Organizational Culture and Innovative Work Behavior: A Case Study of a Manufacturer of Packaging Machines

Companies need to occupy a unique market share to survive in a highly competitive business world. One of the possibilities to create a unique market share is innovation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of innovative work behavior, type of organizational culture and the relation between innovative work behavior and organizational culture. This case study was conducted at a manufacturer of packaging machines and could be used as an example for other companies that worked within a highly innovative work field. The employees perceived the current dominant culture as a market culture and were convinced they could improve their innovative work behavior as shown by the higher average scores on preferred innovative work behavior than the current level of innovative work behavior. The preferred organizational culture was a family culture. Even though the literature confirms that family and market cultures will enhance innovative work behavior, the results from the questionnaire only show a significant correlation between the market culture and innovative work behavior in the organization. It is concluded that a transition of the current market culture towards a more family culture is needed, but in the meantime the market culture should be preserved.