Outsourcing partners have the potential to learn from each other by discussing effective practices and to use these discussions to improve their business performance. However, there are significant barriers to trusting, open, and integrative communication. Results from 95 largely domestic outsourcing partnerships in China support the hypotheses that cooperative, but not competitive or independent, goals are a foundation upon which partners share their effective practices openly and directly with each other and that this kind of discussion promotes improved business results. Specifically, the structural equation analysis supported the reasoning that cooperative goals foster open discussion of effective practices that, in turn, results in business development. Findings were interpreted as providing support that cooperative interdependence is a foundation for effective interaction and learning between outsourcing partners in China and perhaps in other countries as well.

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The present study investigated whether cooperative goals mediate the relationship between similarity in gender and self‐esteem and social support and relationship quality in ongoing peer dyads. Based on data collected from 209 student dyads, the findings largely support the mediating role of cooperative goals. However, the study found that gender similarity was positively related while self‐esteem similarity was negatively related to cooperative goals and relationship quality of peer dyad members.

Research is needed to identify the conditions and dynamics by which foreign managers and local employees can negotiate their differences integratively. In an experiment with 120 participants in South China, employees with foreign managers who communicated warm-heartedness, compared to indifference, indicated that they had cooperative goals, a quality relationship, were confident in future collaboration, and concluded that their manager was an effective leader. Employees with foreign managers who structured mutual rather than independent or comparative rewards found their manager\u27s ideas reasonable and integrated them into their decisions. Results, especially if they can be replicated in field settings, suggest how foreign managers can negotiate effectively and develop their relationships with Chinese employees

Foreign managers are advised to develop effective relationships with Chinese employees who as collectivists are thought to value relationships, particularly guanxi, with their leaders. However, foreign managers typically do not have the background and prior experiences typically used to develop guanxi in China. In an experiment with 120 participants in South China, Chinese employees with foreign managers who communicated that they wanted a relationship (compared to no relationship) with them concluded that they interacted better and had little relational and task conflict. Chinese employees who discussed their views within a cooperative (compared to competitive) context helped their leader, productively integrated their diverse views into the decision, and concluded that they had little relational and task conflict.

Conflict and trust have typically been considered if not opposites at least incompatible. However, recent studies have suggested that managing conflict cooperatively can strengthen trust. This paper argues that this research helps us understand and appreciate trust's critical role and how it can be fostered. The paper defines trust as expectations that another will promote one's goals. Trust is critical for strengthening perceived cooperative goals and mutually beneficial interaction. Partners can develop their trust as they deal with the many conflicts they confront in groups, organizations, and alliances. Partners, even when they are from diverse cultures, can use managing conflict cooperatively knowledge to form a common platform to guide their collaboration to promote their trust and productivity.

This study empirically examines the impact of goal interdependence and leader-member relationship on cross-cultural leadership in joint ventures in China. Its two research questions are how to facilitate leader-member relationships between foreign managers and Chinese employees in joint ventures in China, and how foreign managers and Chinese employees can develop cooperative goals in Chinese contexts. I declare that this is an original work based primarily on my own research, and I warrant that all citations of previous research, published and unpublished, have been duly acknowledged.