The culture-effectiveness link in a manufacturing context: A resource-based perspective

The literature and the press tout organizational culture as a major source of competitive advantage and a key approach through which organizations can achieve superior effectiveness. However, research on this link within and across global regions remains inconclusive. Grounding the study on the resource-based view of the firm, analysis of 238 plants from eight countries shows that, while individual culture types predict manufacturing effectiveness, the combined effects of multiple culture types have a greater effect. Different culture types emerge as significant in East and West regions depending on the effectiveness dimension prioritized by the plant.