Contextual Influences on Culture Research

Abstract

This article argues that different contexts in politics, economics, and society have shaped existing conceptions of culture in the field of international cross cultural management research, such as cross-national comparison (CNC) and intercultural interaction. This has led to different assumptions about culture that have, in turn, influenced research methodologies and research questions. An examination of recent changes that have impacted on work realities, and hence the research context, leads us to conclude that the assumptions underlying the dominant CNC perspective, as well as a fundamental construct in the intercultural interaction perspective, no longer fit most work contexts. We describe the multiple cultures perspective as an alternative research paradigm for investigating culture, since its underlying assumptions are shaped by the new work realities. Finally, we explore some key issues and challenges for researchers in the field that influence the way research is currently conducted and will be conducted in the future.