Culture and Knowledge Transfer Capacity

2012 ◽  
pp. 305-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar E. M. Khalil ◽  
Ahmed Seleim
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Future Orientation ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Control Variable ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Gender Egalitarianism ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Societal Level

Increasing interest exists in understanding the factors that explain knowledge transfer capacity (KTC) at the societal level. In this paper, the authors posit that national culture may explain the differences among countries in their knowledge transfer capacities. The authors adopt House and colleagues’ (2004) national culture taxonomy as the theoretical framework to derive and test eighteen hypotheses relating national culture values and practices to societal KTC. KTC correlates positively with gender egalitarianism values, uncertainty avoidance practices, and future orientation practices. KTC also correlates negatively with uncertainty avoidance values, future orientation values, institutional collectivism values, in-group collectivism values, humane orientation practices, in-group collectivism values and practices, and power distance practices. Further analysis using gross domestic product (GDP) as a control variable revealed that only humane orientation practices influence KTC. The research findings are discussed, research limitations are identified, and implications are drawn.

Culture and Knowledge Transfer Capacity

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 60-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar E. M. Khalil ◽  
Ahmed Seleim
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Future Orientation ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Control Variable ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Gender Egalitarianism ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Societal Level

Increasing interest exists in understanding the factors that explain knowledge transfer capacity (KTC) at the societal level. In this paper, the authors posit that national culture may explain the differences among countries in their knowledge transfer capacities. The authors adopt House and colleagues’ (2004) national culture taxonomy as the theoretical framework to derive and test eighteen hypotheses relating national culture values and practices to societal KTC. KTC correlates positively with gender egalitarianism values, uncertainty avoidance practices, and future orientation practices. KTC also correlates negatively with uncertainty avoidance values, future orientation values, institutional collectivism values, in-group collectivism values, humane orientation practices, in-group collectivism values and practices, and power distance practices. Further analysis using gross domestic product (GDP) as a control variable revealed that only humane orientation practices influence KTC. The research findings are discussed, research limitations are identified, and implications are drawn.

National Culture Practices and Societal Information Dissemination Capacity

2010 ◽  
Vol 09 (02) ◽  
pp. 127-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar E. M. Khalil ◽  
Ahmed Seleim
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Future Orientation ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Gender Egalitarianism ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
Comparison Of The Results ◽  
The Impact

Societies exhibit varying capacities for information dissemination. This research explores the impact of national culture practices on information dissemination capacity (IDC) at the societal level. Nine hypotheses were formulated and tested. Countries with high information dissemination capacities were found to have a pattern of high uncertainty avoidance, high future orientation, high institutional collectivism, low in-group collectivism, and low gender egalitarianism practices. However, the comparison of the results of the culture values-based and culture practices-based regression models suggest that cultural values provide a better interpretation for the IDC variance than do cultural practices. A society's IDC can be interpreted in terms of its uncertainty avoidance, institutional collectivism, and gender egalitarianism cultural values. Given its limitations, the findings of this research provide a foundation for the formulation of culturally-oriented policies to enhance IDC at the societal level.

INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL PRACTICES ON SOCIAL SUPPORT OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS' STARTUPS

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (01) ◽  
pp. 1850007 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIANJIAO QIU
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Modeling ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Future Orientation ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Cultural Practice ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Performance Orientation ◽  
Gender Egalitarianism

Social support of female entrepreneurs' startups is critical for the sustainable development of female entrepreneurship in a country. This study empirically tests how nine cultural practices, including performance orientation, uncertainty avoidance, in-group collectivism, power distance, gender egalitarianism, humane orientation, institutional collectivism, future orientation and assertiveness, impact social support of female entrepreneurs' startups across different countries. For the period between 2009 and 2012, sixty-two countries were analyzed using longitudinal data with hierarchical linear modeling techniques. The empirical findings demonstrate three cultural practices (power distance, uncertainty avoidance and future orientation) play major roles in explaining the variation of social support of female entrepreneurs. In contrast, the effects of cultural practices of human orientation, institutional collectivism, in-group collectivism, assertiveness, gender egalitarianism and performance orientation are negligible. Further moderation tests show that a country's macroeconomic environment significantly moderates the relationship between the cultural practice of uncertainty avoidance and social support of female entrepreneurs' startups. The findings provide practical guidance to policymakers on how to develop robust ecosystems with strong cultural practices that enhance social support of female entrepreneurs.

