Lingnan-BEL Workshop Session 6: Designing and Implementing Cross-Cultural Research Dr. Andre Pekerti and Professor Victor Callan

Session 6:Overview Discussion on Culture >Application in organisational research How do we study culture? >One culture, multiple cultures >Comparisons Important issues in cross-cultural studies >Data, Topic, Collaborators, Method  Issue of equivalence Examples of cross-cultural studies >Some practical issues Developing Collaboration and Collaborators 2

What Is Culture? Is this culture? 3

What Is Culture? 4

 Norms, artifacts, behaviours, thought patterns - institutions  Most are observable Easiest to observe and change Rules  Assumptions  Hidden dimension Most difficult to change or adjust Human nature - Good or evil  Values and Beliefs  Expressions of assumptions; semi- observable  Ideas that people accept true about the world; specific Essence of variability but still malleable Need for controls Societal culture as a tree, Pekerti et al., (2011) 5 Cultural Assumptions & Its Influence

Culture Defined by GLOBE Study “Shared motives, values, beliefs, identities, and interpretations or meanings of significant events that result from common experiences or members of collectives and are transmitted across age generations” (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness; Dorfman & House, 2004; p. 57) >Exists at the group level >Experienced at the individual and group level  Individuals enact and perpetuate culture through interactions and behaviours. >Wide range of opportunities to develop research topics 6

Organisational Values-Culture Societal culture as a tree, Pekerti et al., (2011) 7

How Do We Study Culture?

Emic-Etic Observations Emic – phonemic analysis Etic – phonetic analysis >Using familiar to apply to the unfamiliar Emic: single culture Etic: more than one culture Both approaches support the objectives of cross- cultural research: > to document valid phenomena in culture(s) and >theory building 9

Emic-Etic Observations (cont.) Emic a) Studies behaviour from within the system. b) Examines only one c) Structure discovered d) Findings are relative to internal characteristics of the culture 10 Etic a) Studies behaviour from outside the system b) Examines many cultures by comparing them c) Structure created by the analyst d) Findings are considered generalisable

11 Steps To Think About When Conducting Cross-Cultural Studies

12 Steps To Think About When Conducting Cross-Cultural Studies Emic China: Phenomena: Guanxi Other Culture: Phenomena: Networks Emic B: Networks in Institutional void Are there Similarities? Similar construct or concepts

Cross-Cultural Study Involves Comparisons Intercultural: Pertains to or taking place between two or more cultures; >studying situations in a multicultural context. Cross-cultural: Occurs within an intercultural or multicultural context; >contrasting two or more cultures or cultural groups. Cross-cultural study generally involves comparisons  An intercultural study may not involve comparisons 13

What Issues Do You Think Are Important in Cross-Cultural Studies?

Important Issues in Cross-Cultural Studies Data >Need data from at least two cultures >This is an opportunity for collaboration with other people from different cultures Topic >One that are interesting and current >Ones that potential collaborators are interested in Collaborators >Ones that are trustworthy, deliver 15

Important Issues in Cross-Cultural Studies Method >Currently the field demands rigor  If you had to do a study on eating customs what would you do? >Equivalence is crucial  Appropriate instruments –Translations, back translations  Matching sample  Data –Requires checks and analyses to ensure equivalence – Van de Vijver, F & Leung, K. (1997). Methods and Data Analysis of Comparative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. 16

Examples of Cross- Cultural Studies

Organisational Attribution Dr. Andre Pekerti

20 Organisational Attributions

Culture and Role Stress in the Workplace Professor Victor Callan

Culture and Role Stress

How Do We Develop Collaboration and Collaborators?

Collaboration and Collaborators Be acquainted >Meet at conferences, select at conferences or linkages such as our workshop, communicate regularly Set clear expectations – ground rules >Standards, co-authorship Be organised >Set deadlines, deliver Develop ways to communicate regularly Be prepared to “run a marathon” >Collaborations can be tedious but rewarding Celebrate successes 28

Any Questions