Impact of culture on online management education

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of national culture on the acceptance, and online interaction, of management education and training online using Hall's cultural classifications and Hofstede's cultural framework. Potential differences in perceptions of personal innovativeness and levels of online management education acceptance were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Factor analysis, structural modeling techniques and independent sample t‐statistics were used to analyze samples collected from online management classes in the USA and Korea.

Findings

Results suggest that high‐context and collectivism cultures are more conservative to the adoption of online management education and training and participation in online interaction. A second interesting finding is evidence of the significant difference of adoption likelihood of learning innovation and changes. It was clear that a nation's culture directly affects the manner in which participants engage, relate and benefit from online management education/training.

Originality/value

These insights may help multinational companies predict adoption of online management education and the appropriateness of online training across regional differences so as to formulate more effective online management education and training strategies by accommodating their cultural influences.

Citation

Wan Lee, J., Becker, K. and Nobre, H. (2012), "Impact of culture on online management education", Cross Cultural Management: An International Journal, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 399-420. https://doi.org/10.1108/13527601211247116