The Gap Between Expected and Perceived Organizational Culture in an Iranian University of Medical Sciences from the Perspective of Different Stakeholder Groups

Background: Organizational culture plays a key role in the success of organizations. Therefore, it is important to measure the gap between stakeholders’ perceptions and expectations of the dominant culture in that organization. This study investigates the gap between the perceptions and expectations of the academic community at the Iran University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to the end of October 2021. 960 students, faculty members, staff, and administrators were selected using simple random sampling. The data was collected through Robbin’s organizational culture questionnaire including ten components to assess the gap between the existing (perceived) and desired (expected) organizational status.Results: The highest and lowest gap between expectations and perceptions out of five possible scores were observed in the reward system (1.74±1.16) and communication patterns (1.01±1.16) components, respectively. The gap between participants’ perceptions and expectations is associated with individuals’ demographic characteristics in most organizational culture components (P<0.05).Conclusion: Increasing productivity in the university depends on strengthening and promoting its organizational culture. The organizational culture can be improved by meeting the academic community’s expectations by paying attention to the demographic characteristics of staff and taking the necessary actions. Therefore, it should be a strategic priority for managers.