National cultural values, sustainability beliefs, and organizational initiatives

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine Tata ◽  
Sameer Prasad
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Organizational Capacity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Organizational Sustainability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Organizations are implementing sustainability initiatives in different countries with varied socio-cultural systems. The literature on sustainability, however, does not present a clear picture of how national culture can influence interpretations of the meaning of sustainability and how these differences in interpretation can result in different sustainability practices. The purpose of this paper is to build upon the current literature by identifying mechanisms (i.e. sustainability beliefs and perceptions) that mediate the relationship between national cultural values and organizational sustainability initiatives. Design/methodology/approach – The authors examine the literature on culture and sustainability practices, and develop a conceptual model that identifies how cultural values influence the sustainability initiatives of organizations. Several propositions are identified that specify relationships among the constructs, and guidelines are provided for testing the model in future research. Findings – The model posits that national culture influences sustainability beliefs and perceptions, which in turn influence the quantity and scope of sustainability initiatives. The relationship between sustainability beliefs and organizational sustainability initiatives is moderated by sustainability orientation and organizational capacity. Originality/value – The model can help researchers and practitioners better understand the meaning of sustainability in the context of international business by identifying the mechanisms that explain the link between culture and sustainability. It can also help researchers generate hypotheses for future research. Finally, the model can guide multinational corporations attempting to drive sustainability programs through their subsidiaries as well as international developmental agencies trying to develop programs in partnership with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Antecedent and employee well-being outcomes of perceived benefits schemes: a two-wave study

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qijie Xiao ◽  
Fang Lee Cooke ◽  
Felix Mavondo ◽  
Greg J. Bamber
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Job Involvement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of the research is to examine the antecedent and employee well-being outcomes of employees' perceptions of benefits schemes.Design/methodology/approachData were collected using both paper-based and web-based questionnaires over two time points (one month apart). The sample included 281 participants in eight companies in China. Structural equation modelling was employed to investigate the relationship between Chinese traditionality, perceived benefits schemes, job involvement and emotional exhaustion.FindingsChinese traditionality is an antecedent of employees' perceptions of benefits schemes. Perceived benefits schemes are negatively associated with emotional exhaustion. Moreover, job involvement mediates the relationship between perceived benefits schemes and emotional exhaustion.Research limitations/implications The data were collected in eight manufacturing companies in China, which may raise concerns about the generalisability of findings across industries, nations and cultures. Larger, more representative and cross-contextual samples are needed for future research to test the results further.Practical implicationsManagers should anticipate that employees with different cultural values may develop dissimilar perceptions of the same benefits schemes. Hence, managers need to communicate the benefits schemes to distinct employee groups in different ways.Originality/valueBased on the conservation of resources model, this research offers theoretical insights into the mechanisms through which perceived benefits schemes influence employee health well-being. In addition, this research tests an antecedent of perceived benefits schemes.

scholarly journals Religion, national culture and cross-country differences in the use of trade credit

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-370
Author(s):  
Markus Mättö ◽  
Mervi Niskanen
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Trade Credit ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether religion or national culture can explain previously observed cross-country variation in trade credit. Design/methodology/approach Using the firm-level SME data from 35 European countries, religion and cultural factors of Hofstede and Schwartz, the authors provide new evidence on the determinants of the cross-country variation in trade credit. Findings The results indicate that religion and national culture are associated with trade credit. The authors find that the levels of trade credit are higher in Catholic countries than in Protestant ones and that peoples’ religiousness has an impact on trade credit only in Catholic countries. The authors also find that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, such as power distance and uncertainty avoidance, are positively associated with trade credit. Practical implications Overall, authors’ findings indicate that religion and national culture are important determinants of trade credit management, and that the association between commonly used cultural values and trade credit depends on the religious, legal, and financial environment. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to research the relationship between national culture and trade credit.

