Organisational culture and effectiveness. A multi-perspective evaluation of an Indian knowledge-intensive firm
| Published date | 01 April 2019 |
| Date | 01 April 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-09-2017-0219 |
| Pages | 538-551 |
| Author | Jossy Mathew |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Industrial/labour relations,Employment law |
Organisational culture
and effectiveness
A multi-perspective evaluation of an
Indian knowledge-intensive firm
Jossy Mathew
Business School, Middlesex University, London, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the theorised relationship between
organisational culture and effectiveness.
Design/methodology/approach –The empirical data were collected through a five month ethnographic
study in an Indian knowledge-intensive firm. It adopts the three-perspective framework of culture that
encompasses integration, differentiation and fragmentation perspectives and a comprehensive examination
of effectiveness.
Findings –Integrated, differentiated and fragmented perspectives of culture capture multiple organisational
values and they affect effectiveness in varied ways. Appropriate cultures, although not sufficient conditions,
are crucial for effectiveness, especially in knowledge-intensive firms. High levels of differentiation and
fragmentation prevent the formation of strong cultures. This challenges organisational integration.
Practical implications –There is heightened need for the application of sophisticated HRM systems in the
Indian software sector. Some context specific measures of effectiveness are documented.
Originality/value –Through an insightful evaluation of culture effectiveness theorisation till date, the
paper amplifies current theorisation and illustrates the potential and limitations of organisational cultures in
achieving effectiveness.
Keywords Organizational culture, Organizational effectiveness, Three-perspective framework
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The rise and popularity of organisational culture in organisation research was primarily
driven by the theorised assumption that particular organisational cultures are better suited
to high performance (see Roethlisberger and Dickson, 1939). The search for this “holy grail”
of cultural attributes that can bestow organisations with superior performance has
dominated the research on organisational culture in the last 40 years with numerous studies
exploring the nature of these linkages (Wang and Rafiq, 2014; Wilderom et al., 2000;
Hartnell et al., 2011). Although there has been a general decline in the research interest on
organisational culture, the interest on organisational values that culture captures is still
intense, evidenced by the growing stream of studies on social capital (Espedal et al., 2013).
The findings of culture effectiveness studies have been largely inconclusive, with
outcomes ranging from positive linkages (Denison et al., 2004) to uncertainty (Lee and
Yu, 2004). The adoption of quantitative, functionalist approaches appears to explain the
incessant efforts to expound a relationship, without a deeper understanding of the norms,
values and assumptions that inform them. The predominant managerial focus of existing
studies contributes to doubts as to whether what current studies measure is, indeed, culture
(see Wilderom et al., 2000). Another critical drawback is that current studies explored the
relationship between present culture and past performance.
To comprehensively explore this relationship, this paper employs the three-perspective
framework of organisational culture that is derived from Meyerson and Martin (1987) and
refined according to Martin (2002) and Martin et al. (2006). Thi s framework presents culture
and effectiveness as linkedin multiple waysand incorporates allorganisational participants, in
Employee Relations:
The International Journal
Vol. 41 No. 3, 2019
pp. 538-551
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/ER-09-2017-0219
Received 14 September 2017
Revised 2 August 2018
Accepted 6 August 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0142-5455.htm
538
ER
41,3
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