EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INFORMAL ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ON SERVICE DELIVERY: CASE OF A LOCAL AUTHORITY IN ZIMBABAWE
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
Informal culture, frequently characterised by unwritten rules, social norms and interpersonal relationships, plays a critical role in shaping employee behaviour and organisational effectiveness. The present study set out to explore the role of informal organisational culture on service delivery at a selected local authority in Zimbabwe. The present qualitative research utilised a case study design, with in-depth interviews being used to collect data from 30 conveniently selected participants. The study's findings indicated that informal organisational culture has a positive and negative effect on service delivery in local authorities. Positive informal interactions among employees lead to improved co-operation and responsiveness to community needs. They also foster a sense of camaraderie and teamwork, enhance open communication channels, and boost employee morale. Conversely, negative informal cultural practices such as cliques, exclusion, favouritism, resistance to change, and misalignment between informal culture and formal organisational goals can hinder performance and the delivery of quality services. The study concludes that an understanding of, and ability to leverage, informal organisational culture is essential for improving service delivery in local authorities. Consequently, managers must endeavour to foster a conducive informal environment that is congruent with the formal organisational culture and objectives. This study makes a significant contribution to the broader discourse on organisational culture and service delivery, particularly in the context of developing regions, where formal structures may be less effective when operating in isolation.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
informal organisational culture, service delivery, city, local authority
Adams, D., & Hakonarson, H. (2024). An integrated approach to service delivery for people with multiple and complex needs. OECD Social, Employment, and Migration Working Papers, (305), 0_1–36.
af Hällström, A., Bosch-Sijtsema, P., & Poblete, L. (2025). Challenges with collaboration: the interaction of formal and informal ties in infrastructure construction. Construction Management and Economics, 43(1), 7–25.
Ahsan, M. J. (2025). Cultivating a culture of learning: the role of leadership in fostering lifelong development. The Learning Organization, 32(2), 282–306.
Ayalew, A. F. (2024). Determinants of Public Service Delivery of Local Governments: The Case of Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research, 6(2).
Bella, K. M. J. (2023). Exploring the impact of workplace relationships and employee job satisfaction. International Journal of Scientific Research in Modern Science and Technology, 2(8), 55–62.
Bester, J. (2024). Making dysfunctional municipalities functional: towards a framework for improving municipal service delivery performance in South African municipalities. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (29), 59–78.
Bourgault, A. M., & Goforth, C. (2021). Embrace teamwork to create and maintain a positive workplace culture. Critical Care Nurse, 41(3), 8–10.
Cairney, P., & Toomey, C. (2024). Collaborative Policymaking: a qualitative systematic review of advice for policymakers. Open Research Europe, 4, 204.
Chatiza, K., Mubvundu, M., & Chisango, S. (2021). Employee engagement and service delivery in tertiary institutions: case of a Public University in Zimbabwe. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 5(11), 79–102.
Deger, L. (2025). Resistance to new technologies on the firm and interfirm level/Author Leonhard Deger.
Dong, L., Duarte, F., Duranton, G., Santi, P., Barthelemy, M., Batty, M., & Ratti, C. (2024). Defining a city—delineating urban areas using cell-phone data. Nature Cities, 1(2), 117–125.
Dube, N. (2024). The city that billows smoke: A spatial reading of Bulawayo in prose fiction.
Elston, T., & Bel, G. (2023). Does inter-municipal collaboration improve public service resilience? Evidence from local authorities in England. Public Management Review, 25(4), 734–761.
Foster, P. O. N. (2021). The Lived Experiences of Employees Identifying as Belonging Outside of Workplace Cliques (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
Frisk, J. E., & Bannister, F. (2022). Applying design thinking to the decision-making process: A field study in Swedish local authorities. Management decision, 60(1), 66–85.
Gerull, L. (2025). Enhancing Communication in Engineering Teams: Clear communication among team members is important for a successful engineering project. Tips for avoiding pitfalls are outlined here. Chemical Engineering, 132(1).
Ham, S. (2022). Social-identity dynamics in rural communities: a motive for resistance to change. The Rangeland Journal.
Horak, S., & Suseno, Y. (2023). Informal networks, informal institutions, and social exclusion in the workplace: insights from subsidiaries of multinational corporations in Korea. Journal of Business Ethics, 186(3), 633–655.
Idrus, S. (2025). Performance Management Reimagined: Moving Beyond Annual Reviews to Continuous Feedback. The Journal of Academic Science, 2(1), 222–231.
Iqbal, J., & Parray, Z. A. (2024). Striking the balance: unraveling the influence of organizational culture on organization citizenship behavior with corporate social responsibility as the bridge. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management.
Islam, M. A., & Aldaihani, F. M. F. (2022). Justification for adopting qualitative research method, research approaches, sampling strategy, sample size, interview method, saturation, and data analysis. Journal of International Business and Management, 5(1), 01–11.
Jones, A., Blake, J., Adams, M., Kelly, D., Mannion, R., & Maben, J. (2021). Interventions promoting employee “speaking-up” within healthcare workplaces: a systematic narrative review of the international literature. Health Policy, 125(3), 375–384.
Kahura, M. (2023). Innovation Management: how companies can build and sustain a culture of innovation.
Karini, A. (2024). Politico-Administrative Culture and Public Service Reform in Post-Independence Kazakhstan. Administrative Sciences, 14(10), 268.
Kennedy, S. P., Matteson, M. L., & Ming, Y. (2025). Exploring the effects of informal feedback on organizational outcomes in academic libraries. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 51(1), 103005.
Kişi, N. (2024). Exploring Employee Engagement in the Public Sector: Antecedents, Consequences and Strategies (5), 111–129.
