Search results

The purpose of this paper is to develop and to empirically test a model that explains how managing differences between an information technology (IT) provider and an overseas client influences partnership quality and ultimately affects the continuity of the relationship.

A field survey by distributing questionnaires to Indonesian IT providers was conducted over four months, yielding 78 completed responses. These empirical data were analyzed by the partial least squares–structural equation modeling technique to examine the measurement and structural models.

Managing differences, i.e. cultural, temporal and standards differences, has a positive impact on partnership quality through inter-firm interaction, i.e. information exchange, coordination and participation. Partnership quality, consisting of the dimensions of commitment, trust and integration, has a substantial positive impact on the continuity of the relationship.

This study was limited by the use of a limited number of samples, reducing the precision of the results.

This study suggests that if the IT provider is able to manage the cultural, temporal and standards differences with the overseas client, it increases information exchange, coordination and participation between both parties, which are necessary for establishing a high-quality partnership.

This study is the first empirical examination of how the management of differences between an IT provider and an overseas client influences the continuity of their relationship through interaction and partnership quality.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how buyers and sellers in cross-cultural business relationships manage cultural differences to ensure functional, successful business relationships. Failure to consider specific cultural issues may lead to the failure of business ventures crossing national borders. To succeed in today’s global business market, it is critically important to understand and manage cultural differences. Adapting to each other’s cultures is one way of managing cultural differences between business actors.

A qualitative, explorative approach examining both sides of the exchange dyad was adopted to obtain insight into adaptation as perceived by both buyer and seller.

The results of this study indicate that mainly Norwegian sellers adapt to the Russian culture and way of conducting business. This is explained by power asymmetry between partners, as well as cultural barriers and lack of cultural sensitivity from the Norwegian partners. Still, the business relationships function well.

Knowledge of and applying strategies for managing cultural differences should be helpful for business managers engaged or planning to engage in business ventures with Russia and Norway – especially those doing so for the first time.

The study provides new and important information about West-East business relationships and how to manage cultural differences in cross-cultural business relationships. The study shows that business relationships can function well in spite of the absence of some factors previously found to have detrimental effects on these relationships. In addition, the study investigates both sides of the buyer-seller dyad, which is a limitation in previous studies of adaptation.

This article deals with the importance of managing cultural differences in developing countries for twenty‐first century organisations. With increasing business globalisation and different cultures we have in this world, maintaining and managing cultural differences becomes a challenge for managers and supervisors in the twenty‐first century. Thus, managing cultural differences is an essential skill all managers must master if they are to be successful in the global marketplace. This article also addresses how lack of understanding of cultural differences can cause serious mis‐communication, which can hinder the growth and the productivity of an organisation or company. It looks at how one’s own culture plays an important role in the way one manages, one must strive to learn, not only about the different culture which exists in the country where one wants to do business, but also, how to see one’s own culture in an objective manner. Finally, the article concludes by stressing why organisational leadership in a developing country requires a strong commitment to a high standard of conduct and being able to design and implement a bottom‐up management system which includes a two‐way exchange of ideas, values innovation and creativity that nurtures flexibility and offers members the freedom to experiment.

Argues that the discourse of “managing diversity”, emerging from the US management literature, cannot be simply mapped on to organisations in other cultural contexts. It uses the example of Aotearoa/New Zealand to show that a “diversity” based on the demographics and dominant cultural assumptions of the USA fails to address – and may in fact obscure – key local “diversity” issues. It argues that the dominant discourse of “managing diversity” has embedded in it cultural assumptions that are specific to the US management literature. It calls for a genuinely multi‐voiced “diversity” discourse that would focus attention on the local demographics, cultural and political differences that make the difference for specific organisations.

The aim of this research is to investigate how foreign (non‐mainland Chinese) architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals manage cross‐cultural encounters with mainland Chinese in the construction industry. The specific objectives are to identify perceived cultural differences between Chinese and foreigners when executing construction projects, based on the perceptions of foreign personnel only; and recommend a framework to manage cross‐cultural encounters between foreigners and Chinese.

