages confidence and risk taking among employees, has leadership that produces change, and focuses on the changing needs of customers. Please see the section "The Relationship of Culture to Performance" for more information.