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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of relational competences, such as open-mindedness and the ability to adapt business style, in developing trustworthy relationships through communication in the export markets in different cultural contexts.

The analysis is performed on survey-based data from a sample consisting of 39.9 percent of the total population of Norwegian seafood companies involved in exporting, including 108 business relationships.

The findings reveal that adaptive business style and communication mediate the overall effect of open-mindedness on trust building between partners in the export markets. The adaptive business style fully explains the effect of open-mindedness on communication. Open-minded persons are better prepared to achieve communication on a high level because they are more likely to adapt to a new business style. Performing adaptive business style improves communication, particularly when the importer belongs to a dissimilar culture. For trust building, communication is equally important, irrespective of cultural differences.

Exporter should aim at recruiting open-minded people because they have the advantage that they are capable of performing a variety of negotiation styles and business approaches, depending on the situation.

This paper develops a model that integrates key constructs from the relational paradigm with constructs rooted in different research streams, extending our knowledge regarding salespeople competences that are important in order to develop business relationships in export markets.

The present study aims to examine the effect of learning orientation (commitment to learning, shared vision, open‐mindedness) on the product innovation performance (product innovation efficacy and efficiency) of companies in Turkey.

A structural equation‐modeling approach was applied to identify the variables that significantly affected the product innovation performance. Using LISREL 8.54, the data collected from 150 companies were used to test the proposed research model.

Empirical testing of the research model revealed that open‐mindedness was the sole predictor of product innovation efficacy as well as efficiency. However, the effects of shared vision and commitment to learning on the product innovation performance were found to be insignificant.

Relevant implications are provided for management as to how to improve product innovation performance.

The present study puts forward a theoretical model that identifies and explains the relation between the learning orientation and product innovation performance of companies operating in Turkey.

During the last decade, a firm's ability to innovate has gained substantial attention in the literature devoted to innovation and strategic management. This study aims at discussing on what is the relationship of a firm's commitment to learn and its open-mindedness with its activity in introducing organizational innovations. The data collection was carried out in Russia. In order to make the research more specific, the organizational innovation is broken down into two subtypes, namely innovation in management practices and innovation in workplace organization.

The study is grounded on the data obtained by the surveying of 123 Russian top managers working in manufacturing firms. The structural equation modeling was approached in order to investigate the impact of a firm's commitment to learn and open-mindedness on its organizational innovation.

The results indicate that the commitment to learn and the open-mindedness have considerable impact on organizational innovation activity in a firm. The findings also provide evidence that both the investigated subtypes of organizational innovation are positively influenced by commitment to learn and open-mindedness, though the degree of that influence differs.

The literature traditionally focuses mostly on the technological type of innovation leaving the organizational innovation covered by scarce research. In this respect the study contributes to the theory of organizational innovation by elaborating its relations with organizational learning dimensions. Apart from the investigation on the research question at a general level, the study explores the specific context related to the manifestation of phenomenon in a transition economy of Russia.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how individual-level intercultural communication competence (ICC) represented by cultural empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility predicts preferred use of symmetrical, two-way, conservation, and ethical public relations practices (PRPs) among public relations (PRs) students.

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze self-report data from 268 PRs students surveyed at a southern university.

Results indicated that empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility together significantly predicted the preferred use of all four PRPs. The three ICC variables each had a positive direct effect on symmetrical and ethical PRPs. Empathy and flexibility each had a positive direct effect on two-way and conservation PRPs.

This study provides evidence that the PRPs resulted from Excellence Theory, despite controversies over their practicality, are closely and positively related with ICC qualities such as empathy, open-mindedness, and flexibility among future practitioners. Future research should overcome the limitations in this study by examining current practitioners instead of PR students who are the future practitioners, investigating the PRP instruments’ criterion-related and construct validity, as well as exploring different levels and types of ICC.

This study is new in bridging the gap between preferred PRPs and the qualities needed for those PRPs, thereby addressing two limitations in the current intercultural PRs research.

