Why this platform?
This platform is designed for managers, team leaders and HR professionals, who want to drive change with people at the heart of it. We created it, because the time has come for a central space, where knowledge, experiences and insights on culture change, can come together. That space didn’t exist – not in the Netherlands, and not internationally either.
We have deliberately chosen a thematic approach. Not all cultural changes are the same. What works during a merger won’t necessarily help a team in crisis. By focusing on specific themes, we make culture change more concrete, relatable and applicable in practice.
In more and more organisations, there’s a growing call to do things differently – to break ingrained patterns and become more agile. Whether it’s about improving team collaboration, changing workplace dynamics, or strengthening the organisation’s social impact, culture change is often the key.
Because ultimately, it’s people – their behaviour and mindset – that make the difference. But how do you steer something as intangible as ‘culture’? And how do you make it tangible, measurable and meaningful in everyday work?
This platform is designed for (line) managers, leaders, and HR professionals who want to drive people-centred change.
We focus exclusively on cultural transformation because it is a distinct field of expertise. And because it's time for a space where knowledge, experience, and insights come together grounded in the real questions professionals face every day. We’ve chosen a thematic approach deliberately. Not every cultural change is the same. What works during a merger doesn’t automatically apply to a team in crisis. By zooming in on specific themes, we make cultural change concrete, relatable, and actionable.
We, Rita van Dijk and Alex Straathof, founded this platform to make the value of cultural change both visible and practical, together with others. As the editorial team, we invite you to help us build it. Join us, share your experience, and let’s work together on creating organisations that are ready to move forward with confidence.
Drs. Rita van Dijk
My expertise lies in researching and achieving cultural change. In 2002, I founded Wending, a consultancy specialising in organisational culture. As an adviser, trainer and facilitator, I have extensive experience in shaping change processes across a wide range of organisations.
My work focuses on themes such as transgressive behaviour, building a healthy workplace culture, and dealing with resistance during change processes. I have also published several books and numerous articles on how to effectively lead cultural change.
My career began in the Dutch central government, after which I held senior consultancy roles at the BBDO Group and CMC, Communication Management Consultants. I studied Dutch Language and Literature (with distinction) at the University of Amsterdam, Communication Science at Utrecht University, and Intervention Science at the Institute for Group and Organisational Psychology.
Alex Straathof PhD
After studying Psychology at Leiden University (1984), I obtained my PhD in 2009 at Erasmus University with the dissertation In search of the core of culture change. In it, I developed a method for mapping organisational cultures and making changes within them measurable.
Before completing my PhD, I was, among other roles, Director of VOF Bouwen aan Integriteit and Managing Partner at the consultancy Gelukkig aan de Maas. Between 2011 and 2023, I worked as Professor of Culture Change Management at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, where I led a research group focused on issues relating to integrity, criminal infiltration, and cultural differences between organisations.
In 2023, I published Influencing Culture, a book offering practical insights into how to recognise and purposefully influence organisational culture.
Other contributing authors #2 Culture change interventions
Carmen van den Blink
After completing my degree in Management, Economics & Law, I built up twenty years’ experience in a range of HR and leadership positions. I’m passionate about organisations in transition – that’s where I truly thrive. I enjoy engaging with strategic organisational challenges and translating them into effective HR policies and processes. Above all, I’m driven by supporting managers and employees through change. As an independent professional (Blinkuit!), I work as an interim HR manager on transformation projects and leadership and team development.
Eric ten Hulsen
Eric ten Hulsen is a writer and organisational consultant. He is a social psychologist with over forty years of experience in public service, including eighteen years in senior management positions within local government and as headteacher of a secondary school. He now works as an independent consultant with a particular interest in collaboration and partnership between organisations. In 2024, Eric published the novel De wezen van Amsterdam and also writes short stories, haiku, and articles on the history of Amsterdam.