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The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate which of the elements of five management practice constructs – management commitment, quality practice, team-based work, training, and sharing and understanding – can significantly lessen the adverse impact of cultural differences on efficient technology transfer.

Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling multigroup analysis are used to analyze structured survey data from 223 Japanese manufacturing subsidiaries in Vietnam.

The following are the primary factors that moderate the adverse impact of cultural difference on efficient technology transfer: employees’ understanding of quality; top managements’ communication of clear goals and procedures for technology transfer; the nature of the collaborative teamwork and frequent communication about technical issues among Japanese experts and Vietnamese staff; sending of key Vietnamese technical staff to Japan for technological seminars and on-the-job training while providing them with the appropriate materials and guidelines.

Although cultural diversity’s impact on technology transfer may never be problem-free, Japanese and Vietnamese managers should be aware of the effects of differing cultural values and use the appropriate interfaces to minimize cultural problems, maintain a cooperative environment, and transform cultural values into business value.

Cross-cultural technology transfer research, from the knowledge-based perspective, has produced interesting findings but has not yet identified which managerial elements effectively reduce the adverse impact of cultural difference on efficient technology transfer. This study addresses that shortcoming through the organizational learning perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate insights into cross‐cultural conflict, identity and values amongst selected managers within a South African management context. It aims to increase the understanding of these complexities from an academic managerial perspective, thereby providing in‐depth information which can lead to the development of managerial training tools for improving diversity and conflict management in the described context.

The authors selected qualitative data from a case study that was conducted in the international South African automotive industry. The case study was based on the post‐modernist premise by considering phenomenological and interpretative paradigms most relevant.

Findings show conflicts in managerial communication and treatment, position and competition, organisation, race and gender and are often defined as “cross‐racial” conflict fuelled by the society's past.

The generalisability is limited to this specific context and needs to be proven by follow‐up studies which expand the context and the methodological approach of the study.

Practical suggestions address the implementation of training tools, coaching and counselling in cross‐cultural conflict management. They are anticipated to create awareness on managing the present challenges and are aimed at managers and international organisations investing in South Africa.

The paper provides new insights into the discussion on human resource management in a specific South African management context by referring to the highly important topics of cross‐cultural conflict, values and identities.

The term praxis is used in this article to identify the specific relationship between theory and practice in cross‐cultural management. It denotes a commitment on the reflection of the assumptions and values underlying theory, practice and research within this field. It also implies a commitment to a more informed practice of cross‐cultural management based on this reflection and oriented to the mutual understanding of participants in cross‐cultural situations.

To describe an exploratory study in which an online learning system was used to provide an intercultural experience for pre‐service education students from New Jersey and Namibia.

Pre‐service education students from New Jersey and Namibia were enrolled in an online course in the fall of 2004. The following semester, spring 2005, only students from New Jersey were enrolled in the course. Online discussion postings were analyzed for both course cohorts and compared. A pre/post questionnaire of students' understanding of cross‐cultural differences in general, and in teaching in particular, was also administered to both course cohorts.

This paper focuses on the growth of New Jersey students' understanding of what teaching in Namibia is like and also looks to see if this led to a greater understanding of their own practice. While there was an indication that the former was achieved and a number of New Jersey students did show a deeper understanding of teaching in Namibia, this did not appear to then lead to a deeper understanding of their own teaching practice.

This was an exploratory pilot study, conducted principally to see if the technology supported this type of experience for students in both developed and developing nations. While this experience will never substitute for a real, in‐person, exchange program or study abroad, the technology did support a limited virtual “exchange” program.

The study indicated that an online course is a very feasible option for providing an intercultural experience for students from developed and developing nations. In order to help students reach deeper levels of understanding of both their intercultural peers and of their own practice, students may need to be exposed to a more explicit model of inter‐ and intra‐ cultural reflection.

This paper gives teacher educators and others a way of providing a virtual intercultural exchange to their students. This is particularly important for students from both developing and developed nations who do not have the financial means to participate in an actual (in‐person) exchange program.

