1. Cultural congruence vs cultural authenticity – which proposition better predicts international leader effectiveness? A study of middle managers in a Finnish-based MNC.
Michael J. Green, Aston University, United Kingdom
Felix C. Brodbeck, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany
Yves Guillaume, Aston University, United Kingdom

2. Overview Theoretical background Hypotheses Method Results Discussion
Conclusion

3. Theory (1) The accepted Credo......
Cultural congruence proposition: leader behaviour which is aligned with collective cultural values will engender more positive ratings of effectiveness than behaviour which conflicts with cultural values (Dorfman & House, 2004) Implication for leaders in intercultural encounters: Leaders enhance their effectiveness by modifying their behaviour to align with the collective cultural values of others that they encounter (Dorfman, Hanges & Brodbeck, 2004)

4. Theory (2) From an Authentic Leadership perspective (Avolio & Gardner 2005).......
Cultural authenticity proposition: Leaders who behave consistently with their own cultural values will engender more positive ratings of effectiveness than leaders who behave inconsistently with their own cultural values Implication for leaders in intercultural encounters: Leaders enhance their effectiveness by behaving according to the collective values of their own culture

5. Hypotheses
Cultural congruence proposition Cultural authenticity proposition
Match between raters’ cultural values and leaders’ actual behaviour
Leader effectiveness ratings
Match between leaders’ cultural values and leaders’ actual behaviour
Leader effectiveness ratings

6. Method
Sample: Finnish-based MNC, N=85 leaders (middle-managers), N=337 raters (the leaders’ subordinates, peers and superiors)
Data collection: questionnaire (GLOBE project, 2004) based field study
A new 360 degree instrument was developed to measure multicultural leader effectiveness (MLE)
Hypotheses were tested using multivariate hierarchical regression analysis

7. Measures Leader Effectiveness Ratings Cultural congruence
New 360° instrument developed to measure Multicultural Leader Effectiveness (MLE)
Cultural congruence
Absolute difference or ‘fit’ between raters’ culturally endorsed leadership theories (CLTs) and observed leader behaviour
CLT values take from GLOBE (2004) for raters’ nationality
Leader behaviour measured using adapted GLOBE Beta questionnaire
Cultural authenticity
Absolute difference or ‘fit’ between leaders’ CLTs and observed leader behaviour
CLT values take from GLOBE (2004) for leaders’ nationality

8. Results Cultural congruence proposition
Match between raters’ cultural values and leaders’ actual behaviour
Leader effectiveness ratings (MLE)
β = -.11, p = .11
N=337
Cultural authenticity proposition
Match between leaders’ cultural values and leaders’ actual behaviour
Leader effectiveness ratings (MLE)
β = -.18, p = .00
N=337

9. Discussion (1) Cultural congruence and authenticity may be
complementary rather than contradictory:
Cultural congruence effects are related to cultural distance between the actors involved (Brodbeck, Frese & Javidan, 2002)
Cultural authenticity effects may be related to cultural familiarity (Shaw, 1990)

10. Discussion (2) Increasing Cultural distance
Cultural congruence proposition
Increasing
Cultural distance
Cultural authenticity proposition
Increasing Cultural familiarity

11. Conclusion Proposition for future research:
The greater the cultural distance between leader and others the more likely that cultural congruence predicts leader effectiveness ratings
The greater the cultural familiarity of others with leaders the more likely that cultural authenticity predicts leader effectiveness ratings