An Empirical Assessment of the Relationship between National Culture and Learning Capability in Organisations in Cambodia

Abstract

An intensely competitive world forces organizations to act ever more quickly. To enhance their capability to respond to change, organizations should seek to identify what are their core competencies and the competitive advantages which are their keys to success. The term "organizational learning" has become a term of interest to many academics and practitioners because this represents the organization's ability to change. Simultaneously, organizations have to consider the cultural context in environments in which they act. This paper assesses the relationship between national culture and learning capabilities of a sample of organizations in Cambodia. The survey questionnaire, which received 417 responses, related to national culture and organizational learning. The study found that national culture had strong relationships with learning capabilities of organizations in Cambodia. The paper concludes by following some recommendations for Cambodian organizations to take into consideration to strengthen their levels of performance.

Third Sector Governance in Asia: Tracing Hybridity

“…This is consistent with a focus on patron-client relationships, as described above. Local researchers discussed the concept of 'face' at length: Losing face and saving face are important cultural considerations in Cambodia (Ty et al, 2010). Attention to one's position in a hierarchical society means simultaneously avoiding challenging those with higher status and not accepting the ideas of those with lower status.…”