Role Of National Culture Research Articles

The Role of National Culture on Relationships Between Customers' Perception of Quality, Values, Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intentions

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of individualistic cultures (such as the American culture) and collectivistic cultures (such as the Chinese culture) on the interrelationship among service quality, food quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in the fast-food industry. First, the authors provide empirical evidence of the robust relationships among the constructs across diverse cultures. Second, they investigate how moderator variables such as customer age, gender, and national culture affect customer behavioral intentions. Moreover, they examine how national culture, as a moderator, affects the magnitude of the relationships among these constructs. Using survey data collected from the United States and China, results indicate that national culture does have a moderating effect on the relationships and there are differences in the behavioral intentions of American and Chinese customers. More specifically, in the United States, service quality and food quality have a stronger influence on customer satisfaction than in China. Also, the effect of perceived value on customer satisfaction and the effect of customer satisfaction on customers' behavioral intentions are stronger in China than in the United States. Overall, the findings provide rare cross-cultural insights and thus serve as building blocks for strategies in the global fast-food domain.

Transaction cost economics and the roles of national culture: a test of hypotheses based on Inglehart and Hofstede

Transaction cost economics (TCE) is probably the most widely accepted theory on how firms can gain competitive advantage through efficient organization of their economic transactions. However, by focusing on the competitive environment in which companies operate, it abstracts from the cultural context in which governance decisions are made. We study the cultural boundedness of TCE using two seminal cultural theories: the political science/sociology framework of Inglehart and the management science framework of Hofstede. We use these theories to develop (main-effect) hypotheses about the cultural contexts in which TCE has higher predictive power as well as (interaction) hypotheses regarding particular cultural contexts that may inherently be more inclined than others to adopt certain non-market governance modes if the market “fails.” Hypotheses are tested using a meta-analysis on data collected from 128 studies from 12 countries on 3 continents, representing governance decisions of 60,926 companies. We find that TCE is a universal theory across all cultural contexts. This being said, we find that in societies low on power distance and in societies characterized by a strong emphasis on secular-rational and self-expression values, companies are more strongly guided in their governance decisions by economic, transaction-cost considerations than companies in societies high on power distance and in countries that are characterized by traditional and survival values. Further, TCE’s power to predict the specific type of non-market governance employed by the firm is systematically moderated by the national culture in which the firm operates. The power of TCE for predicting hierarchical governance is higher in countries that rate high on secular-rational values and on uncertainty avoidance and low on long-term orientation, whereas TCE is more diagnostic for predicting relational governance in countries high on self-expression values and low on power distance and on uncertainty avoidance. In sum, our meta-analysis provides support for our thesis that to fully understand governance choices made by firms, we need to integrate TCE and cultural theory. While managers around the world are guided by economic considerations, the cultural context in which they operate exerts a substantial—and predictable—contingent effect on their governance choices.

Examining the Moderating Role of National Culture on an Extended Technology Acceptance Model

Previous research studies have primarily examined the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in one country or in developed and western countries. This paper attempts to answer two questions of particular significance that remain only partially answered in the information systems literature. The first question asks: do TAM relationships hold good for a group of countries of diverse national cultures? The second question investigates: can national culture explain differences in TAM relationships across countries? To answer the above two questions, a structural equation modeling approach was applied using computer-related data collected from college students in the USA and two countries of non-Western cultures: Chile, and the United Arab Emirates. The research findings imply that for the group of three countries, all relationships among the components of an extended TAM that incorporates individual computer knowledge as an external variable were supported. In addition, national culture moderates four of the TAM relationships.

Participation and procedural justice: the role of national culture

Hoftstede’s (1980) cultural dimensions have been shown to affect employees’ perceptions of workplace phenomena. With the use of data from eight countries, it is the purpose of this paper to examine two cultural dimensions, power distance and individualism, as they impact employees’ procedural justice perceptions. Using predictions from equity theory, we suggest that the relationship between participation and procedural justice perceptions is moderated by the aforementioned dimensions. The model also provides a framework for conceptualising cultural contrasts that may best lend themselves to the introduction of participation mechanisms within a global context. The current results support the notion that power distance and individualism interact with participation to negatively and positively, respectively, predict procedural justice perceptions. The results and theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The impact of national culture traits on the usage of web 2.0 technologies

