Asian Managers Research Articles

Fear of pandemic and associated challenges of employees’ engagement in Asia: the critical role of support in a post pandemic context

PurposeThis study aims to highlight the moderating role of perceived organizational, supervisory and coworker’s support in weakening the negative relationship between fear of pandemic (FOP) and employee’s engagement in the Asian organizations. Furthermore, this study also aims to explore the role of employees’ engagement as an intervening mechanism, which mediates the relationship between FOP and employee’s performance in an Asian postpandemic context.Design/methodology/approachBased on extensive review of recent literature and sound theoretical reasoning, the authors have developed a comprehensive conceptual framework (with related theoretical propositions) which provides clear guidelines as to how Asian Business Managers/organizations can minimize the adverse effect of the employee’s fear triggered by the pandemic at the workplace and how provision of effective and timely organizational/interpersonal support (i.e. organizational, managerial and coworkers level support) can help Asian Managers address various workplace challenges created by the pandemic moving forward. This study has further validated the proposed conceptual framework and related theoretical propositions by conducting an in-depth bibliometric analysis and by developing clusters of the co-occurrences based on most recent/ relevant literature published in the area.FindingsThis study advances the knowledge in the areas of FOP and organizational support in particular. A comprehensive review of the literature clearly indicates how effective organizational, supervisory and peer support mechanism can help Asian Business Managers in alleviating the negative impact of the FOP on various employee level outcomes such as employees “engagement and performance” and how it can help Asian firms in addressing the associated challenges while working in a postpandemic context. Later on, an in-depth bibliometric analysis of the literature has revealed emerging knowledge patterns in the field and has indicated several key gaps in the existing literature which further confirms the theoretical framework and the propositions related thereto.Originality/valueThough several researchers have previously examined the fear created by COVID-19 at workplace, relatively fewer researchers have tried to link it up with employees’ level of involvement/ engagement at workplace. Even fewer researchers have tried to examine the vital role that organizational, managerial and peers support can play in minimizing the adverse effects created by pandemic-induced fears for employees’ productivity and performance in an Asian workplace context. Furthermore, hardly any efforts have been made to look at this popular notion of employees’ engagement as an intervening mechanism which carries a significant potential to mediate the relationship between FOP and employees’ job performance. This study aims to bridge all these gaps by integrating the two main streams of knowledge together, i.e. Four Horsemen of Fear and Organizational Support theory. Based on strong theoretical reasoning, an in-depth review and a bibliometric analysis of the relevant literature, the authors have developed a comprehensive conceptual framework which explains how various levels of support may interact with FOP to predict different levels of employees’ engagement in a contemporary Asian workplace and how this in turn may impact employees’ job performance while at work.

Capacity Strengths of Asian Women in Management Positions

The objective of this study was to examine the current state of women's capability strengths in management positions in Asian nations. The study is grounded in Resource Based Value theory (RBV) of firms and is empirically based on proficiency rating data from females and males working in Asian countries. Variance analysis was used to analyze the sample in terms of differences and linear multiple regression analysis was employed to uncover the influence of competence proficiency ratings of females in managerial positions in different countries and among different management levels to sales performance. Results of the statistical analysis of the data yielded evidence that differences in managerial capabilities between genders exist that are particularly striking at various management levels within the firm. The two male strengths, strategic orientation and change management, have a significant impact on performance relative to hire date, from which it is possible to approximate the age of the manager suggesting that the capability to generate sales volume increases with age. These findings highlight the current competency status of Asian managers and the need to develop female potential in the quest to create a more gender equal society enabling both women and men to reach full potential.

Asian Convention Venue Engaging in Sustainable Practice: The Driving and Hindering Factors

This study aims to identify the factors that drive or hinder convention venues to implement sustainable practices. The response from 136 Asian convention venue senior managers shows that improving the corporation image of the venue is the primary driving factor for the management team to engage in sustainable practices, while lack of resources is the major hindering factor. The significant differences in the driving and hindering factors were identified among the management team from different sized convention venues in Asia. The importance and suitability of sustainable practices were revealed from the perspective of different sized convention venues. The insights from this study deepen the understanding of sustainability in convention management and provide valuable implications for industry practitioners.

