The Impact of Organizational Culture on the Innovation and Performance of SMEs: A Comparative Study between Germany and Thailand

Innovation is recognized as one of the key factors for economic growth and building a competitive advantage for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in today’s world. The purpose of this research is to investigate how innovation is related to organizational culture and performance of SMEs located in Germany and Thailand. Based on an extensive literature review, the authors propose a comprehensive research model that integrates the competing values framework, organizational innovation and the balanced scorecard framework. Data from 213 respondents across both countries were collected and analyzed utilizing structural equation modelling. Results show that despite their contrasting national cultures, adhocracy culture is a key driver of organizational innovation in both countries, leading to enhanced overall organizational performance, particularly in financial and customer dimensions. This study enriches organizational behaviour research with unique cross-cultural perspectives and equips leaders of SMEs with practical strategies for cultivating an adhocracy culture across diverse cultural landscapes.