Showing papers in "International Studies of Management and Organization in 1996"
TL;DR: In this article, a cross-national assessment of acculturative stress in recent European mergers is presented, with a focus on the human side of strategic change in management.
Abstract: (1996). A Cross-National Assessment of Acculturative Stress in Recent European Mergers. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, The Human Side of Strategic Change, pp. 59-86.
198 citations
TL;DR: The usefulness of an ethnographic approach to the international comparison of organizations was discussed in this article. But the use of an anthropological approach was not considered in this paper. And it was not discussed in this article.
Abstract: (1996). The Usefulness of an Ethnographic Approach to the International Comparison of Organizations. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp. 30-47.
125 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors make a strong case for the importance of national culture in the management of corporations in the Nordic countries, and make an assumption regarding the impact of culture in Nordic countries.
Abstract: The increased internationalization and interdependence of international markets, especially for the Nordic countries, suggest that we need a better understanding of management in different countries. We need to know more about the similarities and differences among management behaviors in the development of business-level strategies (Hou and McKinley, 1992). Currently, the general opinion seems to be that dissimilarities in management behaviors among countries will persist although they may diminish to some extent (Calori and de Woot, 1994; Laurent, 1983; Lincoln, Hanada, and Olson, 1981). Hofstede (1983) forecast that management styles will never fully converge and argued that nationality influences management for three reasons: (1) nations arc historically looted political units with their own institutions and legal, educational, and labor market systems; (2) informal organizations are usually culturally based; and (3) psychological factors and our ways of thinking are partly influenced by national cultural factors formed by early family relations and educational systems, which differ from country to country. Countries tend to cluster by culture (Ronen and Shenkar, 1985). Values, beliefs, norms, and ideals are embedded in a country's culture and affect the leadership behavior, goals, and strategies of organizations (Dill, 1958; Haire, Ghiselli, and Porter, 1966; Negandhi and Reimann, 1972; Ronen, 1986). Altogether, a strong case can be made for the importance of national culture in the management of corporations. What assumption, then, may be made regarding the impact of culture in Nordic countries? Earlier studies based on factors such as geography, history, language, religion, and technological development indicated that Denmark, Finland, and Norway belonged to the Nordic group (Calori, 1994; Ronen and Shenkar, 1985), but Sweden has been classified in several groups. There are many explanations of the relative homogeneity of the Nordic countries. Thygesen Poulsen (1988) stressed a Nordic human view of cooperation among individuals. Olsen (1986)
92 citations
TL;DR: This issue of ISMO concerns "culture." It is only fair to say that this could mean virtually anything as mentioned in this paper and the following discussion makes some attempt to specify the range of interests and ideas that emerge from the articles.
Abstract: This issue of ISMO concerns "culture." It is only fair to say that this could mean virtually anything. The following discussion makes some attempt to specify the range of interests and ideas that emerge from the articles. It may be useful, and I hope not too self-indulgent, to begin with some autobiography to explain my own position and give some background to my comments. I began learning in the field of social anthropology in Oxford in 1970, guided by Edwin Ardener, whom many (including myself) consider one of the outstanding intellects in British postwar social anthropology (see, for example, Chapman, 1989; Hastrup, 1989). Social anthropology in Oxford at the time was in the full flush of a theoretical revolution that has often been summarized as a shift from the study of "function" to the study of "meaning" (Ardener, 1971a; Pocock, 1961). Social anthropology in Great Britain had been institutionalized in the period between the wars under two major figures Bronislaw Malinowksi and A.R. Radcliffe-Brown. These two were not, in their own view, in the same theoretical camp, but they are perceived, in retrospect, as sharing some important characteristics of the period. In particular, both conceived of their subject as a "science of society." Radcliffe-Brown, in 1957 (late in his career), published a collection of essays from previous decades and called it A Natural Science of Society. Malinowski, in 1944, published a theoretical manifesto called A Scientific Theory of Culture. There is neither space nor need to go into the detail of the arguments, but the message was clear enough societies were to be studied objectively, as if they were biological species or bits of the physical world; they were to be observed, classified, and detailed in such a way that a closed and determinate science would be developed a science that, bit by bit, would
85 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors address the basic characteristics of management in Greece and comments on the main forces of change facing Greek managers, concluding that Greek management is in a state of transition, leading toward modernization professionalism mainly influenced by the U.S. and U.K. models with which it tends to converge.
