{"title":"Danish SMEs in the global arena: cultural differences as learning potential","authors":"M. Gertsen","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047077","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores how SMEs interact cross-culturally, a hitherto underdeveloped aspect of SME research. It reports from a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with founders or key managers representing ten born global SMEs of Danish origin, all active in Asia. It is found that although formalised cross-cultural preparation is rare, the multicultural backgrounds of interviewees have contributed to their mental readiness for cross-cultural interaction. SMEs with resource intensive activities tend to promote their own practices more than exporters who are more willing to adapt unconditionally. But overwhelmingly, interviewees describe cross-cultural collaboration in Asia as unproblematic. Interviewees point to cultural differences as a source of learning regarding, e.g., work habits, harmonious communication and market specific knowledge. The flexibility and relatively small power differences in their organisations promote cross-cultural learning, and knowledge of cultural differences often constitute business opportunities at both ends of the SMEs’ value-added chains.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130261603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The moderating impact of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on the relationship between organisational justice and organisational citizenship behaviours: a study in Pakistani work context","authors":"Samina Quratulain, A. Khan, J. Peretti","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047089","url":null,"abstract":"The relationships among employee’s work related variables, cultural variables and OCBs are investigated in Pakistani work setting. The study sought to extend the literature by investigating whether individual differences in employees’ cultural value orientations effect the organisational justice-OCB relationships. Based on Hofstede’s (1980) cultural values framework the dimensions of individualism/collectivism and power distance were hypothesised as moderators of social exchange relationship between employee’s perception of organisational justice and OCB. Results demonstrate that organisational justice (distributive and interactional) is strongly related to citizenship behaviour for employees who endorse individualistic orientations. The moderating influence of power distance orientation was not found for the relationship between justice and citizenship behaviour. Findings of the study are discussed in terms of generalisability of citizenship behaviour and its relation to organisational justice and cultural context.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"26 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133930259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The necessity for self-regulation in intercultural situations","authors":"Daniela Gröschke, Thomas Schäfer","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047087","url":null,"abstract":"There is a long history of research into which skills and abilities individuals need in intercultural situations. Intercultural competence is frequently claimed to be a critical variable. There are different models of intercultural competence but a shared and theoretically-based understanding of intercultural competence is still missing. The present paper outlines an approach to intercultural competence as a situation specific competence, framing an intercultural situation independent of national cultures. Further, a multi-level model of intercultural competence based on social-cognitive theory is developed and tested empirically in two studies. The results highlight the importance of self-regulation in intercultural situations. Self-regulation significantly influences group competencies and the perception of diversity.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123976226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Early actors in the making of Europe: the input of a small group of Belgian intellectuals","authors":"Eva Schandevyl","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047102","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047102","url":null,"abstract":"The subject of this article is a group of Belgian intellectuals who tried to influence public opinion and promote Europe through their journal Cahiers socialistes (1944–1953). This journal was a meeting place for European thinkers from Belgium and abroad; it contributed to creating Europe through transatlantic and other global exchanges, and illustrates how different political identities expressed themselves throughout different perceptions of Europe. In the minds of the key figures of this journal – among whom Raymond Rifflet stands out as the intellectual leader – and their militant allies, European integration, socialist federalism, social development, ethics and economic reforms all lay in line with each other. As ‘intellectuals’, engaged in the public debate and deploying an acknowledged intellectual position in doing so, they have shaped political and cultural dynamics in the European integration process in a way that also reflected their view on their country’s national identity.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"120 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116139310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Do Italian expatriates adapt to different cultural contexts? Some evidence from South Mediterranean countries","authors":"Adriana Calvelli, Chiara Cannavale, Rossella Canestrino","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2012.047088","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores Italian expatriates’ inclination to adapt to different cultural contexts, such as Southern Mediterranean countries (SMCs). In emerging countries, expatriates play a very important role: they control the activities delocalised in the host market, they monitor the market, and they overcome the lack of qualified employees. However, cultural differences can limit expatriates’ results. When the home and the host culture are too distant, communication between headquarters and subsidiaries becomes difficult, and performances in the host market can be limited by a different work philosophy and by local employees’ reluctance to accept foreign managers’ knowledge. Expatriates’ capability to adapt becomes consequently very important. This is the case of Italian expatriates assigned to SMCs. The capability to understand local culture and to respect diversity is crucial to build profitable relationships. Considering the observations above, our paper explores Italian managers’ capability to understand distant behaviour, and to adapt to different levels of performance orientation and assertiveness.