Merck salesman “haunted” by his past : The challenge of adapting to a different organizational culture

Purpose – This paper aims to contrast the cultures of two organizations – the US Navy's nuclear‐submarine force and large pharmaceutical firm Merck – through the experiences of former naval officer turned pharmaceutical salesman, Howard Roark. Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts and finishes with Howard Roark's appraisal. It considers the history of Merck, and Admiral Rickover and the nuclear navy, and explains Roark's employment history. Findings – The paper shows how Roark's challenges in adjusting to Merck were interpersonal and political, and how leadership skills need to be adapted according to the environment. Practical implications – The paper gives an insight into managerial skills, human resource strategy and organizational behavior. Originality/value – The paper illustrates the importance of being able to adapt to different organizational cultures.