Coping with authoritarianism in international relocation

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-19
Author(s):  
Frank Fitzpatrick
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Relocation ◽  
Sociocultural Adjustment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose As the rate of growth in trade of developing and developed economies converges, international business is increasingly taking place in a growing assortment of political and ideological contexts with variable levels of tolerance for plural dissidence. This can create substantial challenges and risks for crosscultural adjustment and increases the potential for assignment failure. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an authoritarian regime on the process of adjustment amongst expatriate sojourners and draw out lessons for future research and policies for relocation in similar authoritarian contexts. Design/methodology/approach This was a qualitative research study over three years making use of participant observation methods as a result of researcher immersion in the local context. Findings This study finds that “culture” is an insufficient category for explaining difficulties in cross-cultural adjustment and demonstrates that adjustment difficulties under authoritarianism are heightened in the proximate sociocultural context, with geo-political and ideological dynamics creating more challenging conditions of life. Increased levels of social control act to heighten psychological vulnerability amongst sojourners, resulting in coping behaviours that seek a greater degree of psychological alleviation and companionship through more resource-intensive supportive networks and a tendency toward enclavism, thus inhibiting sociocultural adjustment to the host society. Research limitations/implications Research needs to recognise more fully the diverse nature of contexts in cross-cultural adjustment. Future research should explore different types of contexts and assess what sort of challenges may arise in relation to the process of psychological and sociocultural adjustment and the adjustive resources required to overcome them. Practical implications The paper contributes to the understanding of the psychological and sociocultural challenges of international relocation in an authoritarian context and serves as valuable insight for relocation planning in similar conditions, which are an ever-increasing feature of international business. Originality/value This paper gives a unique insight into international relocation in Cuba and draws out the areas of concern for cross-cultural adjustment under authoritarian conditions, an ever-increasing feature of international business. It serves as an example of how context-based research can inform cross-cultural theory and practice within an evolving landscape of doing business globally.

The role of Guanxi on international business-to-business relationships: a systematic review and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1125-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birce Dobrucalı
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
International Business ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of the extant empirical body of knowledge regarding the impact of Guanxi on international Business-to-Business (B-to-B) relationships. Design/methodology/approach After the collection and refinement of studies that appeared in marketing, business and management literature during 1995-2018 period, a systematic review was conducted to discover the current situation and future research directions on the subject. Findings Theoretically, vast majority of the reviewed studies lacked a theoretical foundation, with the remainder anchored primarily on the resource-based view, social network theory and social exchange theory. Methodologically, Ganqing, Xinren and Mianzi are the most frequently investigated dimensions, whereas Renqing is the least investigated dimension. Data are mostly obtained from both Chinese and Western counterparts through survey and analyzed through univariate and multivariate data analysis techniques. Empirically, extant research focused on many diverse outcomes including trust, financial performance, cooperation, satisfaction, time orientation, opportunism and liability of foreignness, while under-examining the drives of Guanxi. Research limitations/implications This study provides a synthesis of extant line of research on the subject that are published in peer-reviewed international journals, which publish research in English. A meta-analysis may be conducted for providing a further detailed framework. Originality/value This study contributes to international marketing literature by providing an in-depth and synthesized inventory of knowledge to scholars; deriving a comprehensive analysis of theoretical foundations, methodological approaches and findings addressed by scholars in the field; noticing theoretical, methodological and empirical gaps to be examined; and providing future research directions.

scholarly journals The impact of financial restatements on financial markets: a systematic review of the literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1119-1147
Author(s):  
João L.F.R. Fragoso ◽  
Rúben M.T. Peixinho ◽  
Luís M.S. Coelho ◽  
Inna C.S. Paiva
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Restatements ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the most relevant issues related to the impact of financial restatements in the dynamics of financial markets and identify several research gaps to be investigated in future research. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is based on a systematic review of the literature described by Tranfield et al. (2003). The final sample includes 47 academic papers published from 1996 to 2019. Findings Papers in this domain discuss three main topics: how the market prices the announcement of a financial restatement; how financial restatements affect the announcing firm’s cost of capital and how financial restatements affect firms’ reputation. There are several issues to explore in future research, including whether financial restatements affect the dynamics of financial markets in Europe, whether the market fully and promptly assimilates the information content of a restatement, the role of financial analysts’ information disclosures in this process or how regulators may improve the way they provide investors with timely information about firms’ restating problems. Research limitations/implications There is always some degree of subjectivity in the definition of the keywords, search strings and selection criteria in a systematic review. These are all important aspects, as they delimitate the scope of the study and define the sample of papers to be reviewed. Practical implications The answers to the research questions identified in this paper may provide regulators with information to improve financial accounting and reporting standards and strengthen investors’ confidence in accounting information and the dynamics of financial markets. Originality/value This paper systematically reviews the relevant literature exploring the connection between financial restatements and the dynamics of financial markets. It contributes to the academic community by identifying several research questions that may impact the theory and practice related to accounting quality and capital markets.