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"78 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128202817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Activators and inhibitors for successful project management of IT projects in Indonesia and the UK: a comparative case study","authors":"A. McDonald, S. Helmer","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042678","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042678","url":null,"abstract":"We compare activators and inhibitors of project management (PM) for information technology (IT) projects in Indonesia and the UK and show how they are influenced by cultural differences between the two countries. Our findings come from an empirical case study that we conducted in 2007/2008 using a survey. We show that our results are statistically significant and give reasons for the differences we found. Furthermore, we highlight conclusions that can be drawn by the IT PM community from our study.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"20 2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123570763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Perceptions of managers on transcultural conflict: a study in international South African management","authors":"C. Mayer, L. Louw","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042674","url":null,"abstract":"Studies in organisational conflict management have gained interest in business and management sciences in the past decade. At the same time, the potential for transcultural conflict has grown. The challenge for South African managers is to find creative solutions for managing a highly diverse workforce and the transcultural conflicts that occur. \u0000 \u0000In order to reduce this transcultural conflict potential in a globalised work environment, it is important to redefine individual and cultural values and identities and make possible the construction of multiple, transcultural identities that are aligned with adaptive value concepts. \u0000 \u0000The purpose of this article is to assess managerial perspectives on transcultural conflict, values and identity in a selected organisation in the automotive industry in the South African context. \u0000 \u0000This study adopts an exploratory research approach by using qualitative methodologies within the phenomenological and interpretative research paradigms. With this approach, the article aims at gaining a deeper understanding of transcultural conflict in the South African organisational work context. The research findings lead to conclusions and recommendations with regard to managing transcultural conflicts in the selected context, which are of importance for researchers and practitioners in Europe who focus on transcultural business management in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130707100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On-the-job management training and multicultural skills: the moderating effect of openness to experience","authors":"Milan Pagon, Emanuel Banutai, Uroš Bizjak","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042676","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042676","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the effects of on-the-job management training on the incumbent public administration managers’ multicultural skills as a function of the managers’ openness to experience. Two hundred eighty four public administration managers from the European Commission and 26 member states participated in the study. The results indicate that on-the-job training (including the initial training, informal training, mentoring, coaching, and the availability of resources) improve the incumbent managers’ multicultural skills, but only when the managers are moderate or high in openness to experience. The multicultural skills of the managers who are high in openness to experience benefit from on-the-job training the most, followed by the skills of the managers who are moderate in openness to experience. When the managers are low in openness to experience, the increased amounts of on-the-job training actually decrease their level of multicultural skills.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131034762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding the importance of work: the effects of work values and work-value congruence","authors":"Başak Uçanok","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042675","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2011.042675","url":null,"abstract":"The main purpose of this study is to understand the importance that is attached to work by analysing the link between work-related values and attitudes. In this respect, it is hypothesised that work values significantly predict work centrality and that this relationship is moderated by work-value congruence. Work-value congruence is conceptualised on the premise that different work values have varying degrees of influence on work centrality. It is proposed that as the distance between the act of working and the value it relates to (work-value congruence) differ, the relation between values and work centrality will change accordingly. In the study, work values have proved to act as an important predictor of work centrality. It is suggested that, work-value congruence be treated as an independent variable in future work-related research. The results are discussed along with gender differences for work values.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128024151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The influence of culture on the assessment of the importance of decision attributes; Germany versus the Netherlands","authors":"Hans Heerkens, C. Koster, J. Ulijn","doi":"10.1504/EJCCM.2010.037641","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1504/EJCCM.2010.037641","url":null,"abstract":"We investigate whether cultural differences between Dutch and German individual actors lead to different ways of assessing the importance of decision attributes (which may or may not lead to different attribute weights). During think-aloud sessions, German and Dutch students performed an importance assessment task: establishing the weights of the attributes 'safety' and 'passenger comfort' for a company in the process of buying a fleet of minibuses. A model for analysing the importance assessment process; the weight assessment model or WAM, was used to identify similarities and differences between Germans and Dutch. The unexpected conclusion was that the Dutch showed more attention to detail than the Germans (who were less 'grundlich'), but that the German were not sloppier but more efficient. Germans needed less effort to fulfil the assignment. The working rules (heuristics) used by the Germans differed from those used by the Dutch, despite the close proximity of the two populations and the possible influence of European integration. Suggestions are drawn up for German and Dutch actors involved in decision processes having to assess the importance of attributes together.","PeriodicalId":108773,"journal":{"name":"European J. of Cross-cultural Competence and Management","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128715833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}