Managing Across Cultures: A Learning Framework

MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES

A Learning Framework

MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES

A Learning Framework

Meena S. Wilson

Michael H. Hoppe

Leonard R. Sayles

Center for Creative Leadership

Greensboro, North Carolina

The Center for Creative Leadership is an international, nonprofit educational institution founded in 1970 to advance the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide. As a part of this mission, it publishes books and reports that aim to contribute to a general process of inquiry and understanding in which ideas related to leadership are raised, exchanged, and evaluated. The ideas presented in its publications are those of the author or authors.

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©1996 Center for Creative Leadership

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CCL No. 173

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wilson, Meena S.

Managing across cultures : a learning framework / Meena S. Wilson, Michael H. Hoppe, Leonard R. Sayles

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 1-882197-25-9 [ISBN-13: 978-1-882197-25-5]

1. International business enterprises—Management. 2. Management—Cross-cultural studies. 3. Comparative management. 4. Intercultural communication. I. Hoppe, Michael H. II. Sayles, Leonard R. III. Title.

HD62.4.W59 1996

For My Parents,

Atam Dev and Vimla Nagrath Surie

Meena S. Wilson

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Source of Identity: Individual-Collective

At the Individual Pole

At the Collective Pole

In the Workplace

Individual accountability

Career progress

Private offices and privacy

Candor

Loyalty to the company

Loyalty to one’s family and clan

Goals and Means of Achievement: Tough-Tender

At the Tough Pole

At the Tender Pole

In the Workplace

Competition and cooperation

Modesty

Separating family considerations from work life

Orientation to Authority: Equal-Unequal

At the Equal Pole

At the Unequal Pole

In the Workplace

Hiring and promotion based on achieved versus ascribed status

Deference

Lack of delegation

Response to Ambiguity: Dynamic-Stable

At the Dynamic Pole

At the Stable Pole

In the Workplace

Structure of work life

One best way answers to problems

Different people and ideas

Means of Knowledge Acquisition: Active-Reflective

At the Active Pole

At the Reflective Pole

In the Workplace

Axiomatic versus pragmatic thinking

Analytic approach to solving problems

Strategic and long-term decisions

Perspective on Time: Scarce-Plentiful

At the Scarce Pole

At the Plentiful Pole

In the Workplace

The precise use of time

The linear use of time

Past, present, and future

Outlook on Life: Doing-Being

At the Doing Pole

At the Being Pole

In the Workplace

Commitment to work and economic values

Optimism about the future

Traditional religions and the world of work

Using the Framework

Use the Seven Dimensions

Construct a Provisional Hypothesis

Test and Modify the Hypothesis Continually

Challenge Yourself to Grow Personally

Conclusion

References

Appendix: Models of Cultural Difference

Preface

In developing the learning framework presented in this paper, we have consulted current research in the fields of anthropology, cross-cultural psychology, and international business management (see the Appendix) and have attempted to integrate the concepts we found there into a tool that managers and employees can use to understand the behavior of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

We want to emphasize that our framework, which currently has seven dimensions, is a provisional one. These dimensions will be empirically tested for reliability and validity when we administer a survey (the Intercultural Values Questionnaire, or IVQ) to an international sample of managers and executives. (The scales of the IVQ are the same as the dimensions of the framework.) Ultimately we hope to link cultural values