A preliminary mapping of organizational culture and intercultural communication competence in Indonesian state-owned enterprises

Abstract

Studies on organizational culture and intercultural communication have long
been conducted. One prominent organization fostering an organizational culture
in Indonesia is Indonesia’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Despite this
focus, limited research has examined intercultural communication competence
among SOE employees and their perception of organizational culture. In fact,
organizations in Indonesia, which consist of diverse cultures, require cross
cultural communication skills and a shared understanding of organizational
culture in order to achieve their goals. Employing Cameron and Quinn’s
Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) and Deardorff’s (2006)
Intercultural Competence framework, this quantitative study surveyed 315
employees across 42 state-owned enterprises. Results indicate a prevailing
Market culture, defined by five key dimensions: leadership, human resources,
organizational cohesion, strategic priorities, and success criteria. However,
based on dominant characteristics, SOEs also align with a Hierarchy culture—
formal, structured, and reliant on established procedures. The findings indicate
a significant relationship between organizational culture and intercultural
communication competence, highlighting the importance of intercultural
competence in market-oriented organizations.