Size Matters: Organizational Culture in Small, Medium, and Large Australian Organizations

Despite extensive research on corporate culture, very little empirical research has examined the culture of small organizations. 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 organizations recorded perceptions of the culture of their organizations. The results indicate that small organizations (<100 employees) were perceived to be significantly more supportive, competitive, innovative, and performance-oriented than large organizations. Practical and theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.