Asian Managers Learn Leadership

Journal of Leadership StudiesVolume 14, Issue 2 p. 63-66 Symposium Asian Managers Learn Leadership Dean Tjosvold, Corresponding Author tjosvold@ln.edu.hk Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong KongDean Tjosvold, Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong Kong. E-mail: tjosvold@ln.edu.hkSearch for more papers by this authorAlfred Shiu-ho Wong, Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong KongSearch for more papers by this author Dean Tjosvold, Corresponding Author tjosvold@ln.edu.hk Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong KongDean Tjosvold, Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong Kong. E-mail: tjosvold@ln.edu.hkSearch for more papers by this authorAlfred Shiu-ho Wong, Department of Management, Lingnan University, Hong KongSearch for more papers by this author First published: 19 August 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21701Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume14, Issue2Summer 2020Pages 63-66 RelatedInformation

Corporate social responsibility penetration, explicitness, and symbolic communication practices in Asia: A national business system exploration of leading firms in sustainability

AbstractThe study explores whether the penetration, explicitness, and symbolic corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication practices of organizations are associated with the characteristics of the countries to which they belong. By focusing on the national business systems (NBSs) of Asian countries, the study analyzes the websites of companies based in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mainland China, and Hong Kong, to address strategic‐operational (penetration), discretionary‐non‐discretionary (explicitness), and substantial‐symbolic (symbolic practices) dimensions of CSR communication. The findings suggest that online CSR communication in Asian mirrors national business profiles. In particular, CSR penetration and explicitness in companies located in different Asian countries vary, whereas CSR symbolic communication does not appear to be related to the specifics of each NBS. The research extends the understanding of CSR communication in Asia based on the NBS theory. The findings can indicate to Asian managers how they can make CSR communication more effective, in terms of penetration and explicitness, and how to avoid symbolic CSR practices.

Corruption in Asia Pacific business organizations: insights on causes, conditions, consequences and treatment

ABSTRACT In the wake of the 1997 Asian financial crisis a wave of articles and commentaries focused increasingly on the so-called ‘dark side’ of Asian business. At the forefront of these lay investigations into the deleterious effects of corruption on economic development, business performance and international investor confidence. In subsequent years, due in part to converging pressures for universal corporate standards, the flow of research declined on the (implicit) assumption that corruption was a decreasing problem as new generations of Asian managers assimilated ‘Western’ values and practices. However, despite continuing admonishments and initiatives, the effects of corrupt practice at all levels remains as entrenched and as serious as ever. Blending micro and macro-level analysis along with both conceptual and empirical investigations, this collection offers some of the most recent frameworks and findings to explain the causes, conditions, consequences and treatment of corruption in 21st century Asia.

Responsible cronyism in transition: understanding changing attitudes to business corruption in Myanmar

ABSTRACT Existing research on corruption in Asian business has focused on issues of causation, manifestation and impact, but with little attention paid to how corrupt practices evolve over time. Despite two decades of empirical evidence of changing work values among Asian managers, we know little as to how, why and to what extent this affects their corollary attitudes and behaviours towards corruption. Focusing on ‘responsible’ cronyism – as indicative of pressures to adapt current crony practices – we pursue an interview-based investigation in the emerging economy of Myanmar. Findings uncovered significant heterogeneity in participant perspectives towards responsible cronyism, seen variously as a West-East hybrid progression, a reversion to traditional Burmese values and an instrumental negotiation tool. Implications for how we understand changing attitudes to corruption in Myanmar (and emerging Asia) for both theory and practice, along with future research directions are discussed.

Managing the Era of Multi-Cultural Leadership

Leaders in the global arena are the one who face the challenges never seen before, while coordinating work and managing relationship between team members coming from varied ethnic groups. Globalization has undoubtedly opened up endless growth opportunities for both, businesses and individuals, by collaborating with each other, but with certain inherent challenges. These challenges are the difference in the cultural background of the team members, which gets predominantly reflected in their behavior at workplace too. The cultural differences exist primarily due to differences in shared values, which form the basis for difference in perception and practices of decision making by an individual (Hofstede, 1980). Juana Bordas has rightly described that any business that fails to adapt their leadership style aligning with multi-cultural approach will find it difficult to thrive in a more colorful world. Leadership style has witnessed various facets of changing work environment that has demanded from leaders to modify their approach to adapt along and be effective and survive in the ever-changing environment of business (Bordas,2007).A cross-culture leader plays a significant role in knitting the diverse workforce into an efficient team; which requires a leader to very well understand the various dimensions of culture. This understanding of the leader enables him to learn about blending of leadership styles to address the challenges of such work environment. This paper is an extended work on 'Leadership in Cross-Cultural Environment – A Comparison of Asian and Non-Asian Managers' (Rahul and Ganesan, 2015). The extended research study has identified that enhanced work experience of cross-culture leaders enables them in effective team management, than the rise in designation, as it results in creation of hierarchical distance between the leaders and subordinates.

