Flexible identities and cross-border knowledge networking

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Moore
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Knowledge Networks ◽  
Professional Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Taiwanese People ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose This paper aims to explore and discuss the use of the flexible, discursive nature of ethnic identity as a means of facilitating the construction and use of transnational knowledge networks. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the influence of “intangibles” on international business (IB), using a case study examining how Taiwanese people in London construct and use their professional networks for knowledge management. The methodology is ethnographic, including participant-observation, interviews and archival research. Findings Taiwanese businesspeople in London used their ethnic identity for networking, not only within the Taiwanese community, but also combined different identities to network through different groups. The findings suggest that the flexible nature of identity provides a means by which knowledge networks can be constructed across borders, providing insight into the actual processes through which knowledge is transferred in IB. Research limitations/implications An identity approach can add a more nuanced analysis of real-life situations to the more traditional culture-focused approach. Greater methodological variety is needed if IB studies are to incorporate more complex perspectives on cross-cultural management, and to develop this study’s conclusions. Practical implications Managers who are aware of the complexities of ethnic identity can exploit these among themselves and their employees to seek out new sources of knowledge. Originality/value This paper provides insight into the means and processes through which transnational networks are constructed and knowledge shared across borders, and the seldom-analysed role of identity, in this case ethnic identity, in these phenomena.

scholarly journals From cultural differences to cultural globalization: towards a new research agenda in cross-cultural management studies

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Boussebaa
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Cultural Globalization ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper responds to calls for a new raison d’être in the field cross-cultural management (CCM) and culture-sensitive studies of international business (IB) more broadly. It argues that one way of addressing the crisis of confidence in the field is to develop a line of inquiry focussed on corporate-driven cultural globalization. This paper also proposes a theoretical approach informed by international political economy (IPE) and postcolonial theory and outlines a research agenda for future work on cultural globalization. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a desk-based analysis that draws on relevant research in the wider social sciences to insert cultural globalization into the CCM/IB field’s intellectual project. Findings The paper finds the field of CCM and culture-sensitive IB studies more broadly to be almost exclusively focussed on studying the impact of cultural differences. Surprisingly, little attention has been devoted to the phenomenon of corporate-driven cultural globalization. Research limitations/implications The paper redirects the field and presents a research agenda, calling for studies on the role of four related actors in cultural globalization: MNEs, global professional service firms, business schools and CCM/IB researchers themselves. Practical implications CCM/IB scholars may be able to reorient themselves towards the phenomenon of cultural globalization and, in so doing, also seize an opportunity to contribute to important debates about it in the wider social sciences. Originality/value The paper suggests possibilities for renewal by redirecting CCM/IB towards the study of cultural globalization and by encouraging the field to develop a postcolonial sensibility in future research on the phenomenon.

Working towards health equity for ethnic minority elders: spanning the boundaries of neighbourhood governance

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Carlsson ◽  
Roos Pijpers
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Professional Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Relational Work

PurposeThis paper analyses how neighbourhood governance of social care affects the scope for frontline workers to address health inequities of older ethnic minorities. We critically discuss how an area-based, generic approach to service provision limits and enables frontline workers' efforts to reach out to ethnic minority elders, using a relational approach to place. This approach emphasises social and cultural distances to social care and understands efforts to bridge these distances as “relational work”.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a two-year multiple case study of the cities of Nijmegen and The Hague, the Netherlands, following the development of policies and practices relevant to ethnic minority elders. They conducted 44 semi-structured interviews with managers, policy officers and frontline workers as well as 295 h of participant observation at network events and meeting activities.FindingsRelational work was open-ended and consisted of a continuous reorientation of goals and means. In some cases, frontline workers spanned neighbourhood boundaries to connect with professional networks, key figures and places meaningful to ethnic minority elders. While neighbourhood governance is attuned to equality, relational work practice fosters possibilities for achieving equity.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research on achieving equity in relational work practice and more explicit policy support of relational work is needed.Originality/valueThe paper contributes empirical knowledge about how neighbourhood governance of social care affects ethnic minority elders. It translates a relational view of place into a “situational” social justice approach.