PurposeWeb 2.0 technologies are becoming popular and are being used not only for social networking but also to facilitate communication and increase knowledge sharing in the work environment. Extensive research has been conducted in the past to understand the factors affecting the adoption and use of IT systems but few have studied the influence of national culture on such adoption models. When it comes to web 2.0 usage, the literature is only emerging and the role of national culture has not been addressed. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approachIn order to better understand the factors that affect the use of web 2.0 technologies and the influence of national culture on it, data were collected from 376 young adults in the age range of 18‐29 from the USA, Thailand and Bahrain. A model was developed and statistically tested to understand the influence of national culture traits, social grooming aspects, efficiency, online privacy, perceived usefulness, subjective norms and gender.FindingsBased on the type of web 2.0 usage (expressive or instrumental) different variables were demonstrated to be significant predictors. For expressive usage, uncertainty avoidance, maintaining relationships, online privacy and perceived usefulness were significant. For instrumental usage, long‐term orientation and perceived usefulness were significant. A ranking of various types of web 2.0 usage was also created, showing very few differences among countries.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is the first step in a series of research activities that should be conducted to better understand the influence of culture in the adoption and usage of web 2.0 technologies. The sample was composed only of “Millennial” generation students and should be extended to other generations and to other countries with markedly different cultural profiles.Practical implicationsThe findings of the paper help to better understand the usage of web 2.0 technologies by young adults who are about to enter the labor market and are likely to use Enterprise 2.0 applications in their work environment. Since web 2.0 technologies are centered on the concepts of communication, collaboration and information sharing, they will influence the behavior of future knowledge workers in terms of knowledge sharing. Accordingly, better understanding of web 2.0 use will help to improve the understanding of Enterprise 2.0 and knowledge management tools usage in a global environment.Originality/valueThis paper's original contribution stems from the fact that the influence of national culture on the use of web 2.0 has not yet been addressed in the literature.

National culture and national adoption and use of mobile telephony

The study investigates the effects of national culture on the five-year adoption growth rates of mobile telephones using both Hall's cultural classifications and Hofstede's multicultural framework. Results indicate that polychronic cultures are more conducive to the adoption of mobile telephones, as hypothesised. Individualism and uncertainty avoidance were also found to be negatively related to mobile adoption growth rates. Findings from the study provide insights into the role of national culture in explaining differences in the adoption rates and will help global marketers formulate more effective marketing and communication strategies by accommodating for cultural influences during the adoption/diffusion process.

The Role of National Culture in Mergers and Acquisitions

ABSTRACT This article analyzes mergers and acquisitions as processes and how the management style and culture of the acquired company's country can affect such processes. A qualitative research study compares the main results of eight case studies carried out in Brazil. The results show a relationship between integration strategy and motive for acquisition. The results also suggest a hybrid model of management. Such a model is influenced by Brazilian culture and combines rationalized processes of the acquirer companies with the informality and personalized relationship of the acquired companies.

Guest editorial on cultural issues in global e-commerce diffusion, adoption and use

It gives us great pleasure to welcome you to this special issue of DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems, the focus of which is on "Cultural Issues in Global E-commerce Diffusion, Adoption and Use." Electronic (e)-commerce is expanding at a rapid rate, with the online population approaching almost one and a half billion, and global online revenues being measured in trillions of dollars. This global expansion of e-commerce represents growth opportunities for businesses worldwide. However, one of the obstacles for companies attempting to extend their e-business internationally is to understand global consumers and overcome cultural barriers and language differences on the web (Singh and Pereira, 20051; Violino, 20012). Many companies are realizing that building an e-commerce website to suit an international audience is a more complex endeavor than they expected (Sheldon and Strader, 20023). As companies set up their global e-businesses, it is important for them to understand, what global trends are facilitating the rise of the web, what cultural factors influence consumer use of international websites, what motivates global consumers to make purchases at international websites, and what cultural barriers exist to diffusion and adoption of e-commerce. This Special Issue of DATA BASE aims to advance the knowledge on the role of national culture in global e-commerce expansion. More specifically, it aims to address issues related to the impact of national culture on macro-level issues related to diffusion and adoption of ecommerce, and micro-level issues related to web site localization, international web site usage, and global online consumer behavior. The Special Issue has solicited theoretical, conceptual, and empirical studies that are inter-disciplinary in nature, as global e-commerce research is not just emerging as an important area of study in the information systems domain, but also in marketing, international business, linguistics and other disciplines.