This paper aims to provide a new perspective in investigating how internal research and development (R&D) and external knowledge acquisition interact regarding their influence on innovation performance in an emerging market context. Building on an attention-based view (ABV), it argues that internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition can be substitutes for each other in emerging markets. Its contingency factors are also discussed according to the principles of the ABV.

The proposed hypotheses were empirically tested using a Tobit model approach. The data used was from the enterprise survey and the follow-up innovation survey conducted by the World Bank in 10 emerging market countries.

The results indicate that internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition entails a substitute effect among emerging market firms (EMFs). A higher level of manager’s open-mindedness to external knowledge and firm performance and a lower level of firm administrative control help mitigate the substitute effect of internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition. While adequate financial resources may not necessarily mitigate the substitute effect, it is an essential condition for the external knowledge acquisition to play a role in enhancing innovation performance.

The research uses a set of cross-sectional data. A dynamic study will provide a deeper understanding of the long-term effects of innovation investments.

To better use innovation investments, EMFs need to assess their specific conditions and the possible substitute effect of internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition activities.

Previous research discussing the interactive effect of internal R&D and external knowledge acquisition has mostly focused on an absorptive capacity perspective, which represents a firm’s technical ability. This study argues that these investments not only involve in absorbing knowledge technically but also form a challenge for the limited firm resources and can cause cognitive problems in management, especially for EMFs.

Today, in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs must take a more strategic perspective that is evidenced by the need to scan the enterprise to discover how they might improve customer relations as well as promote improved entrepreneurial actions. The paper aims to focus on this issue.

This study examines the impact of the existence of an “open‐minded context” in an organisation at time (T) on actions that concern the challenging of entrepreneurial actions at time (T+1). It also examines the relationship between explorative and exploitation processes and customer relations. These relationships are examined through an empirical investigation of data obtained from 107 SMEs from the Spanish telecommunications industry, using partial least squares (PLS).

The results indicate that the effects of an “open‐minded context” at time (T) on customer relations at time (T+1) are mediated through the existence of explorative and exploitation knowledge processes at time (T+1).

Practices which may be based on explicit knowledge or on tacit knowledge in the form of processes and routines need to be challenged prior to the adoption of new knowledge by the organisation. In such situations, it will be necessary to modify or even delete some knowledge in order to ensure that employees have access to the up‐to‐date explorative and exploitative knowledge processes necessary to maintain or enhance customer relations.

In situations where organisations and their members face rapidly changing environments it is necessary to challenge the entrepreneurial actions which have been derived from the founding entrepreneurs.

The paper examines how the nature and existence of an open‐mindedness context is linked to the nature and existence of knowledge exploration and exploitation processes enacted by the workforce of an organisation.

Firms with market foresight – knowledge of market changes ahead of competitors – can convert that knowledge into creative and timely new product offerings. Based on a discovery-oriented process, working closely with managers throughout the research process, we develop and test a framework delineating market information determinants and new product outcomes of market foresight.

Using data collected primarily from senior executives of industrial manufacturers, the hypotheses were tested using partial least squares.

The results indicate that external (active scanning, lead user collaboration, and market experiments) and internal sources (boundary spanner input and interdepartmental connectedness) of market information positively affect market foresight. Further, the effects of active scanning, market experiments, and interdepartmental connectedness on market foresight are positively moderated by the organization’s open-mindedness. These findings also provide evidence that firms with superior market foresight develop more creative products, introduce them to the market faster, and introduce them at a more opportune time.

Our findings demonstrate that managers’ knowledge of market changes ahead of competitors is enhanced through acquiring both external and internal sources of market information. Furthermore, market foresight is significantly enhanced by managers being open-minded to the information gained from these sources as it may challenge long-held assumptions.

