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**
** = .00
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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
-Equal relationship.
- Flexibility in Roles and
Tasks.
- Task-oriented style.
-Leaders who can laugh
at themselves.
Thailand
-Warm and Charismatic.
- Show direction.
- Relationship-oriented style.
-Flexibility in Roles and Tasks.
- Experienced.
-Participative Leader.
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CONCEPTION 1: GODFATHER
Age and
experiences
BoonKoon
Powerful
Leading
through
change
Social
connection
Relationship
building
Formal
(Amnaj)
Authoritarian
Warm
Male
(Merit)
Know the
system
“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)
CONCEPTION 2: MADAME
Female
BoonKoon
(Merit)
Relationshiporientation
• “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).
Participative
Flexible
Social
connection
Communicativ
e
Relationship
building
Academically
smart
Warm
Trustworthin
ess
Steel
Magnolia
(Strong&ind
ependent)
CONCEPTION 3: SPECIALIST
Knowledge
Western
Managem
ent
Leading by
example
Welleducated
Modern
Change
Wisdom
Technical
Smart
Innovation
“ 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)
CONCEPTION 4: POLITICIAN
Flexibility
Charming
Well-spoken
Cunning
Controlled
Informal
Supportive
Inspirational
Connection
Outspoken
“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
Peopleperson
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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