The disruption of blockchain in auditing – a systematic literature review and an agenda for future research

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Lombardi ◽  
Charl de Villiers ◽  
Nicola Moscariello ◽  
Michele Pizzo
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper presents a systematic literature review, including content and bibliometric analyses, of the impact of blockchain technology (BT) in auditing, to identify trends, research areas and construct an agenda for future research.Design/methodology/approachThe authors include studies from 2010 to 2020 in their structured literature review (SLR), using accounting journals on the Scopus database, which yielded 40 articles with blockchain and auditing at its core.FindingsOne of the contributions of the authors’ analyses is to group the prior research, and therefore also the agenda for future research, into three main research areas: (1) Blockchain as a tool for auditing professionals to improve business information systems to save time and prevent fraud; (2) Smart contracts enabling Audit 4.0 efficiency, reporting, disclosure and transparency; (3) Cryptocurrency and initial coin offerings (ICOs) as a springboard for corporate governance and new venture financing. The authors’ findings have several important implications for practice and theory.Practical implicationsThe results of this study emphasise that (1) the disruption of blockchain in auditing is in a nascent phase and there is a need for compelling empirical studies and potential for the involvement of practitioners; (2) there may be a need to reconsider audit procedures especially suited for digitalisation and BT adoption; (3) standards, guidelines and training are required to pivot towards and confront the challenge BT will represent for auditing; and (4) there are two sides to the BT coin for auditing, enthusiasm about the potential and risk upon implementation. These practical implications can also be seen as a template for future research in a quest to align theory and practice.Originality/valueThe authors’ SLR facilitates the identification of research areas and implications, forming a useful baseline for practitioners, professionals and academics, as they draft the state of the art on the disruption of blockchain in auditing, highlighting how BT is changing auditing activities and traditions.

The effect of cross-cultural training on expatriates’ adjustment

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1114-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
John O. Okpara ◽  
Jean D. Kabongo
Keyword(s):  
Management Development ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
Expatriate Managers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Purpose One of the most important issues multinational corporations (MNCs) face in their global operations is expatriate failure. It is estimated that between 10 and 80 percent of expatriates sent on overseas assignments return home early. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of cross-cultural training (CCT) on different facets of expatriate managers’ adjustment in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 212 western expatriate managers working in Nigeria was surveyed. Respondents were selected from four cities where they had been working for at least one year. Findings The main finding of this study was that expatriates’ adjustment could be predicted from different types of CCT. The findings of this research confirm the view expressed by researchers over the last two decades that both conventional and specific experimental CCT have positive effect on the facets of cross-cultural adjustment. Research limitations/implications Given that the authors did not collect their data over time, the cross-sectional nature of the design limits them from making definitive causal statements. In the future, more resources and efforts could be applied to safeguard larger samples of respondents, thus potentially resulting in better statistical power. A longitudinal approach could be used; such an approach may have generated a richer data source, where different patterns of adjustment could have been identified and compared over time. Data for the study were collected through questionnaire, thus any observed relations might be due in part to common method effects. Since the data were collected from four cities, there may be some concern as to the generalizability of the findings to expatriates working in other cities in Nigeria. Practical implications MNCs should pay more attention to CCT and management development. Ineffective CCT and management development have an adverse impact on MNCs’ effectiveness. Developing CCT programs could add value to corporations and employees especially employees who are destined for foreign assignments. In addition, developing CCT for expatriates’ spouses and children would facilitate adjustment process and may reduce failure rate. Originality/value Once corroborated by further studies, this exploratory research may contribute to the understanding of the adjustment of western expatriates in Nigeria. Few, if any, prior studies, have examined CCT and expatriate adjustment in Nigeria.

