Skip to main content

Culture in Indian Organisations: Evidence-Based Research and Practice

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: India Studies in Business and Economics ((ISBE))

Abstract

A Google search on the 29 November 2014 at 2200 h GMT inputting the words ‘culture in Indian organisations’ generated ‘about 18,000,000 results (0.38 s)’. Similarly the same words in Google Scholar yielded ‘about 89,300 results (0.06 s)’. These results are not surprising given the World Bank predicting that globally in the near future, India will be the second largest economy after China. The recent high growth rates reported by businesses in the Indian economy, whilst laudable from some perspectives (Cappelli et al. 2010), also need to be sustainable, especially amidst its high cultural diversity. As the world’s largest and most diverse democracy, the Indian society can be best described as a ‘cultural melting pot’ with a combination of multiple cultures, value systems and sociopolitical and institutional orientations. Further, India as one of the oldest civilisations is now regarded the second largest growing economy in the world. As such, there is growing international interest in understanding and unbundling the intricacies of Indian culture (Milner 1994; Nicholson and Sahay 2001), especially through empirical evidence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Banerjee, S. B., & Linstead, S. (2001). Globalization, multiculturalism and other fictions: Colonialism for the new millennium? Organization, 8(4), 683–722.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauza, M. (2006, December 16). On-the-job praying: Can religion and work mix? McClatchy-Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/463048896?accountid=27975

  • Cappelli, P., Singh, H., Singh, J., & Useem, M. (2010). The India way: How India’s top business leaders are revolutionizing management. Boston: Harvard Business Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chermers, M., Oskamp, S., & Costanzo, M. (1995). Diversity in organizations: New perspectives for a changing workplace. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deshpandé, R., & Farley, J. U. (2004). Organizational culture, market orientation, innovativeness, and firm performance: An international research odyssey. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 21(1), 3–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doktor, R., Tung, R. L., & Von Glinow, M. A. (1991). Future directions for management theory development. Academy of Management Review, 16(2), 362–365.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, R. (2008). Religion at work. HR Magazine, 53(12), 26–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulati, R. (2007). Tent poles, tribalism, and boundary spanning: The rigor-relevance debate in management research. Academy of Management Journal, 50(4), 775–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede, G. (1983). National cultures in four dimensions: A research-based theory of cultural differences among nations. International Studies of Management and Organization, 13, 46–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Human Resource Management. (2010). Special issue: Emerging patterns of HRM in the new Indian economic environment. 49(3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Journal of World Business. (2012). India special issue. 47(1).

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillin, D. C. (2006). Outsourcing identities: Call centres and cultural transformation in India. Economic and Political Weekly, 41(3), 235–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendenhall, M., & Oddou, G. (1985). The dimensions of expatriate acculturation: A review. Academy of Management Review, 10(1), 39–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milner, M., Jr. (1994). Status and sacredness: A general theory of status relations and an analysis of Indian culture. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson, B., & Sahay, S. (2001). Some political and cultural issues in the globalisation of software development: Case experience from Britain and India. Information and Organization, 11(1), 25–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nigam, R., & Su, Z. (2011). Management in emerging versus developed countries: A comparative study from an Indian perspective. Journal of Centrum Cathedra, 4(1), 124–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pati, S. P., & Kumar, P. (2011). Human resource practices as engagement driver: An empirical investigation in Indian software development firms. International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 4(5), 473–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira, V., & Malik, A. (2013). East is east? Understanding aspects of Indian culture(s) within organisations: A special issue call for papers on culture and organization volume 21, issue 5 (2015). Culture and Organization, 19(5), 1–19. doi:10.1080/14759551.2013.848634. ISSN 1475-9551.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey, R. (2007). When religion and work clash. SuperVision, 68(9), 13–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., & Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, H., & Khamba, J. S. (2009). An evaluation of AMTs utilisation in Indian industry for enhanced manufacturing performance: Evidence from large-and medium-scale organisations. International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2(6), 585–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spicer, A., & Sewell, G. (2010). From national service to global player: Transforming the organizational logic of a public broadcaster. Journal of Management Studies, 47(6), 913–943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tayeb, M. (1994). Organizations and national culture: Methodology considered. Organization Studies, 15(3), 429–445.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trompenars, F. O. N. S., & Hampden-Turner, C. (1993). Riding the waves of culture. London: Nicholas Brealey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trottman, M. (2013). Religious discrimination claims on the raise. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304682504579153462921346076

  • Upadhya, C. (2008). Management of culture and managing through culture in the Indian software outsourcing industry. In C. Upadhya & A. R. Vasavi (Eds.), In an outpost of the global economy: Work and workers in India’s information technology industry (pp. 101–135). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkataratnam, C., & Chandra, V. (1996). Sources of diversity and challenge before human resource management in India. International Journal of Manpower, 17(4/5), 76–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weeks, J., Ailon, G., & Brannen, M. Y. (2013). Call for papers: Special issue on the day to day life of organizational cultures and communities. Organization Studies, 34(11), 1733–1734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vijay Pereira .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Pereira, V., Malik, A. (2015). Culture in Indian Organisations: Evidence-Based Research and Practice. In: Pereira, V., Malik, A. (eds) Investigating Cultural Aspects in Indian Organizations. India Studies in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16098-6_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics