This document summarizes a study on the impact of belonging to an ethnic minority or majority on the organizational culture of local governments in Estonia. The study examined municipalities in northeast Estonia where Estonians and Russians make up the two main ethnic groups. The results showed that municipalities where Estonians are the local majority still have a clan-like organizational culture with some hierarchy and adhocracy. Municipalities where Russians are the local majority seem to have lost their clan-like culture altogether. Language differences and attitudes towards training were also impacted by ethnic majority/minority status. The conclusion discusses management style, language barriers, training needs, and the flexibility and capability for cultural change.

1. IMPACT OF BELONGING TO ETHNIC MINORITY OR
MAJORITY ON ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Aet Kiisla
IRSPM conference
University of Birmingham, 30 March - 1 April 2015

2. INTRODUCTION
State's minority - local majority or majority
Belonging to minority or majority - organisational culture
North-East Estonia - 22 municipalities
Focus group interviews, expert interviews

3. BACKGROUND
National Culture
Organisational Culture
Research object

4. NATIONAL CULTURE
Maleki (2014) based on Hofstede, Minkov, Inglehart, Schwartz,
GLOBE, Parsons, Kluckhohn, Hall, Douglas, Triandis, Trompenaars.
Individualism vs. Collectivism; Power Distance; Uncertainty
Avoidance; Mastery vs. Harmony; Traditionalism vs. Secularism;
Indulgence vs. Restraint; Assertiveness vs. Tenderness; Gender
Egalitarianism; Collaborativeness

5. ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Cameron and Quinn (2011): hierarchy, clan, adhocracy and market
Vinkel (2008): Estonian municipalities have clan-like culture;
especially rural and smaller municipalities
Osbeck et al (1997): more willingness to communicate with the
representatives of the cultures with similar characteristics

6. RESEARCH OBJECT
Estonian region where two main national groups are Estonians and
Russians
Correlation between the share of Estonians and capacity of the
municipality: 0,21
Attitude towards training

7. CASE SELECTION STRATEGY

8. Sillamäe linn
Narva linn
Narva-Jõesuu linn
Alajõe vald
Kohtla-Järve linn
Vaivara vald
Jõhvi vald
Kiviõli linn
Aseri vald
Kohtla vald
Püssi linn
Illuka vald
Kohtla-Nõmme vald
Mäetaguse vald
Lohusuu vald
Sonda vald
Toila vald
Lüganuse vald
Tudulinna vald
Iisaku vald
Avinurme vald
Maidla vald
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Representative bureaucracy in the municipalities of North-East Estonia
Share of Estonians in municipalities % Share of Estonians among officials %

9. Capacity under average Capacity over average
State's majority – local
majority (more than 80%)
Tudulinna, Iisaku, Avinurme,
Maidla
Toila, Lüganuse
Heterogeneous (20-80%) Aseri, Kohtla, Püssi, Illuka,
Kohtla-Nõmme, Lohusuu,
Sonda
Vaivara, Jõhvi, Kiviõli,
Mäetaguse
State's majority – local
minority (less than 20%)
Narva-Jõesuu, Alajõe Sillamäe, Narva, Kohtla-
Järve

10. THE COURSE OF THE STUDY
Preparatory interview
Focus group interviews + cultural theories
Expert interviews + theories of organisational culture

11. RESULTS
Vinkel's data (2008): Estonian municipalities consider themselves
less clan-like than Russian ones but Estonians want to be more clan-
like and Russians prefer to be less clan-like. Curiously Estonian
municipalities would prefer more hierarchy.
Expert interview (2015): majority municipalities are still clan-like with
elements of adhocracy and hierarchy. Minority municipalities seem to
have lost clan-like organisational culture at all.
Predictable change towards the market style. Leaders influence the
change of organisational culture.

12. RESULTS
Language. So obvious, but the sub-themes revealed the depth and
diversity of the subject. Neither of the sub-themes can be explained
by cultural differences.
Attitude towards training cannot be clearly explained by the cultural
differences. Word 'motivation' was used when people were asked
about training. Barkov (2004: 129) explains how in Russian language
the word is differently understood. By motivation they meen reward or
stimulus, not willingness or reason.

13. CONCLUSION
Management style and organisational culture
Language
Training courses for officials and leaders
Flexibility and capability of change