Organizational culture and strategy implementation: Trompenaar’s culture typology perspective

Abstract

Most formulated strategies do not end up being successfully implemented are a result of a number of factors leading to interest in examining how culture may be related to strategy implementation. In this study, we examined the relationship between organization culture and strategy implementation using a survey of 129 respondents from 43 commercial banks in Kenya. Trompenaars four culture types were used for organizational culture while strategy implementation was operationalised and measured using three subconstructs:organization communication, policy framework and short-term objectives. We found significant relationship between organization culture and strategy implementation. Specifically cultures that are formal and task oriented (Guided missile and Eiffel tower)were more significantly related to strategy implementation (organization communication, policy framework and short-term objectives), compared with those that were person oriented, such as family cultures. Being among the first attempts to use Trompenaars culture topology to study the relationship between organization culture and strategy implementation, these findings have important implications for managers with regard to what cultures to promote in the banks and possibly other organisations in order to improve strategy implementation, and hence successful organization performance.