Do Expatriates Change Their Behavior to Fit a Foreign Culture
Do Expatriates Change their Behavior to Fit a Foreign Culture? A Study of American Expatriates' Strategies of Upward Influence
David A. Ralston University of Connecticut USA Robert H. Terpstra University of Macau Macau Mary K. Cunniff Bentley College, Boston USA David J. Gustafson Florida State University USA
Abstract: An analysis investigates the differences in Eastern and Western culture regarding strategies of upward influence, and the degree to which foreign culture behavioral tactics are adopted by expatriates. Subjects were Americans working in the US, Americans working in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Chinese working in Hong Kong. The findings indicate that there truly are crosscultural differences in upward influence strategies. Also, American expatriates' style of upward influence in Hong Kong follows divergence theory.
In today's age of multicultural, global organizations, superiors and subordinates who must work together are often from different cultures (Mendenhall, Dunbar and Oddou 1987). Much research has already shown that there are differences in the values held by people from various cultures around the world (Evans and Sculli 1981, Hofstede 1980, Hofstede and Bond 1984, 1988, Kelley, Whatley and Worthley 1987, Ralston, Cunniff and Gustafson in press, Ronen and Shenkar 1985, Tung 1991). To accurately assess what motivates employees in a multicultural work environment, managers must understand the differences in values and the resultant behavior patterns of individuals from other cultures (Ralston, Gustafson, Cheung and Terpstra 1992, Ricks, Toyne and Martinez 1990, Schwartz 1992, Tung and Miller 1990). Understanding the behavior patterns of individuals who are from different cultures is particularly salient for expatriate managers who not only must work with individuals from other cultures, but who also must work in a foreign culture (Mendenhall and Oddou 1985, Shaw 1990). However, the transfer of domestic managers into foreign assignments is
David A. Ralston University of Connecticut USA Robert H. Terpstra University of Macau Macau Mary K. Cunniff Bentley College, Boston USA David J. Gustafson Florida State University USA
Abstract: An analysis investigates the differences in Eastern and Western culture regarding strategies of upward influence, and the degree to which foreign culture behavioral tactics are adopted by expatriates. Subjects were Americans working in the US, Americans working in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Chinese working in Hong Kong. The findings indicate that there truly are crosscultural differences in upward influence strategies. Also, American expatriates' style of upward influence in Hong Kong follows divergence theory.
In today's age of multicultural, global organizations, superiors and subordinates who must work together are often from different cultures (Mendenhall, Dunbar and Oddou 1987). Much research has already shown that there are differences in the values held by people from various cultures around the world (Evans and Sculli 1981, Hofstede 1980, Hofstede and Bond 1984, 1988, Kelley, Whatley and Worthley 1987, Ralston, Cunniff and Gustafson in press, Ronen and Shenkar 1985, Tung 1991). To accurately assess what motivates employees in a multicultural work environment, managers must understand the differences in values and the resultant behavior patterns of individuals from other cultures (Ralston, Gustafson, Cheung and Terpstra 1992, Ricks, Toyne and Martinez 1990, Schwartz 1992, Tung and Miller 1990). Understanding the behavior patterns of individuals who are from different cultures is particularly salient for expatriate managers who not only must work with individuals from other cultures, but who also must work in a foreign culture (Mendenhall and Oddou 1985, Shaw 1990). However, the transfer of domestic managers into foreign assignments is