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The global nature of today’s business environment, coupled with technological advances, has resulted in leaders working with an increasingly diverse workforce worldwide. An emerging stream of research examines the beliefs that individuals, groups, and organizations have regarding diversity. The purpose of this paper is to add to this work by looking at subordinate perceptions of a leader’s beliefs about diversity and how that relates to a leader’s performance.

Using archival data, the authors examine 33,976 leaders (from 36 different countries and more than 4,000 companies). This study includes performance ratings from each leader’s supervisor as well as perceptual measures of diversity beliefs from their direct reports and a measure of national culture as a moderator.

The research finds that employee perceptions of a leader’s diversity beliefs are related to supervisor ratings of the target leader’s performance. In addition, the relationship between a leader’s diversity beliefs and the target leader’s performance rating is stronger in cultures high in performance orientation (PO) than in cultures low in PO.

The limitations include the use of an archival data set as well as an assigned country score for our measure of culture.

While existing research has examined the impact of self-rated measures of diversity beliefs, there is little empirical research that examines how employee perceptions of a leader’s diversity beliefs will impact performance. The authors address this need by examining whether employee-rated perceptions of the leader’s diversity beliefs are related to a supervisor-rated measure of leader performance. In addition, the authors examine the moderating influence of societal culture on this relationship.

There is evidence to show that human capital represents “our greatest competitive potential…”, hence, absenteeism removes our primary competitive weapon. The tangible cost of absenteeism in the US is estimated to be over $40 billion per year. This figure does not include intangible costs such as reduced efficiency, loss of morale, supervisor's overload, and missed opportunities. There is clearly a need for effective methods of reducing employee absenteeism. The present article reviews the literature on absenteeism, with the aim of answering the following three questions: (1) How should an organisation define and measure absenteeism?; (2) What are the underlying causes of absence?; (3) Which are the best methods that an organisation might adopt to reduce absenteeism?

Previous research on the use of behaviour modelling techniques for training in industry have shown it to be generally effective. Further, more specific work has suggested that effectiveness might be improved by the use of techniques (symbolic coding and rehearsal) designed to improve trainees’ retention processes. This study examined the use of symbolic coding (learning points) and rehearsal techniques in behaviour modelling training. The data were derived from a field experiment conducted in a UK financial services organisation. Although, as expected, the behaviour modelling approach did produce effective learning the results showed that, contrary to hypotheses, variations in symbolic coding (different learning points conditions) and rehearsal did not influence training outcomes.

Attempts to identify some important variables that contribute to occupational and academic stress and to estimate their direct and indirect effects on various outcome measures (such as mental health, physical health, job satisfaction and scholastic grade point average). Based on previous research, proposes and tests a model of academic and occupational stress, using data collected from 247 individuals employed in diverse organizations in the Orange County and Los Angeles areas, who were enrolled in either undergraduate or graduate courses at a major university in the southern California region. Claims that the results of the analysis support the proposed model of stress. Outlines the implications of the findings for research and practice in education and management.

Due to an increasingly international marketplace with multinational companies selling their products around the world, the issue of advertising products across countries has received considerable attention. In the academic literature, two basic and opposing approaches to international advertising can be identified. The localisation (adaptation) approach requires that advertisers focus on the differences between countries in order to develop advertising messages that are tailored to local markets. Proponents of this approach emphasise cultural uniqueness. In order to be successful, advertising needs to reflect differences in needs, wants, values, traditions, language, and economic variables (Britt, 1974; Nielsen, 1963; Unwinn, 1974; Ricks, Arpan & Fu, 1974; Ricks, 1983). The standardisation (globalisation) approach, on the other hand, focuses on the similarities between countries and develops global advertising campaigns which eliminate the need for adaptation to local conditions. Proponents of this approach see the world as a “global village” in which the differences between countries are diminished and where consumers have developed similar needs and wants, independent of location (Fatt, 1967; Elinder, 1965; Levitt, 1983; Lynch, 1984).

This study examines levels of effectiveness as well as preferences in styles of resolving conflict among three ethnic‐racial groups (Asian, Mexican‐American, Mexican, Chicano and White) and between men and women. The goal was to test two hypotheses with respect to handling interpersonal conflict. First, Whites would show a greater preference for assertive modes of behaviour while Mexican‐Americans, Mexicans, Chicanos and Asians would favour non‐assertive modes of behaviour. Second, that men would demonstrate more assertive behaviours while women would be likely to demonstrate more non‐assertive behaviours. Data were collected from 282 Economics students (55 per cent male, 45 per cent female; 44 per cent Asian, 41 per cent White (non‐Hispanic), 15 per cent Mexican‐American, Mexican, Chicano). Both hypotheses were supported. Implications of these results and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Much research has been conducted on the causes and consequences of stress (Ivancevich, 1986; Cooper & Payne, 1988; Sauter, Hurrell & Cooper, 1989). More recently, researchers have turned their attention to strategies that might be used to remedy the problem (Cooper, 1987). A number of papers address the issue at a conceptual level, suggesting different ways of categorising stress intervention techniques. Matteson and Ivancevich (1987) draw a distinction between preventive and curative strategies. DeFrank and Cooper (1987) suggest that interventions can focus on the individual, the organisation or the individual/organisational interface. Murphy (1988) presents three levels of intervention: primary (stressor reduction), secondary (stress management) and tertiary (employee assistance programmes).

Investigates primary differences between employee motivation in the USA and Japan. Spotlights how workers in both countries work towards promotion and advancement. Stresses that Americans are individualists and that the Japanese are organization‐loyal. Concludes self‐actualization is likely to mean different things to employees in both cultures.

Diversity in the workforce has become a demographic reality across the globe. There has been some debate amongst academics and practitioners over how to deal with employee diversity. Many agree that organizations should aim to manage diversity rather than simply value it or rely on affirmative action policies. Proposes that improvements in supervisor‐subordinate communication will assist organizations toward the goal of managing diversity by promoting integration and equality in the workplace. Recommends two strategies for accomplishing better supervisor‐subordinate communication: managing personal growth and mentoring. The former may be implemented successfully in the short term while the latter takes a long‐term focus. Concludes that in order for any managing diversity program to succeed, managers and supervisors need to demonstrate their commitment to the program and to communicate the relevance, importance and benefits of such programs to all employees throughout the organization.

Defines the concept of corporate culture and shows how it affects organizations (both positively and negatively). Corporations that have been successful in establishing and fostering positive cultures are profiled. The authors find that an effective culture must be aligned with employee values and be consistent with the environment in which the organization operates. While it is best to establish a positive culture with which employees can identify during an organization’s infancy, it is possible to change an existing culture. Such change is best accomplished by modeling desired behavior at all levels of management and by planning events that foster frequent interaction among cross‐functional employees. Concludes that a positive culture can provide a significant competitive advantage.