The impact of national cultural values on retail structure

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 894-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boryana V. Dimitrova ◽  
Bert Rosenbloom ◽  
Trina Larsen Andras
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Retail Operations ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Retail Structure ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between national cultural values and retail structure. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a panel data set of 67 countries over the period 1999-2012. Findings The results demonstrate that national cultural values, measured with the World Values Survey’s traditional/secular-rational and survival/self-expression dimensions, affect retail structure. Research limitations/implications While marketing scholars have examined the relationship between demographic and competitive factors and retail structure, there has been a substantial body of anecdotal evidence showing that national culture can also drive retail structure development. In order to enhance the understanding of the relationship between national culture and retail structure, the authors empirically examine the impact of national cultural values on retail structure. Originality/value This study is the first one to empirically examine the impact of national culture on retail structure. The authors thus help advance retail structure research the primary focus of which has been on investigating the impact of demographic and competitive factors on retail structure. This study is especially relevant to international retail managers who coordinate retail operations in multiple countries around the world. These managers need insight into the impact of national cultural values on retail structure in order to devise effective retail strategies for each host market.

Investigating the role of national culture on integrated report assurance: international evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Uyar ◽  
Merve Kilic ◽  
Cemil Kuzey
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Corporate Strategies ◽  
Corporate Reporting ◽  
The Impact

PurposeDrawing on neo-institutional, stakeholder, social contract and contingency theories, the objective of this study is to examine whether cultural values across countries may influence decisions to assure integrated reports.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose, the authors have collected integrated reporting assurance, national culture and firm-specific data from several sources for the years ranging between 2011 and 2016 and have performed pooled and panel logistic regression analyses.FindingsThe authors found that corporations established in countries where the following characteristics prevail have higher tendencies to assure integrated reports: high collectivism among people, low power distance, strong feminine values rather than masculine values, high uncertainty avoidance, pursuance of short-term goals rather than long-term and a low level of indulgence.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is not free from limitations. First, the authors were only able to obtain assurance data for the years between 2011 and 2016 since 2011 was the initial year in which integrated reporting was adopted. Second, culture variables used throughout the study remained the same for each year due to the unavailability of differing data. This was noted in prior studies as well; thus, this is not an exception. Third, the assumption that all companies in a country have the same culture score is inherent in the scoring system of countries (Orij, 2010).Practical implicationsBased on the results, the authors drew implications for organizations, policymakers and assurance service providers. Multinational corporations can benefit from the outcome of this study by considering national cultures in formulating their corporate strategies. Finally, assurance service providers can position themselves in the marketplace by the findings of this study.Originality/valueThis paper aims to enhance the comprehension of corporate reporting practices by companies that operate in different countries, with necessarily varying cultural values. To the best knowledge of the authors, no prior study has yet examined the impact of national culture on the assurance of integrated reports.

Students’ perceptions of HEI regarding environmental sustainability – a comparative analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabete Correia ◽  
Fátima Conde ◽  
Rosa Nunes ◽  
Clara Viseu
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Stakeholder Participation ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Major Stakeholder ◽  
Spearman Correlation Test ◽  
Sustainability Practices ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Portuguese Higher Education

Purpose This paper aims to compare the environmental sustainability practices at the campus operations between two Portuguese higher education institutions (HEIs) at different stages of the implementation of an Eco-School Programme. It also seeks to analyse the involvement of the students in the process of implementing these practices in their institutions. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was carried out in two HEIs (a green and a non-green institution). Data were collected from a total of 832 students. Techniques of descriptive statistics and inferential statistical techniques such as the Mann-Whitney test, χ2 and Spearman correlation test, were applied. Findings The results obtained show that, from the students’ perspective, and in both institutions, there is still much to be done on the path towards sustainability, particularly in transport and landscaping. Significant differences were found only between some environmental sustainability practices at the campus level. However, students from the green institution are more participative in sustainability activities. Practical implications This study provides a picture of two HEIs’ sustainability behaviour from the students’ standpoint, which can be important for decision-makers in HEIs, in as much that students are one of the HEIs’ major stakeholder groups; furthermore, it enables them to better guide their efforts towards sustainability. Originality/value This paper focusses on the students’ perspective and their role in the sustainability initiatives undertaken by HEIs. It can be useful for future research that attempts to analyse the importance of HEIs’ stakeholder participation in sustainability.