MANAGING INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT BETWEEN EXPATRIATES AND THAI MANAGERS THROUGH INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION: THE MODERATING EFFECT OF EXPATRIATES’ CULTURE OF ORIGIN

Intercultural communication has been considered as an effective tool in performing international business in overseas subsidiaries. In this paper, we investigate the impact of intercultural communication on interpersonal conflict between expatriates and Thai managers during the new product development process, and how expatriates’ culture of origin moderates this impact. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from local managers who regularly communicate with expatriate managers working in Thailand. The results show that intercultural communication reduces relationship conflict and increases task conflict. Furthermore, the negative impact of intercultural communication on relationship conflicts between Asian expatriates and Thai managers is stronger than between Western expatriates and Thai managers. The research results contribute to the existing theories by extending inter-functional communication and conflict to an intercultural context. Also, this research enhances understanding on how the impact of intercultural communication on conflict is moderated by expatriates’ culture of origin, namely Asian and Western. Managerial implications for MNC subsidiaries and future research are also discussed.

Career habitus, capital, field and boundaries: Self-initiated expatriate migrant careers of south Asian professionals and managers in Australia

Developed nations with labor shortages encourage migration from particular categories so that their economic progress is not hampered due to lack of skilled professionals. This research explored the importance of career habitus as an important factor in establishing the career boundaries of the South Asian self-initiated expatriates (SIE) professionals and managers in Australia. A person’s habitus is composed of cultural, social and symbolic capital that, together, form the particular social space that they occupy within certain social conditions. Skilled professionals from South Asia arrive in Australia in significant numbers every year. SIE professionals and managers are individuals who arrive in Australia as skilled migrants. This migration is based upon the assessment of their skills by the Australian Department of Immigration. To explore the careers of SIEs in Australia, in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 21 participants from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In employing a mixed method research strategy, this research combined two qualitative methodologies of phenomenology and analysis of narratives in the collection and analysis of data. The phenomenological and analysis of narrative techniques complement each other as lived experience of the SIE professionals and managers of this study as their reality, embedded in their narratives which revealed the phenomenon under study in this research. The narratives of the migrants of this study are the stories which revealed the process which brought them to that reality, which gave them their new identities in their new home country, Australia. This study presents three types of SIE career habitus and in doing so illuminates the connection between career habitus, career capital, career field, and career boundaries. The results suggest that as the participants attempted to establish new careers, they encountered a new career field in which they develop one of three types of career habitus: adopter, entrepreneur, and exile. Each of these had particular sets of career capital and career boundaries. This analysis illuminated the importance of career habitus as an important factor in establishing the career boundaries of the participants that in turn connected to how an their career unfolded. The findings of this study are limited to the Australian context. In spite of this limitation, it does illustrate the value of employing the concept of habitus to understanding SIE migrant careers and raises questions worthy of further research.

A Cross‐National Study of Fairness in Asia: How Perceptions of a Lack‐of‐Group Bias and Transparency in the Performance Evaluation System Relate to Job Satisfaction

This study explored how managers’ fairness perceptions of performance evaluation systems differ across countries and relate to their job satisfaction. Lack‐of‐group bias and transparency were the constructs used to assess fairness perceptions. The data sample consisted of 903 Asian managers from the subsidiaries of a leading multinational corporation (MNC) strategically expanding its retail markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand. Results showed that the fairness perceptions of lack‐of‐group bias and transparency concerning the common performance evaluation system varied within these Asian countries. Furthermore, those fairness perceptions were significantly related to job satisfaction among Asian managers overall, as well as in each of the five geographical subgroups with the exception of Hong Kong, where the perception of a lack‐of‐group bias was only marginally related to job satisfaction. These findings offer theoretical implications regarding organizational justice, cross‐national management, and performance evaluation, as well as practical implications for leveraging organizational justice perceptions of performance evaluation systems for the effectiveness of MNCs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A heritage of ruins: the ancient sites of Southeast Asia and their conservation

