Size Matters: Organisational Culture in Small, Medium, and Large Australian Organisations

Abstract

Despite extensive research on corporate culture, very little empirical research has examined the culture of small organisations. An updated version of the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP, O’Reilly, Chatman, and Caldwell, 1991) was used in an Australia-wide survey (n=1918). Executives from small, medium, and large organisations recorded perceptions of the culture of their organisations. The results indicate that small organisations (<100 employees, n=655) were perceived to be significantly more supportive, competitive, innovative, and performance-oriented than medium-sized or large organisations. Practical and theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.