Abstract: This paper addresses the basic characteristics of management in Greece and comments on the main forces of change facing Greek managers. It begins by presenting some basic characteristics of the management context in Greece and then looks at three recent empirical studies conducted in Greece by the authors and their associates. The analysis of these studies represents an effort to diagnose Greek management at a general level, by discussing the management culture typologies of Greek companies, and at the level of specific managerial practices, by presenting their leadership and strategic decision-making styles. In order to identify the unique characteristics of Greek management, we contrast the management cultures and decision-making styles of Greek-owned companies with those of subsidiaries of multinationals operating in the same national context. We also compare the results of the three studies with those of previous studies on Greece. Our "prognosis," based on facts as well as on our own personal experiences, suggests that Greek management is in a state of transition, leading toward modernization-professionalism mainly influenced by the U.S. and U.K. models with which it tends to converge. We draft a model of environmental and other influences on Greek management and argue that this change supports the "culturefree" or "convergence" hypothesis. We finally discuss the implications for research on Greek management and offer guidelines for future research.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a resource-based view of the competitive advantage in international services and present a strategy for international service organizations to achieve competitive advantage among international services providers.
Abstract: (1996). Competitive Advantage in International Services: A Resource-Based View. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Global Strategic Alliances Among Service Organizations, pp. 24-37.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the Partners and Other Strangers, a collection of partners and other strangers from the 1990s and 2000s. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp 48-72.
Abstract: (1996). Partners and Other Strangers. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp. 48-72.
58 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors identify the key to German-style management, by which they mean the unique, culturally embedded management practices within Germany In order to provide a realistic picture of a national management style, one has to consider behavioral and institutional aspects of the business system.
Abstract: American business practices and views on Japanese management tend to dominate the management literature worldwide This domination is at odds with the relatively meager attention given to the management practices of other successful countries in the world This paper focuses on Germany, Europe's "economic giant" In 1990, West Germany produced 40 percent of the European Community's manufactured output (Warner and Campbell, 1993) Its export power is unparalleled; Germany's volume of world trade nearly equals that of the much larger United States Its exports are, and have been since the 1960s, twice as high, per capita, as Japan's (eg, Heiduk and Yamamura, 1990; The Economist, 1993) This paper aims to identify the key to German-style management, by which we mean the unique, culturally embedded management practices within Germany In order to provide a realistic picture of a national management style, one has to consider behavioral as well as institutional aspects of the business system (see Whitley, 1992, 1994) In this paper, both types of aspects are combined in an integrative fashion Compared with management in other European countries, German-style management has received a lot of academic attention Surprisingly, however, the number of empirical studies on this topic is rather limited In order to identify the key to German-style management, we analyzed a representative set of empirical research studies that focused on management styles and systems in different countries, including Germany To enrich our analysis, we also considered essays and noncomparative literature on German management These essays provide information on the background conditions of the German business system which cannot be neglected in order to achieve an understanding of German-style management1 After characterizing the empirical literature, this paper offers an overview of the unique features of German-style management Attention is then focused on
48 citations
TL;DR: The Organization of Global Service MNEs as discussed by the authors, a global service MNE, is an organization of service organizations that aims to promote and support service-oriented organizations in the world.
Abstract: (1996). The Organization of Global Service MNEs. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Global Strategic Alliances Among Service Organizations, pp. 6-23.
47 citations
TL;DR: The Spanish Manager: Improvisation and the Spanish Manager as mentioned in this paper is a classic example of the Spanish manager's role in the management of a team of people. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp. 73-89.
Abstract: (1996). Improvisation and the Spanish Manager. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp. 73-89.
46 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, strategic alliances within a big-six accounting firm were discussed. But they focused on the Big Six Accounting Firm. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, No. 2, No., 6, No, 1, 6].
Abstract: (1996). Strategic Alliances within a Big-Six Accounting Firm. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Global Strategic Alliances Among Service Organizations, pp. 59-79.
TL;DR: A history of forming, developing, and even breaking strategic alliances, usually with other transport companies, can be found in this paper, where strategic alliances have been an important way of internationalizing for transport companies.
Abstract: Strategic alliances have historically been an important way of internationalizing for transport companies, in part because of the rules and regulations governing transportation and transport companies in different countries. Another important reason is the necessity to access domestic networks for transport in foreign countries. Transport companies, therefore, have a history of forming, developing, and even breaking strategic alliances, usually with other transport companies. As many countries have deregulated or harmonized their rules and regulations concerning transport, conditions have changed. Furthermore, the manufacturing industry has developed its own international networks of distributors, sales, and production subsidiaries. Today, many industrial production subsidiaries are large autonomous units that are going through their own process of internationalization.
TL;DR: The Importing Theories of Management and Organization: Vol. 26, European Management?, pp. 33-46 as discussed by the authors, is a collection of articles from the International Studies of Management & Organization.
Abstract: (1996). Importing Theories of Management and Organization. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, European Management?, pp. 33-46.