The Role of National Culture in Advertising's Sensitivity to Business Cycles: An Investigation across Continents

The authors conduct a systematic investigation into the cyclical sensitivity of advertising expenditures in 37 countries, covering four key media: magazines, newspapers, radio, and television. They show that advertising is considerably more sensitive to business-cycle fluctuations than the economy as a whole. Advertising behaves less cyclically in countries high in long-term orientation and power distance, but it is more cyclical in countries high in uncertainty avoidance. Furthermore, advertising is more sensitive to the business cycle in countries characterized by significant stock market pressure and few foreign-owned multinational corporations. The authors provide initial evidence on the long-term social and managerial losses incurred when companies tie ad spending too tightly to business cycles. Countries in which advertising behaves more cyclically exhibit slower growth of the advertising industry. Moreover, private-label growth is higher in countries characterized by more cyclical advertising spending, implying significant losses for brand manufacturers. Finally, an examination of 26 global companies shows that stock price performance is lower for companies that exhibit stronger procyclical advertising spending patterns.

The Effects of eWOM Objectivity on Perceived Credibility: Investigating the Moderating Role of National Culture and Product Type

The Effects of eWOM Objectivity on Perceived Credibility: Investigating the Moderating Role of National Culture and Product Type

The Role of National Culture in Corporate Social Responsibility: Case Study: Iran

The Role of National Culture in Corporate Social Responsibility: Case Study: Iran

The Role of National Culture in Advertising's Sensitivity to Business Cycles: An Investigation Across Continents

The Role of National Culture in Advertising's Sensitivity to Business Cycles: An Investigation Across Continents

The role of national culture in determining safety performance: Challenges for the global oil and gas industry

This paper addresses the issue of occupational safety and how the process of globalisation can potentially influence the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour of disparate ‘national’ workforces working across the globe for the same multi-national company. The paper reviews published literature on cross-cultural differences in attitudes, perceptions and beliefs regarding safety and presents details of a study examining the relationship between Hofstede’s [Hofstede, G., 1984. Culture’s Consequences; International Differences in Work-Related Values, Abridged edition. Sage Publications, London, Hofstede, G., 1991. Culture and Organisations; Software of the Mind. McGraw Hill, Maidenhead] cultural values dimensions (i.e., Power Distance, Individualism/Collectivism, Masculinity/Femininity); safety climate (perceived management commitment to safety) and risk-taking behaviour in workforce members of a multi-national engineering organisation operating in six countries. The results suggest that more proximal influences such as perceived management commitment to safety and the efficacy of safety measures exert more impact on workforce behaviour and subsequent accident rates than fundamental national values.

Collectivism and expected benefits of knowledge management

PurposeTo understand the role of national culture in knowledge management (KM), this study aims to examine whether workers of two different countries hold different expectations regarding KM.Design/methodology/approachThis study used field research to test hypotheses. Statistical analysis was performed to compare expectations of KM of knowledge workers in the USA and Taiwan.FindingsComparisons of KM expectations were performed on data. The results show that workers in the USA and Taiwan have significantly different levels of expectations regarding KM.Research limitations/implicationsDespite the limitations of mailed surveys, based on the results and high‐response rate, it appears that respondents in Taiwan have higher expectations from KM than their US counterparts.Practical implicationsDrawing from the research of Geert Hofstede and others, this study adds to our understanding of the relationships between national culture and KM by examining the differences between US and Taiwanese workers. These differences should be considered when KM strategies are formulated and implemented by international managers.Originality/valueMany previous studies examined the relationship between organizational culture and perceived benefits of KM. However, no major study was done to examine whether national culture plays a significant role in KM expectations. The results of the study make significant contributions in terms of theoretical and practical understanding of the relationships between national culture and KM.