Changing business culture: theory and practice in typical emerging markets

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Stephanie Jones ◽  
Gregory J. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
International Business ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Cross Cultural Management

TitleChanging business culture: theory and practice in typical emerging markets.Subject areaOrganizational behavior, human resources, culture, international business, international entrepreneurship and emerging market studies.Study level/applicabilityMBA and MSc students (and some advanced‐level undergraduates) in an MBA module being taught face‐to‐face in an emerging market context. MBA courses such as managing cultural diversity, cross‐cultural management, organizational behavior, human resource management, international business and business in emerging markets. The exercise is also relevant to teaching the subject of assignment‐ and dissertation‐writing, given the element of data collection and analysis.Case overviewThis exercise is designed to be an MBA class exercise in which students try to answer the question: what are the national cultural characteristics of the typical executive or manager in my country? Are these behaviors as the textbooks describe, or have they changed, especially with economic development?The example of country chosen for the class exercise can be any emerging market country, especially one undergoing significant change. Much of the research on cross‐cultural management conducted in emerging markets was carried out 20 or 30 years ago and the changes in emerging markets have been dramatic since then. It is highly likely, when reaching the results of this exercise, that the culture of the chosen country has indeed changed dramatically, becoming more like a typical developed or “emerged” country. Much of the original cross‐cultural management research was also based on a similar group – employees of US‐based high technology companies, arguably similar to the sample to be involved in our exercise here.Expected learning outcomesNational cultural characteristics can be described and defined in ways which will allow for comparisons, to gain useful insights – and these behaviors are not good or bad, just real and different. Cultures can change or stay the same, due to certain demographic, economic and social influences, which we can study and measure. If we proactively interview colleagues and other contacts to test our understanding of these national culture constructs, we can gain more insights and awareness (rather than just listening to a lecture).Supplementary materialsTeaching notes, student assignment.

Biculturalism and cross-cultural competence: examination of an attribution complexity theory-based model

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Lakshman ◽  
Sangeetha Lakshman ◽  
Kubilay Gok
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Leadership Effectiveness ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Cultural Leadership ◽  
Learning Abilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeBased on attributional complexity (AC) theory, the authors empirically examine the impact of biculturalism on cross-cultural adjustment and the degree to which people make isomorphic attributions, critical for cross-cultural leadership effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachUsing questionnaire surveys, the authors first validate measures in a validation sample and then empirically test the model in a second sample, using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe authors’ findings reveal an empirical connection between biculturalism and AC on the one hand, while also showing support for the relationship between biculturalism and attributional knowledge. Findings also demonstrate that biculturalism is related to attributional accuracy in cross-cultural contexts via an attributional mechanism, as suggested by AC theory.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, AC theory emerges as one with excellent prospects for explaining intercultural work in multicultural settings. Biculturalism's links to AC and attributional knowledge are critical for extensions to cross-cultural leadership effectiveness, and international knowledge transfer, interesting and high potential research avenues for the discipline.Practical implicationsThe authors’ findings carry a host of managerial implications. AC training can provide all international assignees with the necessary foundational skills and learning abilities to successfully interact in the host country setting with local nationals. This study also suggests that managers on international assignments should focus their efforts on acquiring attributional knowledge because it can provide a solid boost to their understanding of the local culture.Originality/valueOne’s understanding of biculturals and their cross-cultural management competencies is very limited. The authors provide empirical support for the hypotheses, hitherto unexamined in extant literature.

Taking the “culture” out of “culture shock” – a critical review of literature on cross-cultural adjustment in international relocation

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 278-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Fitzpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Critical Review ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
International Management ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Social Constructionist ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to re-examine the use of the term “culture shock” in international management studies and cross-cultural research and to propose a paradigmatic shift in how the term is understood for future research. The experience of “culture shock” is an established concept within international management studies, engendering an industry of training designed to combat difficulties in relocation. This paper argues that the use of concept is based on a flawed understanding of “culture” and proposes an alternative perspective to help organisations prepare their employees for overseas assignments. Design/methodology/approach The paper opts for a critical review of literature to examine models of culture shock through time and theories relating to success factors in cross-cultural adjustment. In so doing, the paper revisits the notion of culture shock from a social constructionist perspective within a dialectical framework. Findings The paper challenges the notion of culture as an essential, reified concept, arguing that culture shock is not about culture, but about the dynamics of context and how individuals deal with life changes to navigate the challenges that they face. Research limitations/implications Future research should focus on context-related, interactive behaviour, framed in discourse processes, rather than predetermined a priori typologies based on cultural stereotypes. This would recognise the discursive nature of social interaction within a dialectical framework, where relational tension emerges as a result of disparity. Practical implications The paper contributes to an understanding of the complex range of factors influencing the success of relocation to guide international companies in their policies. Originality/value This paper proposes a paradigm shift in the treatment of culture shock towards a more discourse-based concept created through universal cultural and dialectical processes.

