Cultural Values, Sources of Guidance, and their Relevance to Managerial Behavior

Abstract

Data are presented showing how middle managers in 47 countries report handling eight specific work events. The data are used to test the ability of cultural value dimensions derived from the work of Hofstede, Trompenaars, and Schwartz to predict the specific sources of guidance on which managers rely. Focusing on sources of guidance is expected to provide a more precise basis than do generalized measures of values for understanding the behaviors that prevail within different cultures. Values are strongly predictive of reliance on those sources of guidance that are relevant to vertical relationships within organizations. However, values are less successful in predicting reliance on peers and on more tacit sources of guidance. Explaining national differences in these neglected aspects of organizational processes will require greater sensitivity to the culture-specific contexts within which they occur.

Emotion work in the Hellenic frontline services environment: how it relates to emotional exhaustion and work attitudes

“…As mentioned earlier, specific cultural knowledge, when available, should also be utilized in combination with established models of national culture; because, however informative and valid, models of national culture do not contain all necessary information for the understanding and prediction of cultural differences in work behaviour (Hofstede, 1993;2001;Smith et al, 2002). Indeed, cultural features that are specific to Hellas further corroborate the above speculations that were based on the Specific and Affective nature of the Hellenic culture.…”

What did GLOBE really measure? Researchers’ minds versus respondents’ minds

“…Several of the GLOBE authors compare their findings with these two studies. The fourth project is the Smith et al (2002) study of 'event management', which asked over 7,000 department managers in 47 countries how they handled each of eight common work events that normally occur in any work organization. There could be important links between this study and the GLOBE findings, still to be explored.…”

Societal power shifts and changing social identities in South Africa: workplace implications

“…The workplace may, of necessity or as in South Africa because of legislation, be the most heterogeneous institution within a community. In some cases the workplace may be the only instance where contact is made across the lines of different social identities (Byrne, 1971;Smith, Peterson, & Schwartz, 2002;Nkomo & Stewart, 2006). Therefore, the workplace makes an ideal context to study and address deep-seated social identity issues.…”