The ancient of Southeast Asia have long sparked curiosity and romance in the world's imagination. They appear in accounts of nineteenth-century French explorers, as props for Indiana Jones's adventures, and more recently as the scene of Lady Lara Croft's fantastical battle with the forces of evil. They have been featured in National Geographic magazine and serve as backdrops for popular television travel and reality shows. Now William Chapman's expansive new study explores the varied roles these monumental remains have played in the histories of Southeast Asia's modern nations. Based on more than fifteen years of travel, research, and visits to hundreds of ancient sites, A Heritage of Ruins shows the close connection between ruins and both colonialism and nation building. It also demonstrates the profound impact of European-derived ideas of historic and aesthetic significance on ancient and how these continue to color the management and presentation of sites in Southeast Asia today. Angkor, Pagan (Bagan), Borobudur, and Ayutthaya lie at the center of this cultural and architectural tour, but less visited sites, including Laos's stunning Vat Phu, the small temple platforms of Malaysia's Lembah Bujang Valley, the candi of the Dieng Plateau in Java, and the of Mingun in Burma and Wiang Kum Kam near Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, are also discussed. All share a relative isolation from modern urban centers of population, sitting in park-like settings, serving as objects of tourism and as lynchpins for local and even national economies. Chapman argues that these sites also remain important to surrounding residents, both as a means of income and as continuing sources of spiritual meaning. He examines the complexities of heritage efforts in the context of present-day expectations by focusing on the roles of both outside and indigenous experts in conservation and management and on attempts by local populations to reclaim their patrimony and play a larger role in protection and interpretation. Tracing the history of interventions aimed at halting time's decay, Chapman provides a chronicle of conservation efforts over a century and a half, highlighting the significant part foreign expertise has played in the region and the ways that national programs have, in recent years, begun to break from earlier models. The book ends with suggestions for how Southeast Asian managers and officials might best protect their incomparable heritage of art and architecture and how this legacy might be preserved for future generations.

Strategic ethnography and reinvigorating Tesco Plc: Leveraging inside/ out bicultural bridging in multicultural teams

This paper focuses on a study of Tesco Plc conducted in 2011, in which we trained a multicultural team of nine Asian managers to become in‐house ethnographers of Tesco UK for a 3‐month period studying 52 stores in the UK with dual objectives of helping Tesco (1) to understand and evaluate the core practices that comprised the essence of Tesco's home country advantage, and (2) to identify sources of learning from Tesco's foreign subsidiaries to aid in reinvigorating its core in light of increasing competition in its home market. We believe that the strategic and training dimensions of this project constitute a new contribution to the field of organisational ethnography, particularly with regard to the use of a multinational ethnographic team of non‐native speakers of English.

Gender disparity in job satisfaction of Western versus Asian managers

This study is to shed more light on gender disparity in job satisfaction in the context of Western versus Asian managers. It addresses the “gender paradox of the female contented worker” and takes a position that the paradox does not apply to female managers in Asia. Data were collected from Thailand as representative of Asian countries and from the U.S. as representative of Western countries. The data show that the gender paradox phenomenon is suspect at best. The results suggest that there is gender disparity in job satisfaction in both countries. There are also significant gender disparities in lower-order quality of work life (QWL) and organizational socialization in Thailand, but not in the U.S. There is no significant gender disparity in higher-order QWL in both countries. These results imply that gender disparity in job satisfaction in Thailand is driven mainly by significant gender disparity in lower-order QWL and organizational socialization.

The Effect of Procedural and Transparent Fairness on Job Satisfaction of Asian Managers

In this study, we explored how fairness perceptions of HR practices affect job satisfaction among Asian managers of multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries, by considering demographic characte...

Diversity management: The treatment of HIV-positive employees

Socio-demographic dimensions such as age, gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity are commonly included in diversity studies. With a view to helping Asian hospitality managers to manage HIV-positive employees in their workplaces through diversity management (DM) theory, this research extends the boundaries of previous diversity studies by considering Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection as a diverse characteristic. Both quantitative and qualitative primary data were collected from purposively selected Asian hospitality managers through postal questionnaire and follow-up telephone interviews. Transformed raw data were analysed using summary statistics and template analysis. Asian hospitality managers agreed that DM would be appropriate in the management of HIV-positive employees and that it could generate substantial benefits for employees and employers. However, they believe that the successful adoption and implementation of DM is not easy; it requires training and, ideally, the recruitment of experienced directors. Nevertheless, Asian hospitality managers are confident that implementing DM to manage HIV-positive employees can enhance tolerance, improve understanding and promote equality. The purposive sampling technique and the small number of respondents have impacted the external validity of the study. However, this exploratory study initiates an equality discussion to include HIV-positive employees in DM discourse beyond antidiscrimination legislation. It also supplements the sparse literature addressing HIV-positive employees in the Asian hospitality workplace. Asian hospitality managers are advised to understand and employ DM to treat HIV-positive employees fairly to overcome hospitality workplace marginalisation, discrimination and stigmatisation.