Assessing the cultural intelligence and task performance equation

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeevan Jyoti ◽  
Sumeet Kour
Keyword(s):  
Task Performance ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Task

Purpose – Organizations in India are multicultural in nature. In this context, cultural intelligence is a tool, which can increase an individual’s ability to interact with people outside his/her culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of cultural intelligence on task performance as well as to investigate the mediating role of cultural adjustment between the two. Design/methodology/approach – Extensive review of literature was done to acknowledge the cultural intelligence and task performance concept. Data for the study has been collected from the 225 managers working in nationalized banks in Jammu province (J&K, India). Data collected has been validated using confirmatory factor analysis and hypotheses have been tested through structural equation modeling. Findings – The study reveals that cultural intelligence significantly contributes toward task performance. The findings further reveal full mediation of cultural adjustment between cultural intelligence and task performance. Research limitations/implications – The study has been conducted in Indian cultural context, which can be extended to other Asian countries. Further, more outcomes of cultural intelligence can be taken into consideration in future for better understanding of the concept. Practical implications – The study contributes toward cultural intelligence theory. Organization should provide cultural training to the managers before sending them to out of home state assignment, which helps to understand the culture of that state and effectively interact with people belonging to that place. Originality/value – The paper empirically identifies the relationship between cultural intelligence and task performance in Indian context. Further, this relationship has been explored by using cultural adjustment as a mediator between the two. The model developed can be used for future research keeping it as a base.

scholarly journals The impact of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) on Cross-Cultural Job Satisfaction (CCJS) and International Related Performance (IRP)

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 2277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fikret Sozbilir ◽  
Salih Yesil
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
International Activities ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Cultural Intelligence (CQ) referring to the adaptation to cross-cultural situation, interacting and working effectively in cross-cultural situations is the subject of this study. Globalization and international activities of companies have increased the cross-cultural interaction and commercial links, which in turn have resulted in the need for knowledge and competence about different culture. Within these dynamics, the success of the managers who are in charge of international activities depends on their CQ. The studies related to CQ reveal that it helps to cope with multi-cultural situations, to perform in culturally diverse work groups, to manage culture shock and facilitate effective cross-cultural adjustment, decision making and performance. This study particularly investigates the role of CQ on Cross-Cultural Job Satisfaction (CCJS) and International Related Performance (IRP). The study also looks at the link between CCJS and IRP. A research model along with the related hypotheses was developed and tested based on the data collected through survey method from textile companies in Turkey. The results reveal that CQ is positively related to CCJS. The partial support is also obtained from the data regarding the link between CQ and IRP. In addition, the research finds no relationship between CCJS and IRP. The findings are discussed in relation to theory and practice in the conclusion part of the study.

scholarly journals Innovation with Chinese characteristics: theory and practice

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zheng Li ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Jin Chen ◽  
Tsvi Vinig
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Innovation Management ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Research ◽  
Chinese Characteristics ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This is a special issue of Chinese Management Studies and this study aims to engage with debates on innovation in China and to provide new insights for innovation research in the context of China, seeking to develop a greater understanding of the concept of “innovation with Chinese characteristics”. Design/methodology/approach This study reviews the Chinese innovation management literature in general and the selected papers in this special issue in particular and proposes two new directions for future research. Findings The nine papers that constitute this special issue present research on important aspects of innovation in China, ranging from the effectiveness of government subsidisation for innovation, the impact of fiscal decentralisation on innovation, the role of management behaviour in promoting (or discouraging) innovation and the effects of differing business models on innovation. These papers shed valuable new light on the theory and practice of innovation in China. The papers are discussed in the context of four primary arguments about innovation management in China identified from the broader literature in the field. These relate to the pattern of China’s innovation performance over time, the reasons for its effectiveness, the role of alliances and influences of indigenous factors. It is also shown that management of the internationalisation of innovation and of efficient internal innovation are two important directions for future research on Chinese innovation in an era of de-globalisation. Originality/value The studies presented here provide valuable contributions to theory building in innovation research, as well as some important ideas for directions of future research on innovation in China in the new era of de-globalisation.

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