This chapter introduces a new construct, market foresight capability, to the literature that will aid managers in developing greater insight into emerging shifts in the market. For researchers, this new line of inquiry expands our understanding as to the critical sources and new product outcomes of obtaining future-focused market information.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of cultural values and cultural adaptability of Chinese expatriates and Thais on organization performance.

The designed perceptual scale research instrument adapted from Schwartz’s instrument is used to conduct a questionnaire survey in which 180 sample Chinese expatriates and Thai coworkers participated. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data obtained.

The authors found that cultural value variables that are significantly related to productivity are social order, openness, and tradition; while cultural adaptability variables found significantly related to productivity are open-mindedness and judgment. When organization performance is focused on innovation, cultural value variables that are found statistically significant are openness and tradition; while cultural adaptability variables that are significant include open-mindedness and personal values. Finally, when customer satisfaction is the organization performance focus, only one cultural value variable is found to be statistically significant, that is, tradition; while cultural adaptability variables that are significant are personal values and judgment.

The results of this study can be used to design new approaches and HRM practices (i.e. recruitment and training) to enhance the corporate culture and cooperation among Chinese expatriates and Thai coworkers to maximize organization performance in a new competitive environment.

This study contributes to the literature on cultural management and cultural adaptability. It empirically investigates the perception of both Chinese and Thais on cultural values influencing the performance of multinational companies. Further, the modified Schwartz’s values survey instrument used in a Thai business operating context makes it a very rare empirical study that provides insight into these issues.

Identifying and measuring personality traits assists to understanding professional career choices, however, what impact personality traits have on nursing student rural career choice remains absent. The purpose of this paper is to identify personality traits among nursing students that may be predictive of pursuing a rural career.

A cross-sectional design was used to examine the importance Bachelor of Nursing students place on undertaking rural careers. All nursing students (n=1,982) studying a three-year bachelor’s degree were invited to complete a questionnaire examining personality traits and rural practice intentions.

Students who saw themselves working rurally after graduation had higher levels of conscientiousness than those who wanted metropolitan careers. Students with higher levels of agreeableness or open-mindedness were more likely to consider rural practice when individual community factors were carefully considered. Finally, students with higher levels of neuroticism were less likely to consider rural practice as a future career pathway.

The cohort had high numbers of student from rural and regional settings, which may limit the ability to generalise the findings. In addition, student respondents of the survey may not be representative of the whole student cohort given the low response rate.

Key personality traits are identifying factors that contribute to nursing student decision making regarding rural practice. Students who displayed higher levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness and open-mindedness have traits that are most likely to impact the consideration of rural practice across their nursing career, which gives additional insight into targeted recruitment strategies.

Paramedics play important roles in healthcare, yet little is known about their decision-making. There is evidence that thinking style is associated with individual preference for intuitive or deliberative decision-making.

Australian and New Zealand paramedics (n = 103; mean age: 38.7; mean 12 years’ experience; 44% female) and paramedic students (n = 101; mean age: 25.7; 59% female) completed a thinking style survey measuring active open-mindedness (AOT), close mindedness (CMT), preference for intuitive thinking (PIT) and preference for effortful thinking (PET). Participants also completed the 7-item Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) to assess ability to override an attractive but incorrect intuition.

With prior exposure to the CRT controlled, regression analysis found increasing AOT and decreasing age predicted cognitive reflection across all participants (R2/R2 adjusted: 0.198/0.157; F(10, 192) = 4.752, p < 0.001). There were moderate correlations between CMT, age and paramedic experience. There was no difference between paramedics and student performance on the CRT, though more students reported prior exposure to the items (33.7 vs 16.5%; Chi-square (2) = 8.02, p = 0.02). Those who reported prior exposure to the CRT scored significantly higher than those who had not (5.08 [1.44] vs 3.87 [1.70]; F(2, 201) = 14.34, p < 0.001).

Self-reported AOT was associated with cognitive reflection and indicates a role for open-mindedness in paramedics to support decision-making.