Constructive intercultural contact: yes we can. Introduction of a new concept

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 649-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans Spijkerman ◽  
Yvonne W.M. Benschop ◽  
Joost Bücker
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Intergroup Contact ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intercultural Contact ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Hierarchical Relationships ◽  
Minority Participants

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of constructive intercultural contact. This concept refers to intercultural contact in which majority as well as minority participants are intercultural effective, i.e. can perceive themselves as comfortable and successful. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on exploration and review of intergroup, contact, acculturation and organization literature. Findings Five input elements of constructive intercultural contact are distinguished: responsibility, deliberate choice to postpone judgment, acknowledging the relative relevance of cultural differences, perspective taking and respect. What participants have to do to make constructive intercultural contact in organizations not only possible between colleagues, but also in hierarchical relationships is elaborated by reflection on the interrelation between majority/minority and manager/employee positions in constructive intercultural contact. Originality/value This paper contributes to diversity management literature by introducing a new concept which, focusing on the interaction level, explains how participants can make intercultural contact into a comfortable and successful experience for both. Other contributions are the differentiation between majority and minority actors and the elaboration of the complexity of intercultural employee/manager contacts.

Understanding knowledge hiding in the context of virtual workplaces

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suman Choudhary ◽  
Kirti Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Virtual Work ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Arrangements ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Knowledge Hiding ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose This paper aims to explore the implications of virtual work arrangements on employee knowledge hiding (KH) behaviour and the different strategies of KH used by employees in these arrangements. Design/methodology/approach Following a grounded theory approach to understanding KH, 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with employees engaged in virtual working setups. The data collected from these informants were then analysed using qualitative methods. Findings The study revealed that virtual work arrangements increase employee KH behaviour because of three reasons: ease of hiding, digital burnout and loss of control. Further, the study found that rationalized hiding is the most commonly adopted strategy by employees engaged in virtual work arrangements, while inclinations towards evasive hiding strategy decrease in this arrangement. Originality/value This is the first study in knowledge management literature that seeks to explain KH in the virtual work context.

Enabling formal MCS design and use: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Janka
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Employee Behavior ◽  
Goal Congruence ◽  
Management Control System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Daily Work ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Design Characteristics

Purpose This study aims to synthesize qualitative research in the accounting and management literature that builds on the concept of enabling formalization. The framework for the meta-synthesis integrates formal management control system (MCS) design applying the package typology and two modes of MCS use, namely, diagnostic and interactive. Design/methodology/approach The meta-synthesis is based on 34 case studies gathered by a systematic literature search. Qualitative research mining software (Leximancer) was used to facilitate an initial analysis, upon which an in-depth manual analysis was conducted. Findings The findings indicate that the generic features of enabling formalization – specifically, flexibility and repair – help employees better deal with inevitable contingencies in their daily work through continuous self-improvement. In many circumstances, there is a need to change common organizational practices, which sometimes requires realignment to direct employee behavior toward goal congruence. The (temporary) coercion of employees does not seem to cause dysfunctional behavior or resistance as long as the broader MCS package follows the design features of enabling formalization – specifically, transparency. The interactive use of personnel/cultural controls appears to play a crucial role within the whole MCS package in balancing tensions between coercion and enabling formalization. Originality/value This study adds to the understanding of formal MCS design characteristics perceived by managers and employees as enabling. Furthermore, it shows how managers of these organizations use formal MCS under enabling formalization.

How far are we from understanding corruption? The effect of cultural distance on corruption perception

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Szymanski ◽  
Ivan Valdovinos ◽  
Evodio Kaltenecker
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
International Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
State Level ◽  
Generalized Least Squares ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Corruption Perception ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between cultural distances between countries and their scores in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which is the most commonly used measure of corruption in international business (IB) research. Design/methodology/approach The authors applied fixed-effect (generalized least squares) statistical modeling technique to analyze 1,580 year-country observations. Findings The authors found that the CPI score is determined to a large extent by cultural distances between countries, specifically the distance to the USA and to Denmark. Research limitations/implications CPI is often used as a sole measure of state-level corruption in IB research. The results show that the measure is significantly influenced by cultural differences and hence it should be applied with great caution, preferably augmented with other measures. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to look at cultural distances as determinants of CPI score. The authors empirically test whether the CPI is culturally biased.

