Organizational culture profile of Malaysian high-tech industries

Abstract

Purpose– The role of organizational culture in determining success or failure of firms stands proven beyond doubt in numerous studies. The purpose of this paper is to examine organizational culture of the Malaysian high-tech sector and highlights the organizational culture dimensions most and least dominant in this sector. The study also examines differences with respect to organizational culture across the high-tech industries and different ownership types.Design/methodology/approach– Questionnaire survey method is used to collect the data from middle and top managers working in Malaysian high-tech industries.Findings– Five dimensions of organizational culture emerge in this study. Results indicate that harmony and social responsibility are the most and least dominant dimensions of organizational culture respectively. Significant differences are found in organizational culture across industries and ownership types.Originality/value– While organizational culture seems to be a fairly well-researched topic in Malaysia, there seems to be a dearth of studies investigating the issue of culture prevalent in the high-tech industries in Malaysia; this despite the paramount contribution of the high-tech industries to the Malaysian economy. This study identifies the culture of Malaysian high-tech industries, examines what cultural dimensions they focus on and do not, and compares organizational culture differences across industries and ownership structures.