Organizational Culture as Related to Industry, Position and Performance: A Preliminary Report[1]

Reliable procedures for the measurement of organizational culture are necessary if the ideas developed in popular and scholarly literature are to be tested. A review of recent writings was the basis for defining 14 aspects of organizational culture. A questionnaire developed to capture these aspects was completed by those working in a diverse collection of business organizations. Industry and organizational position had a strong association with perceived work context, work values, and work beliefs. One industrial corporation, frequently cited as ‘excellent’, was not distinctive in terms of these measures. The results suggest that unless statements about organizational culture reflect differences related to industries and organizational, technical or task requirements, they are unlikely to be accurate.