Cultural values affect functional food perception

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (8) ◽  
pp. 1700-1714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saugat Neupane ◽  
Ranga Chimhundu ◽  
K.C. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Functional Food ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Perception ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumers’ cultural values and their functional food perception. Design/methodology/approach The research is qualitative in nature and uses the grounded theory method. The data were collected through in-depth interviews with three ethnic groups, Anglo-Australian, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups in Australia. The constant comparative data analysis approach was used to analyse the interview text. Findings The results indicate that there is a relationship between consumers’ cultural values and their functional food perception. Functional food perception depends upon the consumers’ predisposition towards their culture, their motives for functional food consumption and the level of perseverance towards functional foods. Research limitations/implications The study includes only three ethnic groups and is qualitative in nature, which may limit its generalisability to the universe. The inclusion of more ethnic groups and additional sources of data could form directions for future research. Practical implications Functional food marketers can assess the kind of cultural values the ethnic groups in Australia uphold and capture those values in their marketing strategies. The cultural values in the framework could be used for the segmentation of functional food consumers. In a multicultural setting like Australia, segmentation of consumers based on the standard values would be more feasible and effective to target consumers spread across different ethnic groups but who uphold similar values. Originality/value The research has attempted to fill the gap in the existing literature about the relationship between culture and functional food perception. The latent variables in the theoretical framework proposed by the qualitative enquiry can be a good starting point for understanding the influence of cultural values on functional food perception and the development of a more comprehensive theoretical framework for functional food behaviour.

National culture and public service motivation: investigating the relationship using Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions

2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 23-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangmook Kim
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Public Service Motivation ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

Much research has focused on finding and explaining the antecedents, correlates, and outcomes of public service motivation (PSM), but little is known about the influence of national context on individuals’ PSM. Previous research suggests that national culture may exert an independent influence on individuals’ PSM. This article examines PSM as an individual-level variable that is related to national culture, which is represented by Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Using data from the International Social Survey Programme (2005), I investigate the relationship between cultural dimensions and individuals’ PSM. This article demonstrates that masculinity and indulgence are positively related to individuals’ PSM, whereas individualism is negatively associated with individuals’ PSM. However, power distance and uncertainty avoidance have a non-significant relationship with PSM. This article provides partial support for the thesis that national culture is associated with individuals’ PSM, but future research is required to explicate the relationship of cultural characteristics to individuals’ PSM. Points for practitioners Culture influences certain types of behavior both directly and indirectly. The article suggests that cultural tendencies such as masculinity, indulgence, and collectivism have a significant positive influence on individuals’ PSM. Organizational education and socialization enhancing these cultural values are likely to foster employees’ PSM.

Participative decision-making amongst employees in a cross-cultural employment setting: evidence from 31 European countries

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Valverde-Moreno ◽  
Mercedes Torres-Jimenez ◽  
Ana M. Lucia-Casademunt
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose There is a growing consensus among human resources researchers and professionals that a participative environment can enhance job satisfaction, commitment, employee motivation and productivity. Moreover, globalization has caused that organizations operate in a huge number of culturally diverse countries. Studies suggest that understanding national culture as a prerequisite to implementing management initiatives such as employee participation in decision-making (PDM) acquires special interest. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of cultural values on PDM in European organisations. The fulfilment of this purpose entails the following specific objectives: to measure the level of PDM in each European country; to examine the relationship between the six cultural dimensions proposed by Hofstede in 2010 (power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/feminity, long term/short term and indulgence) and the PDM level of the organisations studied; and to define the national cultural profile of organisations that promote PDM the most and those that do the least. Design/methodology/approach One factor analysis were applied to test the proposed hypotheses on a sample of almost 25,000 workers in 31 European countries (from the 6th European Working Conditions Survey) to identify direct employee PDM corresponding to each organisation included in the sample. Multiple linear regression was performed to test the hypotheses about the relationship between PDM and Hofstede culture values. Previously, a correlation analysis was performed between the independent variables of the regression model to examine the possibility of bias in coefficient significance tests because of multicollinearity. Finally, it presented a ranking of the analysed countries according to their PDM, including the value of their cultural dimensions. This information could be used to define the cultural profile of European participative countries. Findings The findings advance our understanding of how culture influencing on employee PDM in European organisations. Indulgence and masculinity are the most influent cultural dimensions. Moreover, results provide the cultural profile of those European countries that promote PDM the most and the least. Research limitations/implications The research is based only on the perceptions of workers about their PDM but does not consider the managers’ opinion. Moreover, the document analyses the national culture as a single value shared by all the inhabitants of a country without considering the subcultures existing in it. Furthermore, future research should be conducted to analyse the influence of other conditions (such as activity sector, company size and owner public or private) on PDM–culture relationship. Practical implications This study can be aid to managers in understanding the cultural profile of the country where their companies operate and the cultural differences between their employees. In this manner, they could implement the appropriate practices to promote the direct participation of employees in decision-making. Originality/value To broaden the knowledge, this is the first study investigating PDM across six cultural dimensions. The globalized and international business environment generates new challenges to multinational organizations that could pursue to increase direct PDM to get its benefits (a higher efficiency, performance, motivation, commitment and loyalty by the employee) in culturally diverse societies. The cultural values of the countries where organizations are located affect direct employee PDM. In particular, in this study, this occurs primarily with the variables masculinity, long-term orientation and indulgence. Moreover, this is a finding of high relevance because there is no empirical evidence in the effect of indulgence and long-term orientation on PDM because they were added later to Hofstede’s values.

