the cultural diversity of western conceptions of management

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Norm Grunsfeld

Marco LeiAustin Lee

Erin Wright

Angelo Zuazo

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Background

Laurent noticed:

French managers had a difficult timecontemplating alternative management styles

In particular, matrix organizational structuresdirectly opposed their view of single chain ofcommand structure

Each manager has his own managementtheory that in some way guide his potentialbehavior in organizations

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The Study

The purpose was not to simply analyze

the structure of individual opinions, but

to compare how individuals from the

same country seem to share a similarmanagerial ideology.

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Method of Research

A questionnaire consisting of 56 statements to be rated ona 5 point agree/disagreement scale.

60 upper-mid-level managers attending INSEADexecutive development program; 40 French, 20 European

Between 19771979: Several more studies wereconducted at various INSEAD executive developmentprograms

The Presentation Study:

10 Western countries; 9 European, 1 United States 817 Respondents of varied function, education, age,

industry Common element: upper-mid-level management

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The Findings

The statistics analysis found 4 Clusters

Organizations as:

Political systems

Authority systems

Role formalization systems Hierarchical-relationship systems

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Organizations as Political systems

Some managers see the organization as

a political system and this have a

profound effect in the organizational

behavior of the company

Insight into the extent to which

managers from different countries tendto interpret their organizational

experience in power terms

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Organizations as Authority

systems

Different nationalities have a different

perception concerning authority and how

this is a huge factor in their day to daybehavior

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Organizations as Role

formalization systems

Focuses on the relative importance of

defining and specifying the functions

and roles of organizational members

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Organizations as Hierarchical-

relationship systems

Differences in management attitudes

toward organizational relationships

How some countries believe that the

managers should have all the answers

and that bypassing is no more thansubordination.

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Political Systems

France, Italy Highly political Low org. structure

Danish, British Less political More org. structure

Authority Systems

Belgium, Italy, France Hierarchy = Authority

Authority regulates relationships

U.S., Switzerland, Germany Organizations Authority Systems

Authority regulates tasks, functions

Role-Formalization Systems

Sweden, U.S., Netherlands Low need for detailed job descriptions, well-definedfunctions, and precisely defined roles

Hierarchical-Relationship Systems

Sweden, N. Europe, U.S. More likely to bypass authority in time of need

Recognize boss may not have all the answers

Italy, Latin Countries Less open to matrix structures

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Contemporary Relevance of the

Study

The quotes correlate from those of the UnitedStates in Laurents study.

Interview Questions: (US participants)

Do you think it is a good strategy to boast yourauthority around employees so they know you arethe top boss?

When employees continually causes a small tomedium problem that does not affect otheremployees, how is it best to address the problem?

Personal example

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Dr. Dee Ellington:

Forcing your authority, making it well knownthat you are the boss is a bad idea.

One on one. Discuss problems, expressopinions, no third parties.

Managers need to be more hands on, notmicromanaging, but more hands on caring

more about the employees.

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Dr. Marilyn Kaplan:

Personal example: Having a strategic vision

is most important for managers to besuccessful with employees.

Dr. Laurie Ziegler:One of the most important things managers

misconceive is that all employees are the

same. America is a low content country;

other countries are the exact opposite.

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Findings in the

QuestionnaireSupport Laurents findings (USA)

Organizations are not authority systems

Low need for detailed job descriptions, welldefined functions, and precisely definedroles

Most likely to bypass authority in time ofneed

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Contemporary Relevance of the

Study

German and US managers seem to

report a more rational and instrumental

view of authority that regulates

interaction among tasks and functions.

Leadership styles and cultural values among managers and

subordinates: a comparative study of four countries of theformer Soviet Union, Germany, and the US by Alexander

Ardichvili and K. Peter Kuchinke, 1999

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Conclusion

Cultural differences in respect to

management styles and notions about

the role of managers cannot be ignored

When directing any employee at the

corporation with a different background,

it must be explained in terms of theircultural perceptions.

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Conclusion

Without connecting the firms managing

style to the cultural perceptions of

individual managers within the

organization, it will be difficult toeffectively reach the collective goals of

the organization.

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Conclusion

Insight on employees and realizing that

not everyone is the same and the world

is becoming global is another aspect of

the new-faced manager

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Weaknesses of the article

The composition of questions themselvesand their aims to isolate specificinformation

The origin of the author as it relates to thecountries being evaluated

The number of countries evaluated by the

questionnaire and

The group size and aspect constraints

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Strengths of the article

Studies such as the MNC-A study andthe MNC-B continue to show continuity

in results.

People from the same culture will act

upon similar and familiar assumptions

about situations, people, and things in

their everyday lives.Trompenaars, F. (1994). Riding the waves of culture:

Understanding diversity in global business. London: The

Economist Books (page 3).

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Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrJTf97

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