The Concept and Dynamics of Face: Implications for Organizational Behavior in Asia

Abstract

Research on cross-cultural psychology, sociology, and anthropology suggests that the influence of face on social interactions is both pervasive and powerful in Asia. Face, however, has not gained general acceptance as an important theoretical concept in the literature on Asian organizational behavior and management. In this paper, we propose face as a key variable that can explain much of the complexity of social interactions in Asian organizations. We attempted to elaborate on the concept and dynamics of face in Asia in such a way as to capture its pervasive, significant but often subtle influences on organizational behavior. We also examined conditions, functions, and consequences of face dynamics to generate testable propositions for future research. We argue that scholars have to go beyond the individualistic assumptions about human behavior implicit in theories of organizational behavior in the West to better understand the richness of organizational behavior in Asia. In Asia, organizational behavior is better predicted by an individual's external attributes such as face than internal attributes such as desires, emotions, and cognition.

Understanding Chinese Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Sustainable Fashion Products: The Moderating Role of Face-Saving Orientation

“…As defined by Brown & Levinson [13], face is an individual's public self-image, and face can be gained or lost in social interactions. People can gain face if they demonstrate behavior that meets social expectations and fulfills social roles, and may lose face if they are not treated respectfully due to exhibiting behavior that deviates from social norms and expectations [12]. Although face originated from Confucian culture such as in China, it is also a universal human need [27] in that people try to maintain a good public self-image, which is consistent with efforts to save face.…”

“…In a culture where collectivism is pervasive such as in China, social norms were found to be powerful in determining consumers' behavior [11,12], and Chinese consumers' orientation to save face (i.e., face-saving) through following social norms is one of important motivations guiding their purchasing behavior [11]. The concept of face refers to an individual's public self-image [13], which can be gained or lost in social interactions.…”

“…The concept of face refers to an individual's public self-image [13], which can be gained or lost in social interactions. For example, individuals can gain face through demonstrating behavior that meets social expectations and fulfills accepted social roles, and they can lose face when they are not treated respectfully [12]. Thus, an individual concerned with face-saving would be inclined to make choices toward maintaining a good public self-image.…”

How Espoused Culture Influences Misuse Intention: A Micro-Institutional Theory Perspective

“…Since, Korea's culture is rooted in Confucianism. harmony and face rather than rational work-performance influence work ethics [21]. Figure 1 depicts the proposed research model.…”

“…Face is lost when an individual does not meet predetermined social requirements. Loss of face extends to the person's entire social structure [21]. Specifically, any unacceptable act by a user would result in the loss of face of his manager, teammates and the organization as a whole.…”