Outsourcing in startups

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Kalil Steinbruch ◽  
Bernardo Soares Fernandes ◽  
Leandro da Silva Nascimento ◽  
Paulo Antônio Zawislak
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Development Stage ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Core Business ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
The Core ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Structure Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the main activities that startups outsource and the elements involved in outsourcing decisions. Design/methodology/approach A multi-case study composed of Brazilian startups was conducted. Data through interviews and secondary sources were obtained. Two groups of startups were considered and analyzed comparatively: startups in the development stage and in the sales stage. Findings The findings show that even though the literature suggests that the core business should not be outsourced, some startups do have to outsource this kind of activity. That was the main difference found between startups in the sales stage and in the development stage: the former group has a solid structure, knowledge and resources, so they can keep the core business inside the firm; whereas the latter group has little experience, scarce knowledge and resources, making outsourcing a more attractive alternative. Originality/value Theoretically, this paper approaches a perspective underexplored in the innovation and management literature: outsourcing in startups. It highlights how outsourcing, as a decision between making and buying, can help startups to improve success potential. In practice, this paper discusses and demonstrates why and what can be outsourced by startups in the development and in the sales stages to overcome their limitations and, consequently, achieve better innovative results.

scholarly journals Gendering expert work and ideal candidacy in Finnish and Estonian job advertisements

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 544-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jatta Jännäri ◽  
Seppo Poutanen ◽  
Anne Kovalainen
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Doing Gender ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Structures ◽  
Job Advertisements ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Global Construction ◽  
Managerial Positions ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Ideal

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the ways the textual materials of job advertisements do the gendering for prospective expert positions and create a space for ambiquity/non-ambiquity in the gender labelling of this expertise. Expert positions are almost always openly announced and are important to organizations because they often lead to higher managerial positions. By gendering the prospective positions, the job advertisements bring forth repertoires strengthening the gendering of work and gendered expert employee positions. Design/methodology/approach This study draws on qualitative textual and visual data of open job advertisements for expert positions. The materials of the study are gathered from open job advertisements in two countries, i.e. Finland and Estonia with rather similar labour market structures in relation to gender positions but differing as regards their gender equality. Findings The analyses show that the gendering of expert work takes place in the job advertisements by rendering subtly gendered articulations, yet allowing for interpretative repertoires appear. The analysis reveals some differences in the formulations of the advertisements for expert jobs in the two countries. It also shows that in general the requirements for an ideal expert candidate are coated with superlatives that are gendered in rather stereotypical ways, and that the ideal candidates for highly expert jobs are extremely flexible and follows the ideal of an adaptable and plastic employee, willing to work their utmost. This paper contributes to the “doing gender” literature by adding an analysis of the textual gendering of ideal candidates for positions of expertise. Research limitations/implications The research materials do not expose all the issues pertinent to questions of the ideal gendered candidate. For instance, questions of ethnicity in relation to the definition of the ideal candidate cannot be studied with the data used for this study. Being an exploratory study, the results do not aim for generalizable results concerning job advertisements for expert positions. Originality/value This paper contributes to the “doing gender” and “gendering” literature by addressing the question of how and in what ways gender is defined and done for an expert positions prior the candidates are chosen to those jobs. It also offers new insights into the global construction of gendered expert jobs advertisements by addressing the topic with data from two countries. It further contributes to understanding the gendered shaping of expertise in the management literature.

scholarly journals The complex concept of sustainable of diversity management

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 45-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Best ◽  
Alistair Soyode ◽  
Michael Muller-Camen ◽  
Andrew Boff
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Television Station ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Concept ◽  
Full Participation ◽  
Management Policies

Purpose – Explores the notion of sustainable diversity-management practices. Design/methodology/approach – Summarizes research into the sustainability of diversity management across four countries and provides examples of efforts to maintain high levels of diversity. Findings – Looks at the activities of Africa House, an organization that develops business links with Africa, and of Bright Entertainment Network (BEN) Television, which is a television station that caters primarily for ethnic minorities. Social implications – Highlights the complexity of diversity and so the difficulty of legislating in this area. Originality/value – Explains that employees can also stifle attempts to engage in sustainable diversity management policies. A lack of understanding of local laws or language, or through limited social contacts, can prevent full participation by employees.