The Influence of National Business Environment as Shaper of Organizatinoal Action: The Case of Argentina

Organizational studies have often omitted the importance of national differences as shapers of the organizational action of firms. This study aims to address the particular national features that distinguish the Argentinean national context from others. To do so, we introduce a multidimensional framework that includes both institutional and cultural elements. In so doing, we were able to begin to answer the following questions: To what extent have the unique characteristics of the national context shaped indigenous businesses in Argentina? And, how have the national business characteristics affected the way indigenous businesses organize themselves, transform, and respond under competitive pressures? The result of the analysis shows the importance of three major aspects in understanding organizational action: the role of the state, the role of financial institutions, and the role of national culture as shapers of organizational action.

SATISFACTION AND INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE FOR STRUCTURING: WHAT IS FIT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE FROM.

The article discusses the role of national culture in regards to person-environment (P-E) fit and the assumption that most individuals are satisfied when they acquire what they want. The article talks about a study conducted with individuals from power-distance cultures to evaluate how cultural boundaries fit into the P-E theory. The theory was tested on national subsidiaries of a Taiwanese manufacturer in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom using an online survey. Responses from Germany and the UK showed that satisfaction was higher with an accordance between preference and supplies. High power-distance groups, including France, showed that individual choices didn't confer with satisfaction levels.

Comparative industrial relations theory: the role of national culture

This paper explores the use of national culture in comparative industrial relations theory to explain the cross-national pattern of industrial relations institutions. A critical review of the existing body of theory argues that it has not adequately explained cross-national differences in the main industrial relations variables. The review also establishes that, with few exceptions, national culture is currently given negligible weight as an explanatory variable. It is argued that a cultural theory of cross-national difference is required. Following a critical assessment of the work of Hofstede, a cultural model is developed based on his definition and specification of culture. Some hypotheses linking Hofstede's dimensions of culture with our industrial relations variables are derived. As an empirical test of the model, industrial relations variables are regressed on Hofstede's cultural indices. National culture is found to be significantly associated with all the major characteristics of industrial relations systems investigated. The paper concludes that national culture is the primary determinant of cross-national variations in industrial relations institutions and that culture is likely to be a force for ongoing diversity in labour market systems.

Multinational acquisition integration: the role of national culture in creating synergies

How do cultural differences between home and host nations undermine or enhance multinational acquisitions? Although most believe that differences in national culture affect performance in acquired firms, some studies find cultural differences are problematic, others find they add value to the parent firm, and others find variable or no effects. The study of 103 related acquisitions reported here suggests that the path between national culture and successful integration of an acquisition follows an indirect process. We find that the cultural match or mismatch between the parties to a related acquisition shape their ability to successfully integrate and share resources, which in turn affects the ability to realize synergies.

Cultural determinants of New Public Management reforms: A comparative study

The purpose of the present paper is twofold. Firstly, it proposes, on the basis of existing approaches, a synthesising model of public management reforms. Secondly, it examines a central question related to the proposed model. Namely, it seeks to decide whether the typical organisational culture of government administration is “responsible” for cross-country differences in NPM patterns. This is done based on a comparative case study of the administrative cultures of the Australian (Queensland) and the Hungarian governmental administration. The basic finding of the study is that the culture profiles of the two administrative (sub-)systems are surprisingly similar. This finding is used to conclude that (i) the organisational level of administrative culture is unlikely to play a significant role in shaping NPM reforms; (ii) alternative explanations - e.g. directing attention towards the role of national culture - seem to offer a promising direction for future research.

The Role of National Culture in the Spaced-Based Technology Transfer Process

It is difficult to imagine applications of space-based technologies that do not emphasize in especially clear fashion both the promise and the inherent difficulties of technology transfer. A confluence of events, situations, and circumstances has created an environment where space technology provides a bridge across the cultures of virtually every space-faring nation. The complexities of technology transfer are often magnified by the culture of the nation developing the technology. This situation was clear in the efforts of both the Soviet Union (now Russia) and the United States to develop the first space programs. As additional nations or nation groups have developed their own space-based technology programs, each has continued to encounter a variety of culturally based technology transfer challenges. With varying degrees of seriousness, each issue has the ability to dramatically affect the overall effort to use space-based technology beyond its point of origin. With national space programs beginning to integrate into an international effort, the future of space-based technologies is just beginning to realize its potential. This paper explores some of the applied implications of culture, specifically by looking at the United States, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and European space programs. The important linkage for this paper is between the major national space programs and how their respective national culture or cultures influence, direct, or perhaps just flavor their programs' approach toward technology issues.