A hands-on study for executives, researchers, and students who want to better understand how organizational culture can support or impede decision making strategies in a complex changing collegiate environment is provided. Leadership strategies and institutional problems are described. Seven different collegiate cultures are explored via case study research conducted with 400 academic officials from a wide variety of schools. The five sections are as follows: (1) introduction (the cultural drama of organizational life and the search for dynamic equilibrium in organizational culture); (2) culture and continuity ("Rural State College" and "Family State College"); (3) culture and change ("Mission University,""Present State College," and "Covenant University"); (4) culture and identity ("Triad University" and "R&D University"); and (5) conclusion (the challenge to leadership). Appended are: some thoughts on method: procedures for validating qualitative research; sample documents about the study; 1983 and 1985 rankings of the cases on selected institutional performance survey questions; and tables of financial and enrollment data. An index is provided. Contains 60 references. (SM)