This study surveys 155 executivesfrom the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong, and Canada to investigate whether norms for organizational design and management are subject to a process of globalization. The survey consisted of structured questionnaires using two different sets of Likert-like importance rating scales. One set of scales examined organizational design norms. The other setfocused on the desired attributes of a good manager The balance of the evidence from this study supports the hypothesis of globalization. However, the study also indicates that some norms of organizational design that reflect basic cultural values are resistant to change and convergence. Furthermore, the study indicates that regulatory and political differences may be reflected in local adaptation of organizational and management design norms.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adler, N.J., Campbell, N., & Laurent, A.1989. In search of appropriate methodology: From outside the People's Republic of China looking in. Journal of International Business Studies. 20(1): 61-74.
2.
Adler, N.J., Doktor R., & Redding, S.G.1986. From the Atlantic to the Pacific century: Cross-cultural management reviewed. Journal of Management. 12(2): 295-318.
3.
Andors, S.1977. China's industrial revolution: Politics, planning and management, 1949 to present. New York: Pantheon Books.
4.
Bhagat, R.S., & McQuaid, S.J.1982. Role of subjective culture in organizations. A review and directions for future research. Journal of Applied Psychology Monograph. 67(5): 653-653.
5.
Birnbaum, P.H., & Wong, G.YY1985. Organizational structure of multinational banks in Hong Kong from a culture-free perspective. Administrative Science Quarterly. June 30(2): 262-277.
6.
Brugger, W.1976. Democracy and organization in Chinese industrial enterprise, 1948-1953. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
7.
Ch'ien, M.1973. On the systems of academic knowledge. In P Shen (Ed.), Higher education and university students: 15-32. Hong Kong: University Press.
8.
Chan, WT1986. Chu Hsi and neo-Confucianism. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
9.
Child, J.D.1981. Culture, contingency and capitalism in the cross-national study of organizations. In L.L. Cummings & B.M. Shaw (Eds.), Research in Organization Behaviour: 303-356. Greenwich, CT: JAI Publishers.
10.
England, G., & Lee, R.1979. The relationship between managerial values and managerial success in the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. Journal of Applied Psychology. 59(4): 411-419.
11.
Friedman, M., & Friedman, R.1980. Free to choose. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.
12.
Hall, E.T1977. Beyond culture. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books.
13.
Hannerz, U.1969. Soulside: Inquiries into ghetto culture and community. New York: Columbia University Press.
14.
Henley, J.S., & Nyaw, M.K.1986. Introducing market forces into managerial decision-making in Chinese industrial enterprises. Journal of Management Studies. November: 635-656.
15.
Hickson, D.J., Hinning, C.R., McMillan, C.J.M., & Schwitter, TP1974. The culture-free context of organization structure: A tri-national comparison. Sociology. 8: 59-80.
16.
Hofstede, G.1980. Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.
17.
Hofstede, G.1984. Cultural dimensions in management and planning. Asia Pacific Journal of Management. January: 81-99.
18.
Kelley, L., Whatley, A., & Worthley, R.1988. Assessing the effects of culture on managerial attitudes: A three culture test. Journal of International Business Studies. 19(2): 17-31.
19.
Kelley, L., & Worthley, R.1981. The role of culture in comparative management: A cross-cultural perspective. Academy of Management Journal. 24(1): 164-173.
20.
Laurent, A.1983. The cultural diversity of western conceptions of management. Studies of Management and Organization. 13(1-2): 75-96.
21.
Lee, K.H.1982. Development of Hong Kong's place in international trade. The World Economy. 5(2): 187-200.
22.
Lee, K.H., & Vertinsky, I.1987/8. Strategic adjustment of international financial centers (IFCs) in small economies: A comparative study of Hong Kong and Singapore. Journal of Business Administration. 17(1): 153-172.
23.
Lincoln, J.R., & Hamada, M.1981. Cultural orientations and individual reactions to organizations: A study of employees of Japanese-owned firms. Administrative Science Quarterly. 26: 93-115.
24.
Lindsay, C.P., & Dempsey, B.L.1983. Ten painfully learned lessons about working in China: The insights of two American behavioral scientists. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 10(3): 265-276.
25.
Maruyama, M.1984. Alternative concepts of management: Insights from Asia and Africa. Asia Pacific Journal of Management. 1(1): 100-111.
26.
Moore, C.A.1967. The Chinese mind: Essentials of Chinese philosophy and culture. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
27.
Munson, J.M., & McIntyre, S.H.1979. Developing practical procedures for the measurement of personal values in cross-cultural marketing. Journal of Marketing Research. 16(February): 48-52.
28.
Negandhi, A.R.1983. Cross-cultural management research: Trend and future directions. Journal of International Business Studies. Fall: 1-28.
29.
Negandhi, A.R.1985. Management in the third world. In P Joynt & M. Warner (Eds.), Managing in different cultures: 69-97. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget av Oslo.
30.
O'Brien, G.E., & Dowling, P.1980. The effects of congruency between perceived and desired job attitudes upon job satisfaction. Journal of Occupational Psychology. 53: 91-100.
31.
Perrow, C.1977. The bureaucratic paradox: The efficient organization centralizes in order to decentralize. Organizational Dynamics. 5: 3-14.
32.
Redding, S.G.1980. Cognition as an aspect of culture and its relation to management processes: An exploratory view of the Chinese case. Journal of Management Studies. 17(2): 127-148.
33.
Redding, S.G.1982. Cultural effects on the marketing process in southeast Asia. Journal of Market Research Society. 24(2): 98-114.
34.
Ronen, S., & Shenkar, O.1985. Clustering countries on attitudinal dimensions: A review and synthesis. Academy of Management10: 436-454.
35.
Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada. 1985. Report (3 volumes). Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
36.
Rugman, A.1989. International business in Canada. Scarborough, Ontario: Prentice-Hall.
37.
Shenkar, O., & Ronen, S.1987. Structure and importance of work goals among managers in the People's Republic of China. Academy of Management Journal. 30(3): 564-576.
38.
Stanbury, WT1987. Direct regulation and its reform: A Canadian perspective. Brigham Young University Law Review. 1987(2): 467-539.
39.
Swidler, A.1986. Culture in action: Symbols and strategies. American Sociological Review51(April): 273-286.
40.
Tse, D.K., Lee, K.H., Vertinsky, I., & Wehrung, D.A.1988. Does culture matter? A cross-cultural comparison of executive choice, decisiveness and risk adjustment in international marketing. Journal of Marketing. 52(October): 81-95.
41.
Tung, R.I.1981. Patterns of motivation in Chinese industrial enterprises. Academy of Management Review. 6(3): 481-489.
42.
Yin, H.K.1976. The future of Chinese culture. Hong Kong: The Arts Book Store.
