Identification with cartoon characters across cultures suggests better fit for appointments at subsidiaries

Abstract

Caucasian Anglophones tend to side with the Coyote while Latin Americans, Indians, and Iberians with the Roadrunner. The Roadrunner types claim to dislike being led by Coyote types, and that is probably what they get at subsidiaries, because the heads of subsidiaries are likely to be appointed by Anglophone Coyote-type bosses. Among the Seligman virtues, Justice and Courage show the greatest cleavage between the choices between characters. Respondents who side with the Roadrunner appreciate more what they see as fairness and leadership in the Roadrunner, while those who side with the Coyote appreciate more its bravery and integrity. Because MBA alumni respondents tend to have relatively homogenous training and goals, their expressed allegiances to either the Coyote or the Roadrunner characters of the Warner Bros. cartoon are likely to express culturally nuanced projections on the characters. Respondents also explained what managerial roles they see fitting for each character.