Weathering the storm: A case study of organizational culture and effectiveness in times of disruptive jolts and crisis

Abstract

A crisis stems from an unexpected negative change in the environment, threatening the high-priority values of the organization. As a crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic jolted businesses worldwide, necessitating an investigation into the aspects of such an unsolicited change in the culture and effectiveness of organizations. With this aim, this research is based on a two-step explanatory case study of a manufacturing firm. In the first step, to measure the change in the OC, a paired-sample test was conducted using the Denison organizational culture survey model. Next, a qualitative inquiry was carried out, and the data were analysed through theme analysis. The results show significant changes in all 4 traits, including strategic direction and intent, vision and agreement, explained by the 12 qualitative themes. Ultimately, this study answers the long-overlooked impact of a jolt, inducing a crisis, on the organizational culture. It sheds light on the importance of clarity of vision, core values and trust during a crisis.