Teamwork, time pressure and credibility : Does organizational culture affect employee motivation and perceived pressure to perform in the audit industry?

This study is focusing on how organizational culture affects motivation and perceived pressure to perform within the audit industry, as this is a field of knowledge where relatively little research has been done. Organizational culture is, according to existing research, an integral variable for organisations and their success. It is mirrored, amongst other ways, in the relationships between the employees of an organisation, and in how they act. Organizational culture can affect the level of employee motivation and by extension their ability to perform. It is essential to understand in which ways organizational culture affect employees.The study is limited to the four largest auditing firms: EY, Deloitte, PwC and KPMG. The audit industry is characterized by a high level of pressure, which can be a contributing factor in raising the perceived demands to perform. High demands to perform can lead to dysfunctional behaviour.The study is based on a quantitative method, and a questionnaire was used for the gathering of data. The survey is based on a previously established concept. The data was analysed using a theory that comprises the variables of the study: organizational culture, motivation and perceived pressure to perform.When processing the data through factor analysis, it appeared to explain three different components of organizational culture. These components are the social, the result oriented and the risk taking aspects. They were analysed as separate variables. The results showed that when employees find the organizational culture to be more social, they feel less pressure to perform and they exhibit more inner motivation. The result of the study establishes the importance of the social aspects of organizational culture within the four larges auditing firms