Application of Mixed Method (Quantitative and Qualitative) In the Pathology of the Organizational Culture of a Research Institute

In today's rapidly changing environment, recognition and evaluation of organizational culture, as an appropriate platform for organizational change, plays a key role in the successful implementation of organizational improvement programs. Purpose The purpose of the study was to provide a quantitative and qualitative approach to the pathology of organizational culture.

The research method was mixed (quantitative and qualitative) and the population of the study consists of two populations of the staff and experts of an active research institute in the field of defense.  The population of the staff comprised of 175 people, by means of the Cochran formula, the sample size was determined to be 120 individuals. Lastly, based on the data of 111 returned questionnaires, the analysis was performed. Sampling method was chosen to be simple random. The sample size of the organization's experts comprised of 12 people whom were selected through random sampling and snowball sampling. In order to determine the gap between the current and optimum organizational culture, the organizational culture assessment instrument (OCAI) (quantitative section) in which its validity and reliability were confirmed by various researchers who have utilized it in their studies, was used and via the calculation of mean and variance, the existing and optimum status and the gap between them were investigated. Moreover, in order to determine the causes of the gaps, through conducting interviews and thematic analysis and software SQR NVivo10 (qualitative section) were utilized.

The results indicate that the highest gap was related to tribal and hierarchical quadrants. Through conducting interviews and thematic analysis, the causes of gaps and solutions to these gaps were presented.

It is suggested that, in order to improve planning for construction of appropriate changes in the organizational culture, determination of gaps by means of quantitate methods and OCAI to be performed at first. In addition, identification of causes of gaps, and finding suitable solutions via conducting interviews and thematic analysis.