The Relationship of Culture and Values to Performance and Effectiveness: A Case Study of Fragmented Organizational Culture

Abstract

The importance of research on value and attitudes related to work is obvious, since values play a central role in determining the compatibility of individuals and employment organizations. Recognizing the importance of this issue, the paper emphasizes the importance of individual and organizational values for organizations, their potential to be part of strategic planning, and the goals of all responsible managers. The purpose of this study was to analyze the cultural agreement among an organization's subcultures, identifying the values perceived by its leadership and staff clusters. A case study was performed within an organization, which grew out of the Brazilian government's need to technically and financially encourage national studies and research as well as economic, social, scientific, and technical projects and programs, in order to fulfil the Federal Government's goals and priorities regarding specific sectors. A multi-method study that included documental analysis, workshops, observations, and individual interviews with open questions and questionnaires was performed. The level of significance was 95% with a 10% margin of error. The results suggested that certain organizational values were predominant in the collective psyche. The misalignment or the alignment of values, and their relationship to perceived cultural fit was not shown to improve the organization performance and effectiveness. This study offers insights that lead us to believe that this alignment is possible if current differences in perceptions can be attenuated.