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Published on March 19, 2008

It is not surprising to see energetic new graduates running here and there for tests and job interviews at various organisations, trying to find a starting point for careers.

It is also not unusual to see their enthusiasm die down and the positive thinking become negative because their whole experience turns sour with time. They become human robots working from 8.30am to 5pm instead of being the corporate assets that the organisations and they themselves expected. Who is to blame for this? I think the corporate culture plays a key role in this matter.

Even though the term "corporate culture" is commonly used, it is very difficult to properly define it. There are many kinds of definitions in the textbooks. But simply put, it is the internal culture prevalent in the workforce that you will recognise when you see it.

When talking about the Japanese corporate culture, one can easily mention words like "teamwork, loyalty, dedication, workaholism" because the Japanese tend to place more importance on group requirements than those of the individual. Even though the once-hailed business practice of lifetime employment has been weakened by the bursting of the Japanese economic bubble in the late 1980s, the enduring nature of this practice cannot be denied and may even be strengthened again when the economic situation has improved.

Job security binds employees to the firm, so it is difficult to imagine Japanese salary men becoming "job-hoppers". They tend not to switch jobs until retirement, highlighting their corporate loyalty.

What about us Thais? Can we figure out what the Thai corporate culture really is? Should the employees be blamed for leaving the company or for working like human robots until they reach retirement age? Has the organisation been permeated with the atmosphere of the same beliefs and values? Has the working philosophy and leadership style of the top management encouraged the employees to devote themselves to fulfilling corporate goals?

Though those questions are unanswered, one can realise that corporate culture really matters in our society.

Panatda Chennavasin

The Nation