Leadership and Organisational Culture in Thai Public Sector

Natt Pimpa

School of Management

Research Objectives

• To investigate organisational culture and leadership styles in the contexts of Thai and Australian public sectors.

• To compare perceptions on organisational culture between Thai and Australian public sectors.

• To compare preferred leadership styles between Thai and Australian public sector officers.

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Methodology

• Mixed-method approach

• Phase 1: Questionnaire survey with 134 Thai and 150 Australian public sector officers (Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Department of education and early childhood development, DFAT)

• Phase 2: Personal interview with public sector leaders (33 in Thailand, 16 in Australia)

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Organisational Culture

Orientation Australia Thailand t-value

Uncertainty Orientation 2.92 3.81 16.42**

Power Orientation 2.31 3.42 21.81**

Group Orientation 2.14 2.92 15.06**

Gender Orientation 1.43 2.35 10.97**

Goal Orientation 3.53 3.67 7.73**

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** = .00

Leadership Style

Leadership Style Australia Thailand t-value

Participative style 3.74 3.55 2.31*

Conflict resolution 3.26 3.43 2.10*

Task orientation 3.82 3.42 2.52*

Strategic thinking 3.74 3.69 2.20*

Supportive style 3.54 3.67 2.32*

Customer orientation 3.72 3.60 3.45

Relationship orientation 3.12 3.76 3.89**

Communication 3.44 3.54 1.34

Org. value creation 3.34 3.51 2.34

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Preferred Leadership Styles

Australia Thailand-Warm and Charismatic.

- Show direction.

- Relationship-oriented style.

-Flexibility in Roles and Tasks.

- Experienced.

-Equal relationship.

- Flexibility in Roles and Tasks.

- Task-oriented style.

-Leaders who can laugh at themselves.

-Participative Leader.

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CONCEPTION 1: GODFATHER

“The TAN (sir) culture remains in our public system and I believe it comes from our national culture. We were taught by our parent to study and be the boss in the future (Jao Khon Nai Khon). Who doesn’t want to be TAN?” (Suban, 52)

“We like our leader to set a clear direction for us and tell us how to achieve the plan.” (Nantana, 53)

“Links between leadership and Boonkoon is the fact of this country.” (Pornipa, 60)

Age and experiences

BoonKoon

(Merit)

Male

Powerful

(Amnaj)

Leading through change

Social connection

Authoritarian Relationship building

Formal

Warm Know the system

CONCEPTION 2: MADAME

Female BoonKoon

(Merit)

Relationship-orientation

Participative Flexible Social connection

Communicative

Relationship building

Academically smart

Warm Trustworthiness

Steel Magnolia

(Strong&independent)

• “We have a number of strong female leaders who are experienced and flexible. They deal with ‘change’ very well” (Kasem, 53).

• “Most female leaders in the public system are strong and warm. They are hard-working people and are well-respected by their subordinates.” (Jintana, 49).

CONCEPTION 3: SPECIALIST

“ Public sector reform will be successful if our leader show us the key priorities of the Ministry and draft the long-term actions and implement them” (Chaleo, 58).

“I think our country need more leaders who can modernise national public sector system by injecting new techniques and approached in management” (Kasama, 58)

Knowledge Western Management

Leading by example

Well-educated

Modern

Change Wisdom Technical Smart

Innovation

CONCEPTION 4: POLITICIAN

Flexibility Charming Well-spoken

Cunning Controlled Informal

Supportive Connection Outspoken

Inspirational

“Leaders who are flexible and smart will survive the complex of Thai public sector system.” (Chaleo, 58)

“The fact that politics control our public system is sad. In my life, I have seen a number of leaders who exercised their powers through political connections and became successful.” (Kasem, 53)

CONCEPTION 5: QUIRKINESS

Stylish Modern Courage

Visionary People-person

Informal

Participative Radical Outspoken

Fair Know the system

Young

“In public sector, we need someone who can challenge old ways of thinking and system.” (Chaleo, 58)

“A number of young leaders in our Ministry are outspoken and radical. We love them” (Kasem, 53)

Implications

• There is no best leadership style in the Thai organisational context.

• Thai public sector organisations tend to adopt task-orientated, supportive approaches and customer-orientated leadership styles.

• The traditional types of leadership remain powerful.

• An outcry for modern leadership styles.

• The effects of organisational culture on leadership styles.

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