The data collection instrument was a questionnaire, which had open‐ended questions. The data collection method was face‐to‐face in‐depth interviews with 19 foreign AEC practitioners who had worked with Chinese in construction projects in mainland China. The majority of these projects were located in Shanghai.

The main perceived differences were: the absence of team spirit in Chinese staff; the need to micro‐manage Chinese staff; the lack of initiative in Chinese staff; difficulty in communicating with Chinese staff; the absence of trust among the Chinese and by Chinese of foreigners; Chinese firms' attempts at recovery of under‐pricing following contract award; ease of settling disputes with Chinese; lack of safety and quality culture; and prevalence of networking culture. Several methods to manage cross‐cultural encounters are identified. Among these, most of the interviewees practiced adaptability, mimicry and mindfulness, which involved paying attention, being watchful and attentive. They also relied on their knowledge and experience of Chinese culture.

The findings may not be readily generalized because interviews were conducted with only 19 foreign AEC professionals, many of who are from Singapore and had worked primarily in Shanghai. The small number of interviewees may be unrepresentative of the population.

Foreign firms could use the findings to help them decide on some of the methods to overcome cultural differences.

The research proposed a framework for foreign firms to use when managing cross‐cultural encounters with Chinese. It recommends different measures to manage cross‐cultural encounters between foreigners and Chinese.

Managing international and domestic diversity and learning to work with difference are increasingly becoming key managerial and organizational skills. Reviews the reasons for the growth of interest in this topic, critically analyses the claims made by practitioners in this area, and draws on two case studies of organizations attempting to develop their capabilities to work successfully with difference to develop a model of the key skills involved. Outlines some strategies by which such skills and capabilities may be developed.

Managing diversity requires an understanding of culture. The majority of businesses have realised that competitiveness no longer stems from formal organisational structures but rather from the mindsets, competencies, and functioning of individuals who create, develop, and support the organisation and who frequently come from different cultural backgrounds. Understanding the essence of a culture, its components, variations, and how all these things effect the business and the managerial process is very beneficial for international managers. Businesses in global value chains need cross-cultural management practices to obtain a competitive advantage. Global value chains make it possible to benefit from the comparative advantages of other nations, and without cross-cultural management, these multinational corporations would be unable to carry on with their business operations. Although there are many explanations on global value chains in the literature, there is no study on the effect of different cultures in value chain management and how different cultures can be managed in global value chains.

In this chapter, the definition of the concept of culture, which is comprehensive and crucial in managing differences, will be depicted. Then, the concept of cross-cultural management will be emphasised and what cross-cultural management means and why and to what extent it is important will be explained. In addition, the impact of cross-cultural management in the inclusive global value chain will be discussed, emphasising the value chain analysis, how it emerged, its basic concepts, and its importance in the international context.

This chapter aims to make sense of the growing research that examines the role of culture in mergers and acquisitions. We provide a detailed review of the many related but distinct constructs that have been introduced to the literature. While each construct has contributed to our understanding of the role of culture, the lack of connections made among constructs has limited the consolidation of contributions. The review shows what these constructs mean for mergers and acquisitions, what major findings have been discovered, and, most importantly, how constructs interrelate. Our discussion provides several opportunities to foster the needed consolidation of this research.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different approaches to managing a multi‐cultural team within an organisation and ways to identify which approach an organisation has adopted. The paper also investigates the result of the different methods and evaluates which is the most effective.

The paper takes a discursive approach in order to explore fully and survey the different styles and their consequences. In order to verify which of the methods is most effective the paper compares and contrasts the two to identify the benefits.

The paper reveals that there are two approaches for managing a multi‐cultural team: developmental and defensive. It discovers what the symptoms of the techniques are and why an organisation might adopt a certain method. The paper finds that the developmental approach is the most effective for organisations and uncovers how an organisation can follow a developmental route on managing cultural differences for the most positive effect.

The paper is a valuable resource to any organisation currently employing a multi‐cultural team or looking to conduct an overseas assignment or re‐locate the whole or part of the company abroad.