Kuforiji, A. A. (2024). The Ethical Implications of Nepotism and Corruption in Professional Environments. AKSU Journal of Administration and Corporate Governance, 4(3), 101–110.
Kwarteng, S., Frimpong, S.O, Asare, R., & Wiredu, T.J.N. (2024). Effect of employee recognition, employee engagement on their productivity: the role of transformational leadership style at Ghana health service. Current Psychology, 43(6), 5502–5513.
Marumahoko, S. (2023). Urban local government service delivery in post-Mugabe Zimbabwe. In Global encyclopedia of public administration, public policy, and governance (pp. 13123–13130). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Matyana, M., & Sibiya, L. M. (2025). Reviving ethics in service delivery: South African local government perspective. In Challenges of Public Administration Management for Higher Education (pp. 175–194). IGI Global.
Murimoga, R. et al. (2014). Local Governance and Service Delivery in Zimbabwean Local Authorities: The Case of Harare and Masvingo Urban Municipalities. International Journal of Public Policy and Administration Research.mu
Mutambisi, T., & Chavunduka, C. (2024). Institutionalizing SDGs: urban local authorities in Zimbabwe. SDGs in Africa and the Middle East Region, 243–266.
Nguyen, C. M. A., & Ha, M. T. (2023). The interplay between internal communication, employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee loyalty in higher education institutions in Vietnam. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1–13.
Nkala, B., & Chiware, M. (2022). Balancing the Twin Challenges of Performance Management and Culture Transformation in the Public Sector. In Transformational Human Resources Management in Zimbabwe: Solutions for the Public Sector in the 21st Century (pp. 99–116). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Nyikadzino, T. (2024). Towards Strengthening the Implementation of Audit Recommendations in Zimbabwe’s Local Authorities: The Case of Mutare City Council. African Journal of Public Administration and Environmental Studies (AJOPAES), 3(1), 123.
Obicci, P. A. (2025). Corrupt elites, administrative cadres and public service in Africa: Islands of vanity. Journal of Management and Science, 15(1), 42–82.
Oko-Joseph, C. O. (2024). Barriers to effective social learning in public service organisations. A case study of selected public service organisations in Nigeria (Doctoral dissertation, University of Brighton).
Okoye, J. N., Dorothy, O. N., & Ojimba, C. C. (2024) Corruption in the Nigerian Public Sector: Causes, Consequences and Sustainable Solutions.
Olala, G. O. (2023). Relationship between Human Resource Management Practices and Quality Service Delivery in Lake Region Economic Bloc County Governments in Kenya; Moderating Effect of Work Environment (Doctoral dissertation, Kisii University).
Owens, R.G. and Steinhoff, C.R., (1989). Towards a theory of organisational culture. Journal of Educational Administration, 27(3).
Peel, K.L. (2020). A beginner’s guide to applied educational research using thematic analysis. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation 25 (1), 2.
Porkka, P., (2016). Functional model for organisational and safety culture. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 48, pp. 907–912.
Quinn, S., Waheduzzaman, W., & Djurkovic, N. (2024). Impact of Organizational Culture on Bullying Behavior in Public Sector Organizations. Public Personnel Management, 00910260241287619.
Radu, C. (2023). Fostering a positive workplace culture: Impacts on performance and agility. In Human resource management-an update. IntechOpen.
Rijal, S. (2023). The importance of community involvement in public management planning and decision-making processes. Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management (ADMAN), 1(2), 84–92.
Rossignoli, F., Lionzo, A., Henschel, T., & Boers, B. (2024). Knowledge sharing in family SMEs: the role of communities of practice. Journal of Family Business Management, 14(2), 310–331.
Rugeiyamu, R., & Msendo, A. (2025). Success, challenges and prospects of decentralization in Africa: a systematic review. Cogent Social Sciences, 11(1), 2458700.
Sharapova, N. (2024). Neoliberal Pathologies and African Development: The Case of the Ugandan Healthcare Sector (Doctoral dissertation).
Simkus, J. (2022). Convenience sampling: Definition, method and examples. Retrieved Oktober, 6, 2022.
Singh, I. (2024). Reinventing Public Service Delivery: A Case of Delhi. National Centre for Good Governance, Indira Gandhi National Open University: New Delhi.
Siraj, N., & Hágen, I. (2023). Performance management system and its role for employee performance: Evidence from Ethiopian SMEs. Heliyon, 9(11).
Stratton, S. J. (2021). Population research: convenience sampling strategies. Prehospital and disaster Medicine, 36(4), 373–374.
Sukmawati, S., Palisuri, P., Ruslan, M., & Nur, I. (2024). The effect of organizational commitment, interpersonal communication, and motivation on employee satisfaction and performance. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 6(1.1).
Umoru, U., Ogundana, O. M., Mangena, M., & Udeozor, V. (2025). Informal Institutions and Multinationals' Drive Towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Dark‐Side Perspective. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility.
Von Bertalanffy, L., (1950). An outline of general system theory. The British Journal for the Philosophy of science, 1(2), pp. 134–165.
Vu, H. M. (2020). Employee empowerment and empowering leadership: A literature review.
Wu, F., Dixon-Woods, M., Aveling, E. L., Campbell, A., Willars, J., Tarrant, C., & Martin, G. P. (2021). The role of the informal and formal organisation in voice about concerns in healthcare: a qualitative interview study. Social Science & Medicine, 280, 114050.
Zainab, B., Akbar, W., & Siddiqui, F. (2022). Impact of transformational leadership and transparent communication on employee openness to change: mediating role of employee organization trust and moderated role of change-related self-efficacy. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 43(1), 1–13.
Zamiri, M., & Esmaeili, A. (2024). Methods and technologies for supporting knowledge sharing within learning communities: A systematic literature review. Administrative Sciences, 14(1), 17.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.