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND PERFORMANCE IN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN NIGERIA.

2012 ◽  
Vol 01 (11) ◽  
pp. 50-58
Author(s):  
UDEGBE, SCHOLASTICA EBAREFIMIA ◽  
AFOBUNOR, S.A.N ◽  
UDEGBE, MAURICE INIEDEGBOR
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
National Culture ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Foreign Firms ◽  
Organisational Performance ◽  
The Relationship

This study explores the moderating role of National culture and organisational characteristics in the relationship between organisational cultural values and organisational performance in multinational corporations in Nigeria. It is suggested that the relationship between specific organisational values and organisational performance (i.e. Customer satisfaction and business performance) should vary across National cultures. Likewise, it is anticipated that the relationship between specific organisational cultural values and organisational performance are likely to be greater when the cultural values of organizations are consistent with those of the host country’s technology, economic, political and growth characteristics. Repeatedly, it would be interesting to discover if foreign firms (such as MNCs) tend to maintain the organisational culture of their home countries, if MNCs in Nigeria are incapable of adopting vastly different cultural system, because of differences in values, and if national culture moderates the organisational culture and outcome relationship; and most especially if organisational culture will depend on the national culture. Data for the study was obtained with the aid of questionnaire, seven copies of which were administered in each of the 100 MNCs that served as sample. The selected 100 MNCs were stratified into categories of service, manufacturing and others while the respondents were conveniently selected. Data were generated from the 600 useable questionnaires returned. The response rate was 86%. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and t- test analysis. The research instrument showed high reliability and validity. Majorly, the study found that culture influences work practices, culture has a profound impact on the way customer perceive the organisation, MNCs in Nigeria tend to maintain the same organisational culture of their home country, and that there is a relationship between organisational culture, customer satisfaction and organisational performance. The study suggests further studies from a market intelligence perspective.

Leadership development practices as drivers of employee attitudes

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 537-551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Khoreva
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Affective Commitment ◽  
Employee Attitudes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Performance Demands

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between leadership development practices and the following employee attitudes: affective commitment, commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands and commitment to building competencies. Building on social exchange theory, the study seeks to reveal whether affective commitment mediates the relationship between leadership development practices and both commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands and commitment to building competencies. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modelling was utilized to analyse survey data representing a sample of 332 high-potential employees in eight Nordic multinational corporations. Findings – The study findings show that by means of affective commitment, organizations can expect an induced commitment to acceptance of increasing performance demands as well as an induced commitment to building relevant competencies among employees who engage in leadership development practices. Research limitations/implications – Given the cross-sectional nature of the study, future research is encouraged to look into how the relationship between leadership development practices and employee attitudes evolves over time. Originality/value – The study provides insights into the underlying processes by which leadership development practices become reflected in desired employee attitudes. It offers a useful point for future efforts to explore the impact of human resource management (HRM) on employees and organizations through various mediators with the purpose of establishing the current trends within HRM and avoiding tensions in future.

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