Firm Performance and Employee Downsizing: The Moderating Role of National Culture

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Andre Honoree ◽  
Mario Krenn
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Institutional Context ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Moderating Role

A limitation in the downsizing literature is its lack of attention on how firms’ institutional context interacts with firm’s internal drivers of employee downsizing. This study examines the firm performance - employee downsizing relationship in 1,747 firms across 35 countries over three years and demonstrates that while this relationship is similar among firms across countries, its magnitude varies across countries, and that the cultural dimensions of in-group collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance help explain this variance. Implications from these findings and future directions for employee downsizing research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Main and Interaction Effects of ‘Power Distance’ and ‘Uncertainty Avoidance’ on Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises in Egypt

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Tarek A. El Badawy ◽  
Rania M. Marwan ◽  
Mariam M. Magdy
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Organizational Innovation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Previous Literature ◽  
Strategic Innovation ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

The main objective of this study was to investigate the direct and interaction effects of two of Hofstede’s cultural metrics, namely power distance and uncertainty avoidance, on organizational innovation in small and medium enterprises in Egypt. A structured questionnaire adapted from a previous study was distributed amongst employees from different managerial levels. 326 completed questionnaires were collected. Results suggested that the national culture influences the level of strategic innovation in small and medium enterprises operating in Egypt. Power distance enhances strategic innovation; however, uncertainty avoidance inhibits it. Studies on Egyptian enterprises, and Egyptian small and medium enterprises are fundamentally underrepresented in previous literature.

Impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1145-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Ryan Prince ◽  
Rüdiger Kabst
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Psychometric Tests ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ability Tests ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Panel Interviews ◽  
Selection Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices, specifically to investigate the impact of in-group collectivism, uncertainty avoidance and power distance on interview panels, one-on-one interviews, applications forms, references, ability, technical and psychometric tests. Design/methodology/approach This study uses survey data from the 2008–2010 CRANET database. It uses OLS regression analysis to test the impact of national culture on organizations’ use of selection practices. Findings In-group collectivism increases the use of panel interviews and technical tests, and decreases the use of one-on-one interviews and application forms. Uncertainty avoidance increases the use of panel interviews and technical tests, and a decrease in one-on-one interviews, applications ability, and psychometric tests. Power distance leads to an increase in one-on-one interviews, applications and ability tests, and a decrease in panel interviews, psychometric tests and references. Originality/value This paper investigates the use of the impact of national culture on selection practices. Specifically, it looks at the use of a large number of selection practices panel interviews, one-on-one interviews, applications and references, and several different tests, ability, technical and psychometric.

scholarly journals Societal, Culture and Entrepreneurial Opportunities Exploitation of New Venture Activities: Mediating Role of Proactiveness

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Wang Xuhui ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
Frida Pacho
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
New Venture ◽  
Opportunity Exploitation ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Societal Culture ◽  
Proactive Behaviour ◽  
Societal Level

An unanswered question is concerned with the influence of culture of individualism, power distance and uncertainty avoidance in entrepreneurs’ opportunity exploitation of new venture activities in developing economies in the context of societal level. Based on the sample of 130 individual entrepreneurs in Tanzania, this paper analyses how culture of individualism, uncertainty avoidance and power distance influence entrepreneurial opportunity exploitation of new venture activities on societal level.  The results indicated that the culture of individualism contributes highly on entrepreneurs’ opportunity exploitation of new venture activities. The results of uncertainty avoidance imply that the greater the uncertainty avoidance, the less the entrepreneurs’ chance to exploit opportunities of new venture activities. The proactive behaviour that was used as a mediator variable also contributes to the relationship between individualism, uncertainty avoidance and entrepreneurs’ opportunity exploitation of new venture activities. The study has made a contribution to the developing countries literature by focusing on individual entrepreneurs on societal level.