The process of doing business in The People′s Republic of China can be understood better and improved through a conceptual model that identifies and explains critical elements of their culture. An attempt is made to fill a gap in previous work by integrating anthropological and political theory, pertinent literature, and experience in the Chinese context. The model reveals the importance of understanding how communication occurs cross‐culturally through language, material objects, and non‐verbal behaviour. The critical role of interpersonal relationships in China is discussed, highlighting the important factors of guanxi, face, group orientation, and deference to age and authority. The final element of the cultural framework is the pervasive influence of the Communist Party. A number of implications are offered for Western business practitioners.

States that the major reasons for difficulties in cross‐cultural communication stem from the fact that actors from different cultures have different understandings regarding the interaction process and different styles of dialogue. Suggests that better understanding of communication within other cultures is the key to success. Uses past literature to suggest a number of cultural variability constructs concerning preferred interaction behaviours and the common themes they share. Presents three case studies to illustrate this.

The purpose of this paper is to argue that in cross-cultural and strategic management, we must pay attention to the processes creating and maintaining culture. How can everyday interactions give rise to national, “deep” cultures, recognizable across centuries, or organizational cultures, recognizable across decades?

This is a conceptual paper using the evidence provided by research about cultural patterns, and using sociological status-power theory to explain the causation of these patterns. Emergence, also called self-organization, is introduced as mechanism connecting individual-level causation with resulting system-level patterns. Cases are used to illustrate points.

Simulation gaming and computational social simulation are introduced. These methods allow “growing” a system, thus allowing to experiment with potential interventions and their unanticipated effects.

This essay could have major implications for research, adding new methods to survey-based and case-based studies, and achieving a new synthesis. Strategic management today almost invariably involves cross-cultural elements. As a result, cross-cultural understanding is now strategically important.

The suggestions in this essay could lead to new collaborations in the study of culture and organizational processes. Examples include team formation, negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, trans-national collaboration, incentive systems and job interviews.

The suggestions in this essay could contribute to our ability of proactively steering processes in organizations. In particular, they can provide a check to the notion that a control measure necessarily results in its intended effect.

The synthesis of biological, sociological and cross-cultural psychological viewpoints with design-oriented method, using games or social simulations as research instruments, is original in the field.

There is little doubt that the face of business has changed. Examples of changed international and global business arrangements are evidenced in the form of new licensing arrangements, a variety of joint ventures and new types of business consortium, and industry and international trade blocks. The proposed formation of the Asia‐Pacific Economic Community (APEC) in the Asia‐Pacific region, Asian/American Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), the reformation of the European Community as well as new alliances between the public and private sectors, new approaches to attracting capital, the integration of different arms of business as well as the satisfaction of individual career needs as a consequence of these changes all point to circumstances that demand attention to effective cross‐cultural management practice. In each of these the importance of cross‐cultural management as a significant area for research attention and practical application is evidenced.

To discuss library services with attention to effective communication between public service professionals and East Asian library clientele.

A wide range of library literature (1984‐2001) about serving international students is reviewed to provide a portrait of efforts made by librarians and researchers. This article then focuses on East Asian students as a unique group based on shared cultural values, applies literature of East Asian/Western communication styles to library reference services, and discusses how cultural‐specific communication styles can cause misunderstandings in information delivery processes. Recommendations are made to assist information professionals in their efforts to communicate effectively with international students and meet their information needs.

Differences in communication styles can often create barriers to having messages understood correctly. As a result, the information conveyed does not necessarily reflect the intention and may even cause misunderstandings. The key to successful cross‐cultural communication is knowledge.

Further research should be conducted in addressing how cultural awareness affects effective and appropriate communication.

This paper will be helpful for public service professionals in enhancing their understanding of East Asian cultures and improving communication skills when assisting customers of East Asian backgrounds.

This paper separates East Asian students from the entire international student body, examines cultural‐specific communication styles, and explains why misunderstanding occurs when Western librarians communicating with East Asian students.

This paper aims to show how western project managers operating in Asia can employ a survey based on cultural dimensions and continua as a means to assist with managing a team of host national staff.

A survey based on a model of national cultural dimensions is described.

The results for this group of project managers suggest some utility for the Kets de Vries model of cultural dimensions as a means for cross‐cultural studies.

The small sample size is a useful means of measuring cultural orientations in cross cultural research.

Previous use of this cultural model in survey form has not been reported and the approach shows promise as a means for improving cross‐cultural understanding.