Risk culture and banking supervision

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Carretta ◽  
Vincenzo Farina ◽  
Paola Schwizer
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
European Central Bank ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Central Banks ◽  
Banking Union ◽  
Banking Supervision ◽  
Text Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
European Central ◽  
Risk Culture

Purpose This paper aims to analyzing the main risk culture traits of a sample of Central Banks and Supervisory Authorities in Europe as well as of the European Central Bank (ECB). Design/methodology/approach Risk culture is measured through text data processing of the official discourses made by the head Supervisory Authorities, during the years from 1999 to 2012. Findings Results highlight heterogeneous but converging risk cultures for European Union (EU) supervisors and the presence of a “distance” between these cultures and the risk culture of the ECB. Originality/value The paper points out that cultural differences, especially in presence of credit markets still characterized by poor integration, could create unwanted distortion effects during the initial stages of the Banking Union.

Customer process-centric artefacts: a literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Zsoka Palvölgyi ◽  
Jürgen Moormann
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Research Gaps ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Management Literature ◽  
Research Frameworks ◽  
Descriptive Knowledge

PurposeCompanies that strive to provide customers with value in their processes benefit from artefacts that allow them to better understand customer processes (CPs) and to influence CPs in ways that are valuable for customers. Such CP-centric artefacts (CPCAs) carry various labels across research fields, which inhibit their application or utilization for developing further artefacts. This study provides a structured overview of existing CPCAs and investigates which research foundations promote their development.Design/methodology/approachTwenty-five CP-related keyword combinations are applied in several iterations using multiple (meta) search engines to identify papers on CPCAs across different research streams. Introduced research frameworks organize the identified artefacts and indicate research gaps and reasons why some approaches are more successful in developing CPCAs than others.FindingsExisting CPCAs cover different aspects of CPs and utilize contextual factors of CPs to varying degrees to analyse or influence CPs. Research gaps are identified that indicate opportunities to develop further CPCAs. Taking instantiated methods in combination with CP-related descriptive knowledge as a foundation yields the highest potential for generating beneficial CPCAs.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to CP management literature by offering a foundation for the generation of CPCAs suitable for analysing and influencing CPs of end-consumers. This supports the establishment of a CP management aiming at optimizing both, interlinked business processes and CPs.

The influence of culture and framing on investment decision-making

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Fehrenbacher ◽  
Peter Gordon Roetzel ◽  
Burkhard Pedell
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Investment Decision ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Escalation Of Commitment ◽  
Empirical Comparison ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investment Decision Making ◽  
Economics Research

Purpose Cultural studies in business and economics research are still limited to particular cultures. Knowledge on cultural differences may help international corporations to adapt management practices according to the markets they are operating in. The purpose of this paper is to study the issue of escalation of commitment and framing in a new cultural setting involving Germany and Vietnam. This setting is unique and particularly interesting, for Germany being the biggest European market and Vietnam being one of the fastest growing emerging markets in Asia. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a lab experiment with student participants from Germany and Vietnam. Findings In a 2×2 in between-experiment, the authors find strong support that Vietnamese participants have a stronger tendency to invest additional resources and evidence that negatively framed information leads to the higher escalation of commitment. Implications are discussed. Originality/value The unique empirical comparison is important because differences between other western and eastern countries do not necessarily generalize to the setting.

Changing agents of change in neoliberally framed organizations

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheeba Asirvatham ◽  
Maria Humphries
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Career Experiences ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Radical Feminist ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Career Strategies

PurposeThis paper aims to invite reflection and action among scholars of gender in management to the shaping and meeting of commitments to universal justice.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 12 women employed as senior scholars in public universities in Aotearoa New Zealand were invited to discuss their career experiences. An observed disjuncture between radical feminist analyses of their career experiences and their liberal feminist responses to issues arising for them prompted reflection on a wider disjuncture in the shaping of justice wherever neoliberal directives prevail, generating this paper’s activist call to integrity between analyses and practice among scholars as agents of change.FindingsImplications drawn from the conversations with participants vindicated earlier critiques of diversity management under the conditions of neoliberalism when accommodating damaging social outcomes and systemic compliance is morally compromising.Originality/valueExploring accommodation of system preserving career strategies of scholars claiming commitment to justice is an evocative and original call to scholarly activism.

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