Y International Group (YIG): Surviving Vietnam's anti-China riots in 2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Xiaojia Guo ◽  
Hao Chen ◽  
Peng Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Bounded Rationality ◽  
Business Communication ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Management Concepts ◽  
Cross Cultural Management

Subject area This case describes a real-time crisis experienced by the co-founder (Mr Yang) of a multi-national Chinese company operating in Vietnam during the 2014 Vietnam riot. After the strike broke out, Mr Yang made several critical decisions to protect and save both his factory and employees. Study level/applicability This case is applicable to graduate-level management courses such as: Business ethics, Decision-making, Business Communication and Cross-Cultural Management. Students should have some knowledge in Decision-Making concepts (e.g. “bounded rationality”); in Cross-Cultural Management concepts (e.g. “culture norms”); and in Strategic management theory such as “institution-based view” (e.g. formal vs informal institutions). Case overview Part A of the case introduces the main character (Mr Yang) and his factory in Vietnam, the escalation of the strike and the course of the crisis. It also elaborates the important critical decisions Mr Yang made to save both his factory and employees. Part B of the case describes the rescue of Mr Yang and his Chinese employees, his actions after the crisis and strategic positioning in future business. Part C of the case introduces the aftermath of the riot and Mr Yang's reflection regarding the crisis. Expected learning outcomes The instructors may emphasize different learning objectives in different courses. Business Ethics: help the students learn to recognize, clarify, speak and act on their values when conflicts arise. Decision-Making: helps the students understand the logic of sense-making in crisis and the concept of bounded rationality. Business Communication: helps the students learn to raise issues in an effective manner and learn to deliver their own responses effectively. Cross-Cultural Management: helps the students identify and analyze the many ways in which managers can voice and implement their values in the face of critical moments in a different cultural environment. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes.

Work design expectations of Japanese MNCs’ local managers in English-speaking and Far East cultural clusters – USA, Thailand and India

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1057-1071
Author(s):  
Ashok Ashta
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
International Business ◽  
Far East ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Work Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
Overseas Subsidiaries ◽  
Management Scholarship

PurposeThe importance of work design to organizational engagement and firm performance is increasingly recognized in management scholarship. For international business, a majority of variation in work design based on national cultures is addressed through cross-cultural management scholarship. However, there is a paucity of qualitative research on the influences international business human resource managers face for work design in the intercultural environment of overseas subsidiaries. The purpose of this interpretivist study was to examine the lived experience of overseas subsidiaries’ local managers to surface a more nuanced understanding of their expectations and related implications for work.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical research was conducted through semistructured in-depth interviews with senior managers of subsidiaries of Japanese MNCs in USA, Thailand and India.FindingsThe findings of the study develop and extend on prior cross-cultural management scholarship on world cultural clusters revealing changed expectations of work in intercultural work environments as instantiated by Japanese MNCs.Social implicationsThrough engaging work design, international businesses can contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 that pertains to decent work.Originality/valueThe study adds to extant understanding of the work design antecedent to engagement by broadening to intercultural environment impacts understanding facilitated by empirical lived experience data and suggesting a modification to extant theory. This study pioneers in taking world cultural clusters as the field for evaluating data.

Postulation of India-Japan Vedic-Buddhist cross-cultural management cluster: conceptualizing a spiritual philosophy-based explanation for emerging theory

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Ashta
Keyword(s):  
Management Practice ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Spiritual Values ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Partnerships ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Japanese Management ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
The Public Sphere

Purpose Though there is emerging research that induces a postulation for a Vedic–Buddhist (V–B) cultural cluster, good theory development requires not only generalizability but also strong explanation. This paper aims to address the explanation gap to strengthen emerging theory development. Design/methodology/approach Religion-derived spiritual philosophy travel is traced from historical origins in India to contemporary Japanese management practice and its underpinning values. Findings The enhanced explanation developed in this paper finds a clear trace of spiritual values with roots in India surfacing in contemporary Japanese management as identified in extant cross-cultural management (CCM) literature. Research limitations/implications This paper offers important explanation to strengthen emerging theory on the novel idea of a V–B CCM cluster. Practical implications The strengthening of explanation for emerging theory adds to the case for modification of the traditional CCM meta-narrative that has positioned India and Japan in separate cultural clusters. Social implications Strengthening the postulation of a V–B cultural cluster potentially lubricates foreign investment from Japan to India contributing to achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal no. 17 that pertains to international partnerships. Additionally, the findings raise questions for public policymakers who in modern times occlude religion from the public sphere. Originality/value This paper offers novel explanatory perspectives for emerging CCM theory, potentially expanding the spiritual philosophy avenue of management research.

Applying cultural intelligence to religious symbols in multinationals

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 365-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon L. O’Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Value Conflict ◽  
Un Global Compact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Media ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Religious Symbols ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
Economic Need

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe how religious symbols might impede employees’ motivational cultural intelligence (CQ) in some international contexts, and how multinational managers might employ this knowledge to respond in a manner that mitigates risks to knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses several theories (e.g. CQ, social categorization, expectancy, and contact theories) to develop a conceptual model about the nature of the risk to employees’ motivational CQ. It then draws on models of acculturation to explore how multinational corporation managers might respond. Findings It is conjectured that the salience of religious-based value conflict, learned both vicariously and through direct experiences, will adversely impact motivational CQ, and that the introduction of religious symbols may exacerbate this relationship. A framework of possible interventions is offered, and each intervention approach is evaluated in terms of how it may mitigate or exacerbate the risks raised by the model. Research limitations/implications The proposed model requires empirical validation. Practical implications Multinationals are advised how (and why) to treat the preservation of motivational CQ as central to any intervention in the conflict over religious symbols. Social implications An uninformed response to controversy over religious symbols could impede knowledge sharing and potentially exacerbate broader societal tensions (UN Global Compact, 2013). Therefore, this paper addresses a clear socio-economic need. Originality/value Controversy over the use of religious symbols in the workplace has generated considerable international media attention, but has been neglected by cross-cultural management research.

