Designing adaptive human systems in digital start-ups: The role of organizational culture and innovative work behavior

Background Digital start-up environments are characterized by rapid innovation, technological intensity, and uncertainty, requiring organizations to function as adaptive human systems grounded in individual behavior. Digital organizational culture plays a central role in shaping how employees mobilize resources within such contexts. Objectives This study examines how digital organizational culture influences individual work performance through innovative work behavior. Using Conservation of Resources theory, digital culture is conceptualized as a resource-enabling context that activates self-managed, innovation-oriented action. Methods A quantitative survey was conducted among 350 employees in Jakarta-based digital start-ups. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (SmartPLS 4) was used to test direct and indirect relationships among the study variables. Results Digital organizational culture positively relates to innovative work behavior, which in turn enhances individual work performance. When innovative work behavior is included, the direct effect of digital organizational culture on performance becomes non-significant, while the indirect effect remains significant, indicating full mediation. Conclusion The findings show that digital organizational culture enhances individual performance primarily by enabling innovative work behavior, supporting adaptive individual performance in high-velocity digital start-ups.