An Examination of Hofstede’s Paradigm of National Culture ...



JOURNAL OF

Transnational Management Development

Volume 10

Issue 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Leadership and Management Distinctions Among Worldwide National Quality Awards

Kay C. Tan

Hsien H. Khoo

This paper presents the leadership and management distinctions among six National Quality Awards (NQAs). In order to provide some guidelines for examining the six NQA’s set of criteria, 11 aspects are outlined: i) establishing mission statements/policies and strategies, ii) ethics/values, iii) role modeling, iv) employee education/development, v) empowerment and innovation, vi) employee well-being, vii) leader-subordinate relationships, viii) application of new technologies, ix) customer focus, x) Total Quality/continuous improvement, and xi) sustainable environmental management. These aspects are believed to support organizational growth and development, and represent the general contents contained in the NQAs.

Key Words: Leadership styles, quality management distinctions, national quality award, worldwide comparisons.

An Examination of Hofstede’s Paradigm of National Culture and its Malleability: Italy and U.S. Thirty Years Later

Antony Girlando

Claire J. Anderson

John W. Zerillo

This exploratory study investigates Hofstede’s contention of cultural stability over time and his concept of distinct national cultures. Underlying issues include the convergence, divergence, and crossvergence debate regarding cultural change; the question of subcultures within nations; and the use of student proxies to examine Hofstede’s paradigm. A comparison between Hofstede’s original IBM sample (1980) and the current study’s 2003 survey (using Value Survey Module 94) of Italian (n=42) and U.S. (n=38) students found no differences except for both countries’ not unexpected similar shifts in the dimension of Power Distance, thus supporting the contention of cultural stability. The analysis of two postulated Italian “subcultures” (northern, n=47 and southern, n=111) revealed no differences on each of Hofstede’s five dimensions, giving credence to his concept of national culture. Implications and suggestions for future research are offered.

Key Words: Hofstede, cultural change, Italy

CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP:

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EMERGENCE OF NEW VENTURES

IN LATIN AMERICA

Robert D. Russell

The purpose of this paper is to examine several dimensions of culture as described by Hofstede and analyze their potential impact on the entrepreneurial process. Differences in scores on Hofstede’s variables between several Latin American countries and Canada and the United States are noted and the implications for using a North American model of entrepreneurship for the economic development of Latin LDCs are discussed.

Key Words: Hofstede, Latin America, culture, entrepreneurship

CONSUMER RESPONSE ANALYSIS

TO THE ELECTRONIC BRANDS

Helena Nobre

Carlos Melo Brito

Paulo de Lencastre

This paper studies the consumer response to the electronic brands - i.e. brands commercialized on the Internet. The results of the study suggested that, although the specific ebranding practices might allow building awareness in a short period of time, the profitability of on-line brands is likely to rely on the same factors as the traditional brand: time and financial efforts. Finally, the study also suggested that in the future, with the broadband and the consequent media convergence, marketers could not regard to an on-line brand as the opposite of a physical brand. Rather, brands have to be managed in a comprehensive way, tanking into account all alternatives based not only on the kind of product/service but also on the desired positioning.

Key Words: Ecommerce, branding, on-line brands, relationship marketing, consumer behavior.

The Relationship between Entrepreneurship, Market Orientation and Performance: a Test in Saudi Arabia

Shahid N. Bhuian

Mohsin Habib

This study examines the relationship between organizational entrepreneurship, market orientation and performance in a developing economy namely Saudi Arabia. The difference in market characteristics and values from that of developed economies was expected to pose challenges for the relationship. The results continue to support the positive performance effects of entrepreneurship and market orientation. Also, the interaction of the two positively affects performance. Companies high on market orientation and entrepreneurship are the best performers. The study assists in the generalization of the performance impact and emphasizes the need for joint implementation of market orientation and entrepreneurial programs. Implications for managers and policy makers are discussed.

Key Words: Entrepreneurship, Market Orientation, Performance, Saudi Arabia.

Linking Human Resource Management Practices and Organizational Strategy: A Cross-National Study

C. Christopher Baughn

Keith Ward

Mark A. Buchanan

The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine country differences in human resource management (HRM) policies and practices and to attempt to determine whether, at a country level of analysis, there is a relationship between HRM practices and strategy. This study is based on survey data from over 4,000 firms in 57 nations. Two dimensions of HRM practices were found. The first dimension, “flexibility” is related to companies’ discretion in setting wages, working hours, hiring and firing practices, as well as levels of collective bargaining power. The second dimension, HR “investment” includes issues related to the importance of skilled personnel at all levels; efforts to ensure such skill levels; a cooperative, participative approach to employee relations; and compensation based on merit. These two HRM dimensions were significantly related to different competitive strategies.

Key Words: human resource; organizational strategy, cross national study

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download