TL;DR: In this paper, Icelandic Business and Management Culture is discussed in the context of European Management and Management, with a focus on the Icelandic business and management culture, and Icelandic business culture.
Abstract: (1996). Icelandic Business and Management Culture. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, European Management?, pp. 61-72.
TL;DR: The information-processing view has become an integrative framework for organizational design (Tushman and Nadler, 1978) and Galbraith (1972, 1977) developed a comprehensive contingency model, which effectively positions information processing as the core of the organization's strategic realignment to its situation.
Abstract: The information-processing view has become an integrative framework for organizational design (Tushman and Nadler, 1978). Galbraith (1972, 1977) developed a comprehensive contingency model in which organizational design is conceptualized as the means for matching the information-processing capacity of the organization with the information-processing requirements of the situation that it faces. By unifying environmental, technological, and size variables in terms of their impact on organizational structure, this approach effectively positions information processing as the core of the organization's strategic realignment to its situation. The rapid development of information technology has radically changed the possibilities for organizations to increase their information-processing capacity. The capacity of a computer has increased at the same time as the weight, space, and cost per capacity unit have
TL;DR: In this article, Atomistic versus organic approaches are compared in the context of management and management education, and a comparison of the two approaches can be found in Social Anthropology, Business Studies and Cultural Issues.
Abstract: (1996). Atomistic versus Organic Approaches. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Social Anthropology, Business Studies, and Cultural Issues, pp. 90-112.
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of Slovene way of management is presented in an automobil factory in Slovenia bought by a French group, where French and Slovene culture meet in automobile factory.
Abstract: French and Slovene culture meet in automobil factory in Slovenia bought by a French group.An analyses of Slovene way of management.
TL;DR: In this article, a strategic human resource perspective applied to multinational cooperative ventures is presented. But the authors focus on the human side of strategic change, and do not consider the organizational side of change.
Abstract: (1996). A Strategic Human Resource Perspective Applied to Multinational Cooperative Ventures. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, The Human Side of Strategic Change, pp. 87-103.
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptual framework is developed for reconciling the observed tension and pinpointing a key common characteristic of a European style of management, and a case study of Unilever Foods Europe is used to illustrate the proposed conceptual framework.
Abstract: textIn 1991, Thurley and Wirdenius claimed that international companies operating in European countries could, and should, make a strategic choice whether or not to develop a "European" approach or style of management. After the acceptance of the Treaty of Maastricht, and with the new European Union preparing to absorb applicants from the European Free Trade Association, their claim is becoming even more important. Not surprisingly, a European style of management, or "European management," is an important topic for business, business schools, and academic research. While a growing number of publications have been written on this subject, a brief review of the literature on European management reveals a clear tension between "integration opportunity" and "constraining diversity" issues as a challenging problem for managers in Europe. This article investigates whether key characteristics of a European style of management can be discerned. To this end, a conceptual framework is developed for reconciling the observed tension and pinpointing a key common characteristic of a European style of management. No attempt is made here to show that national styles of management such as Swedish or British management (Barsoux and Lawrence, 1990) will disappear in the future. On the contrary, we maintain that national styles of management are and will remain part of Europe's diversity (Lessem and Neubauer, 1994). We aim to improve our understanding of how management relates to the European business environment as a contingency factor. In particular, we investigate ways of approaching the above-mentioned management problem in Europe. In a general sense, our research contributes to the challenging field of international management research (Earley and Singh, 1995) as well. We begin with a short overview of the literature and draw attention to the tension between integration opportunities and constraining diversity for managers in Europe. We then introduce a managerial perspective in describing various relevant forms of an important contextual variable of Europe--namely, diversity. After developing a conceptual framework for reconciling this tension, we describe how this framework can focus attention on a key characteristic of a European style of management. We use a case study of Unilever Foods Europe to illustrate the proposed conceptual framework. In discussing our findings, we touch upon some implications for developing the distinctive managerial skills required by a European style of management and suggest directions for future research.
TL;DR: In this paper, cross-border alliances in the French banking sector are discussed. But they do not consider cross-bank cross-channel cross-currency cross-divisional alliances among service organizations.
Abstract: (1996). Cross-Border Alliances in the French Banking Sector. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, Global Strategic Alliances Among Service Organizations, pp. 38-58.
TL;DR: The human side of strategic change is discussed in this paper, where the authors discuss the folly of rewarding domestic stability while Hoping for international expansion, and present a human side view of change.
Abstract: (1996). On the Folly of Rewarding Domestic Stability while Hoping for International Expansion. International Studies of Management & Organization: Vol. 26, The Human Side of Strategic Change, pp. 105-133.
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