Integrating Organisational Culture, Organisational Structure, and Office Layout: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Purpose: Integrating organisational structure and organisational culture in the design of office layouts can enhance organisational performance. Previous studies have explored the relationship between layout and culture, although few contributions addressed their connection with organisational structure. This systematic literature review addresses this gap in workplace research by examining the interplay between organisational culture, structure, and office layouts. Method: Following the PRISMA methodology for systematic reviews, Mintzberg's organisational structure framework was adopted as the starting point. Content analysis allowed synthesising relevant variables, methods, and theories. Results: 13 papers addressing relationships between structure, culture, and layout were identified. Organisational culture plays a pivotal role in influencing various organisational structure variables in workplace environments, and conversely, organisational structure variables contribute to shaping organisational culture. Furthermore, office layout variables may also influence structure and culture. However, our findings underscore the contextual nature of these relationships. The limited number of papers and prevalence of case studies constrain the generalisability of the findings. Originality: The study emphasizes the need for future research to delve into the interplay between organisational structure and culture in office layout design, particularly in addressing issues of communication, individual job characteristics, organisational change, productivity or innovation in the workplace. Moreover, more research is required to determine the direction of relationships between variables. Ultimately, this study contributes to establishing a foundation for integrating organisational structure, culture, and office layout in workplace design, while achieving alignment with organisational strategy.