Title: Organisational inclusion in the healthcare sector: a cross-cultural analysis of Türkiye and Pakistan

Authors: Muhammad Irfan; Omar Khalid Bhatti; Ali Osman Öztürk

Addresses: Project Management Unit, Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation – Regions Improving Border Services (CAREC-RIBS), Integrated Transit Trade Management System, Islamabad, Pakistan ' Project Management Unit, Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation – Regions Improving Border Services (CAREC-RIBS), Integrated Transit Trade Management System, Islamabad, Pakistan ' Hitit University, Çorum, Turkey

Abstract: Organisational inclusion in public hospitals is essential to achieve full participation of diverse staff members for optimal healthcare delivery. This study is based on focus group discussions, participant observations, and in depth semi-structured interviews with 42 healthcare professionals from Pakistan and Türkiye. This cross-cultural analysis using GLOBE framework, highlights the differences in national and organisational cultures that critically impact organisational inclusion in public hospitals. The study also finds that within each country, national and organisational cultures are non-congruent having noticeable differences. Resultantly, the degree of inclusion of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and disadvantaged groups is not identical in the societies and in public hospitals. Findings of this study can be highly useful for Ministries/Departments of Health and leaders at public hospitals for devising interventions to abolish discrimination at all levels. This study contributes significantly to the literature and theoretical foundations of inclusion and inclusive climate in healthcare sector.

Keywords: inclusion; diversity; culture; organisational culture; public hospital; healthcare; discrimination; cross-cultural analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2026.156229

Middle East Journal of Management, 2026 Vol.13 No.5, pp.548 - 585

Received: 07 Jan 2025
Accepted: 02 Jul 2025
Published online: 08 Sep 2026 *

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