Corporate culture of IT companies as a resource for social resilience in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war

NATALIA KOVALISKO, Doctor of Sociology, Professor at the Department of Sociology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (1, Universytetska St., Lviv, 79000), Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Social Structures, Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (2, Shovkovychna St., Kyiv, 01021)

nataliya.kovalisko@lnu.edu.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1466-6132

ROSTYSLAV DYYAK, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Sociology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (1, Universytetska St., Lviv, 79000)

Rostyslav.Dyyak@lnu.edu.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7613-1427

The article examines the transformation of corporate culture in Ukrainian IT companies in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war and analyzes its role as a resource for organizational and social resilience. The relevance of the study is determined by the need of IT companies to maintain organizational continuity, preserve human capital, support employees, and adapt management practices to prolonged uncertainty, security risks, workforce mobility, remote work, and changes in employees’ professional and social priorities. The aim of the study is to identify the main transformations in the corporate culture of Ukrainian IT companies and to determine the management strategies and practices that contribute to their resilience under wartime conditions.

The methodological framework of the study is based on a mixed-methods research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The empirical basis comprises data obtained using an adapted Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), an expert survey of 79 IT professionals, and 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The analysis focuses on changes in the clan, adhocracy, market, and hierarchy culture types, as well as on management practices and indicators of resilience at the individual, group, and organizational levels. Comparative and statistical analysis of the quantitative data was complemented by thematic analysis of the qualitative interviews, which made it possible to identify changes in employees’ values, expectations, and perceptions of organizational support.

The findings demonstrate that wartime conditions have contributed to a strengthening of clan culture characteristics, particularly trust, mutual support, teamwork, employee safety, solidarity, and a sense of belonging. At the same time, the importance of market-oriented values has decreased, whereas the adhocracy component has remained relatively stable, indicating the ability of the Ukrainian IT sector to preserve innovation, flexibility, and adaptability under crisis conditions. The management practices most closely associated with organizational resilience include organizational flexibility, mentoring and supportive leadership, psychological support for employees, open internal communication, flexible work arrangements, support for volunteering and socially responsible initiatives, and people-centered management.

The study substantiates the role of corporate culture as an important organizational resource that contributes to preserving human and social capital and strengthening the social resilience of Ukrainian IT companies during the war. Furthermore, based on empirical results, an analytical model of corporate culture management strategies in IT companies under wartime conditions is proposed.

Keywords: corporate culture, IT companies, social resilience, organizational resilience, management strategies, OCAI, human capital, social capital, Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukraine

References:

Ashkanasy, N.M. & Dorris, A.B. (2018). Organizational culture and climate. In: The SAGE handbook of industrial, work and organizational psychology (pp. 187–205). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781473914964.n10

Avolio, B.J. & Gardner, W.L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001

Bakirov, V. (2026). The Civilizational Significance of Ukrainian National Resilience in the Context of the Russian-Ukrainian War. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing, 2, 5–16. https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2026.02.005 [=Бакіров 2026].

Blyzniuk, V.V., Huk, L.P., & Khaustov, V.K. (2025). Social Resilience of Ukraine: Structural Pillars and Policy Directions. [In Ukrainian]. Collection of Scientific Papers "Vcheni Zapysky", 41(4), 8–22. https://doi.org/10.33111/vz_kneu.41.25.04.01.005.011 [=Близнюк та ін. 2025].

Cameron, K.S. & Quinn, R.E. (1999). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework. Addison-Wesley.

Cameron, K.S. & Quinn, R.E. (2006). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (Rev. ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Cameron, K.S. & Quinn, R.E. (2011). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework (3rd edn.). Jossey-Bass. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118269244

Plano Clark, V.L.P., & Creswell, J.W. (Eds.). (2008). The mixed methods reader. SAGE Publications.

Deal, T.E. & Kennedy, A.A. (1982). Corporate cultures: The rites and rituals of corporate life. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.

Dembitskyi, S., Golovakha, Ye., & Stepanenko, V. (2025). Stress Conditions Among the Population of Ukraine in the Context of War: Experience of Sociological Research. [In Ukrainian]. Institute of Sociology, NAS of Ukraine. https://doi.org/10.15407/book6.978–617–14–0327–7 [=Дембіцький та ін. 2025].

Heritage, B., Pollock, C., & Roberts, L. (2014). Validation of the organizational culture assessment instrument. PLOS ONE, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0092879

Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values. Sage Publications.

Hofstede, G. (1991). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. McGraw-Hill.

Kovalisko, N. & Dyyak, R. (2025). Adaptation of corporate culture of IT-companies of Ukraine in the conditions of full-scale war. Visnyk of the Lviv University. Sociological series, 19, 82–93. https://doi.org/10.30970/VSO.2025.19.06

Kuvik, V.M. (2024). Ways of Implementing Foreign Experience in Developing Management Strategies for Small and Medium Business Development. [In Ukrainian]. Scientific Perspectives, 1(43), 456–468. https://doi.org/10.52058/2708–7530–2024–1(43)–456–468 [=Кувік 2024].

Lakhyzha, R.M. (2025). Specifics of IT Companies’ Activities as a Factor in Shaping Their Corporate Culture. [In Ukrainian]. Problems of Modern Transformations. Series: Economics and Management, 17. https://doi.org/10.54929/2786–5738–2025–17–04–01 [=Лахижа 2025].

Miroshnyk, R.O., Skabara, I.M., & Artymyshyn, Yu. I. (2025). Tools for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Development Strategies of IT Enterprises. [In Ukrainian]. Economic Space, 201, 115–120. https://doi.org/10.30838/EP.201.115–120 [=Мірошник та ін. 2025].

Peters, T.J. & Waterman, R.H. (1982). In search of excellence: Lessons from America’s best-run companies. Harper & Row.

Reiman, B., Reiman, K., Sukhyi, O., & Pachkovskyi, Yu. (2025). Social Resilience of Ukrainian Society in the Conditions of War: Historical and Worldview Challenges. [In Ukrainian]. Axis Europae, 7, 126–145. [=Рейман та ін. 2025].

Stambulska, Kh. & Peredalo, Kh. S. (2022). Corporate Culture: Essence, Types and Role in Organizational Development. [In Ukrainian]. Effective Economy, 1, 204–210. https://doi.org/10.32702/2307–2105–2022.1.204 [=Стамбульська & Передало 2022].

Stepanenko, V., Zlobina, O., Holovakha, Ye., Dembitskyi, S., & Naidonova, L. (2023). War-Induced Stress and Resources of Socio-Psychological Resilience: A Review of Theoretical Conceptualizations. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing, 4, 22–39. https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2023.04.022 [=Степаненко та ін. 2023].

Walumbwa, F.O. & Avolio, B.J. (2000). Authentic leadership and its impact on organizational performance. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 7(2), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/107179190000700204

Received 03.08.2026

Accepted for publication after review 17.09.2026