The influence of organisational culture and knowledge-sharing on business systems success : a case of Saudi Arabian firms

University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of organisational culture and knowledge-sharing on business systems success in Saudi Arabian firms. Understanding the factors that contribute to business systems success has been a challenging process for both public and private organisations in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has managed to attract a workforce from all over the world, and this has enabled it to merge varied cultures. Organisational culture is measured as a significant aspect supporting knowledge-sharing between employees. Based on the competing value framework (CVF) (Quinn and Spreitzer, 1991), this research shows how various dimensions of organisational culture influence knowledge-sharing and business systems success, particularly the organisational and individual impact. In order to answer the research questions and test the hypotheses, this study applied a mixed-method research methodology that incorporated both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Phase 1 of the research study employs a quantitative method, with data collected from a survey of employees from Saudi Arabian firms. A qualitative research method (case study) is then carried out as the second phase of the research, which was used to support the validity of the quantitative results. 330 responses were used for quantitative data analysis, and 10 interviews were conducted with employees from two firms in Saudi Arabia for the quantitative data analysis. The results show a positive relationship exists between organisational culture (such as development, group, hierarchy and rational culture), knowledge-sharing and business system success in Saudi Arabian firms. The findings show that organisational culture has a strong impact on business system success through knowledge-sharing. On the basis of this study’s findings, it is argued that to achieve better business system outcomes (such as organisational and individual impact), it is important to influence organisational culture and knowledge-sharing. Moreover, the knowledge must be made available to all stakeholders involved in the ongoing use of business systems. This study has made a noteworthy contribution to the body of knowledge in that it is the first to investigate the relationship between organisational culture, knowledge-sharing and business system success in the Saudi Arabian context. In terms of practical implications, managers in Saudi firms should not pay attention on only one cultural type but should focus on all four cultural types (development, group, hierarchy and rational culture) to form a well-balanced culture to achieve business systems success in terms of organisational and individual impact