Gender Differences in Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Among a Kuwaiti Sample

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S503-S504 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. AlAnezi ◽  
B. Alansari
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Cronbach’S Alpha ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Cronbach's Alpha

IntroductionHofstede's model of cultural dimensions has become the most widely accepted and most frequently cited model for cross-cultural research. His cultural dimensions included power distance index (PDI), individualism vs. collectivism (IDV), masculinity vs. femininity (MAS), uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), and long-term vs. short-term orientation (LTO).ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to explore gender related differences in the Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture for work-related values among a sample from Kuwait.MethodsThe participants were 540 first year secondary school Kuwaiti teachers (270 males: mean age = 28.95 ± 2.47; 270 females: mean age = 28.20 ± 2.04). The Arabic version of the Values Survey Module, VSM 08 was administered to participants. Data analysis include independent sample t-test was used to examine gender differences in Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture.ResultsInternal consistency was satisfactory for the Power Distance, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Masculinity vs. Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation subscales respectively (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82, 0.84, 0.90, 0.74, 0.87) for males and (Cronbach's alpha = 0.77, 0.90, 0.83, 0.80, 0.88) for females. The results revealed significant gender differences where the males obtained a higher score than females on individualism (t = 2.95, P < 0.002), and masculinity (t = 2.77, P < 0.005), while females obtained a higher score than males on power distance (t = 4.48, P < 0.000), and long-term orientation (t = 4.13, P < 0.000).ConclusionThese findings suggest that the gender differences exist for cultural dimensions, and provide insight on leadership characteristics.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Culture and profitability: empirical evidence at a European level

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 580-588
Author(s):  
Maria Manuela Martins ◽  
Ilídio Tomás Lopes
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Return On Assets ◽  
National Cultures ◽  
Return On Equity ◽  
Lower Uncertainty

Organizational cultures distinguish different organizations within the same country or countries. When comparing the organizations within the same country differences in national cultures are not relevant but become relevant in comparison between different countries. This paper intends to evidence whether the profitability of companies can be influenced by the national culture. In order to characterize the culture of each country, we used the Hofstede measure of cultural dimensions (1. Power Distance (PDI); 2. Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI); 3. Individualism (IDV); 4. Masculinity (MAS); 5. Long-Term Orientation (LTO); and 6. Indulgence vs Restraint (IND)). Sample was based on the 500 largest European companies rated by the Financial Times 2015. Profitability was measured by the ratios Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). Statistical tests were performed to test whether the means of the variables used to measure profitability are statistically equal. The results indicate that companies with higher profitability are from countries with lower Power Distance, lower Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-Term Orientation, and Higher Indulgence

scholarly journals Professional Commitment And Whistleblowing Intention: The Role Of National Culture

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-102
Author(s):  
Ni Wayan Rustiarini ◽  
Anik Yuesti ◽  
Ni Putu Shinta Dewi
Keyword(s):  
National Culture ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Professional Commitment ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Whistleblowing Intention

This study aims to identify the effect of professional commitment on whistleblowing intentions. This study also analyzes the role of Hofstede's five dimensions of national culture as moderating variable, including power distance, collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation. This study used a survey method. The primary data collection was through a questionnaire distributed to 92 auditors in accounting firms in Bali Province. The result shows that professional commitment positively affects whistleblowing intention. The moderating variable's roles are power distance and collectivism's culture weaken professional commitment and whistleblowing intention relationship. Two other cultures, namely masculinity and a long-term orientation, are proven to strengthen the relationship between professional commitment and whistleblowing intention. Contrary, uncertainty avoidance culture has no significant effect. Theoretically, this study confirms the role of the national culture in the auditing context. This result practically adds insight to regulators and accounting firm leaders in formulating regulations regarding the appropriate whistleblowing system for organizations. There are two limitations. First, this study uses a survey method. This method allows for social desirability bias for sensitive variables, such as whistleblowing. This study also uses the national culture popularized by Hofstede about forty years ago. Thus, further research might use other popular models.

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