Clan Culture and Industrial Organizational Performance: A Systematic Literature Review from the Perspective of Organizational Development

Abstract

Organizational performance in industrial settings is closely associated with organizational culture, although empirical findings on the relationship between clan culture and performance remain inconsistent. This study aims to synthesize the relationship between clan culture and organizational performance, including the mechanism underlying this relationship, from an Organizational Development perspective. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Relevant articles published between 2016 and 2026 were collected from ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, SAGE Journals, Scopus, and Wiley Online Library. After the identification, screening, and eligibility assessment processes, 18 empirical studies were included in the analysis using descriptive and narrative-thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that clan culture generally exhibits a positive relationship with organizational performance, although its significance varies across organizational context and performance indicator. This relationship may occur directly or through mechanisms such as knowledge sharing, total quality management, and open innovation, although the strength of empirical evidence differs across these mechanisms. Leaderships, managerial support, and work systems also appear to be relevant factors in this relationship. From an organizational development perspective, the collaborative values embedded in clan culture may contribute to organizational effectiveness when translated into appropriate workplace practices. Therefore, efforts to develop a collaborative organizational culture should be adapted to organizational needs and the performance indicators being pursued.