Lessons Learned from Cultural Features in Kibbutz Industries

Research was conducted in a non-privatized community at T Kibbutz Industries. Its aim was to analyze the unique T factory culture and to understand its covert source. The study develops a typology of cultural features observed at kibbutz industries (based on four previous case studies, with focus on T Industries) that can also be applied to other businesses. Research was conducted using qualitative methods, namely a case study including ethnographic interviews and document analysis. The findings identified an organizational culture embodying two contradicting traditions: socialistic and capitalistic values and norms. The former comprised collective principles, transparent information, teamwork, egalitarian and amicable human relationships and future management orientation, while the latter upheld professionalism, innovation, creativity and global aspirations. The managers' ability to overcome the conflictual culture yielded an open and innovative organization that responded well to competitive environmental markets. The case study was analyzed through development of the typology first devised by Cameron and Quinn (1999, reprinted 2010), perceiving T Industries according to its clanlike, bureaucratic and competitive market attributes, whereas other kibbutz industries studied are more compatible with the combination of bureaucratic and competitive market features.