Self–Observer Rating Discrepancies of Managers in Asia: A study of derailment characteristics and behaviors in Southern and Confucian Asia

Antecedents to self–observer rating discrepancies in multisource instruments have been established at the individual and organizational level. However, research examining cultural antecedents is limited, which is particularly relevant as multisource instruments gain popularity around the world. We investigated multisource ratings of 860 Asian managers from the regions of Southern Asia (n=261) and Confucian Asia (n=599) and analyzed cultural differences in self–observer rating discrepancies. Multivariate regression procedures revealed that the self–observer rating discrepancy was wider for managers from Southern Asia as compared with Confucian Asia. The reason for the discrepancy was driven by managers' self‐ratings being different across cultures than by observer ratings from managers' bosses, direct reports, or peers; the predictor is related to self‐ratings not observer ratings, producing differential self–observer ratings due to self‐ratings. We discuss cultural differences in self‐ and observer ratings within Asia and provide implications for the practice of multisource assessments.

Corporate governance metrics for Asian companies: are they reliable indicators of corporate performance?

As more investors have bought shares in Asian companies, global interest in these firms' corporate governance has soared. Firms like Institutional Shareholder Services have begun to rate Asian firms' corporate governance, assigning them Corporate Governance Quotients (CGQ). Some research suggests that companies with higher CGQs deliver better shareholder returns for investors. The first section of this paper examines whether this positive relation holds true in the Asian market and considers the implications of our findings for Asian managers. The second section raises some more general questions about the value and viability of corporate governance ratings and identifies some dangers associated with corporate governance rating systems.

Modeling customer equity, SERVQUAL, and ethnocentrism: a Vietnamese case study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how the return‐on‐marketing framework and its customer equity drivers (value, brand, and relationship) can be combined with service quality (SERVQUAL) measures to help managers develop strategies for high‐ and low‐ethnocentric Vietnamese customers.Design/methodology/approachThe services literature is employed to propose a framework. The structure of the framework is evaluated from data obtained from self‐administered questionnaires, which are mailed to an automobile firm's customers. To explore the moderating affect of ethnocentrism, the model's proposed relationships and fit statistics are tested by employing multi‐group comparisons (high‐ and low‐ethnocentrism) through structural equation modeling.FindingsEthnocentrism encourages customers to express loyalty and to spread positive word of mouth about Company X, which is a local automobile manufacturer. High‐ethnocentric customers are also less reactive to Company X's value drivers, including product quality, price, and convenience, than low‐ethnocentric customers. However, high‐ethnocentric customers place greater importance on dealership SERVQUAL than low‐ethnocentric customers.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that Southeast Asian managers should consider consumer ethnocentrism a factor that influences marketing planning, as well as ways they can use the return‐on‐marketing and SERVQUAL frameworks for strategic planning. In addition, managers should understand that ethnocentric customers counterbalance their willingness to forgo product quality with augmented expectations of dealership SERVQUAL.Originality/valueThis paper combines the product‐focused return‐on‐marketing framework with the SERVQUAL‐focused SERVQUAL framework to show how these elements influence consumers' future behavioral intentions under the moderating influence of ethnocentrism.

City-to-city networks: Asian perspectives on key elements and areas for success

Regional and global city-to-city (C2C) relationships have experienced recent increases in numbers and activities. Research into the perceived benefits of and key elements that make C2C relationships successful have been lacking. This paper reviews Asian C2C cooperation and analyses how urban managers perceive this modality in terms of the key elements for success and the functional areas it is best used. The analysis is based upon a survey of local governments in Asian countries. The findings suggest that governments consider four features critical to successful C2C collaboration including: free flows of information, reciprocity, understanding and leadership. At the same time, local governmental decision makers did not see community participation as an important element in C2C success. In terms of areas where C2C is most applicable, local governments in Asia identified the areas of environment, health and education and cultural issues. Urban infrastructure also received support. Asian managers, however, found C2C cooperation less applicable in the areas of gender empowerment and poverty reduction, housing and shelter, municipal finance and economic development. Results were somewhat mixed for security and disaster management. These results suggest that C2C has important, but limited usefulness in a region where community participation in increasingly seen as vital to good governance and poverty reduction, gender and economic development are high priority areas.