The convergence of value (quality) recognition approaches

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-27
Author(s):  
Yeongsu Kim ◽  
Dong‐Kee Rhee ◽  
Sangsuk Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Exchange Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Cross Cultural Management

PurposeThis paper aims to answer the following question: do the customer behaviors in evaluating a product's quality converge in terms of low‐ and high‐context culture? The paper is designed to examine how customers in different cultural contexts recognize the quality of a product according to three quality recognition approaches; these are exchange, sign, and experience approaches.Design/methodology/approachIn order to verify whether the worldwide quality recognition methods were converging or diverging, almost 300 exchange students in South Korea were surveyed. The survey examined how the 20s perceive quality of a laptop, analyzing each approach individually in order to observe whether the quality recognition methods were converging. Especially, when examining the experience approach, the value was segregated into two parts: extrinsic and intrinsic value.FindingsIt is found that only the experience approach is converging, which indicates that even within different degrees of cultural context, there are still cultural differences in quality recognition approaches.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations such as limited product uses, dividing the nations simply into two groups which are Western and Eastern are evident in the study. More elaborative future studies are suggested including, dividing nations in terms of cultural context and using more products.Originality/valueThis paper shows that the value recognition approaches are heterogeneous across cultures, and therefore more cultural‐based knowledge is required in cross‐cultural management.

Yin-yang dialectics and communitarianism in cross-cultural management research

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 492-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao C. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cultural Difference ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Organization And Management ◽  
Yin Yang ◽  
Cross Cultural Management ◽  
East West

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to comment on “Global implication of the indigenous epistemological system from the East: How to Apply yin-yang balancing to paradox management” by Li (2016). As a pioneer in developing indigenous Chinese management theories, Li has been focused on extracting essential principles of the Chinese yin-yang philosophy and applying them to organization and management phenomena within and outside China (Li, 1998, 2012, 2014a, b). In this paper (Li, 2016), Li sharpens his thinking on the unique attributes of the Chinese yin-yang balancing perspective so as to both distinguish it from and connect it to Western Aristotelian and Hegelian philosophies in regard to contradictions and paradoxes that are increasingly more prevalent in contemporary organizations. The author found Li’s paper thought provoking and highly relevant to cross-cultural management research. The author reflects on the yin and yang of the yin-yang perspective itself and discusses how it can be extended for theorizing about cross-cultural or inter-cultural management research. Design/methodology/approach Applying yin-yang dialectics on the East-West cultural differences, this commentary contends that the strengths and weaknesses of the cultural mindsets of the East and the West are relative and potentially complementary to each other, and seeks to balance and integrate Eastern and Western perspectives for theorizing and tackling cultural differences and conflicts in a globalized world. Findings On the basis of yin-yang dialectics on cultural differences, a communitarianism model is proposed for cross-cultural researchers to balance and integrate individualism and collectivism, a well-established East-West cultural difference. Originality/value The theoretical model of communitarianism builds upon but transcends either Eastern or Western cultural differences toward a viable global value system.

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.

The pains and gains of blended learning – social constructivist perspectives

2014 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 254-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soma Pillay ◽  
Reynold James
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Social Constructivist ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Cultural Setting ◽  
Cross Cultural Management

Purpose – Using the case of a cross-cultural setting, the purpose of this paper is to compare perceptions of students towards face-to-face learning and blended learning. A social constructivist perspective is used which implies that cultural data are in fact social constructs made on the basis of the participants’ own cultural thought patterns and the concepts and categories to which they are socialised within learning organisations. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Perceptual evidence forms the primary qualitative and quantitative data for this study. The paper uses social constructivist approach with empirical data in developing the notion that cross-cultural management is a process whereby people, through social interactions, acquire participative competence for working in cross-cultural settings. Findings – Perceptual data emerging from this study point out that considering the learning objectives of a cross-cultural context are paramount when engaging in cross-cultural management curriculum and teaching design. Such social contexts, while complex and challenging, is often a perfect opportunity where cross-cultural competence can be developed. Originality/value – The value of the study lies in the original insights it offers into student experiences and the challenges to adopt a “one size fits all” strategy in a cross-cultural setting.

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