Managers and National Culture: A Global Perspective

This work primarily looks at the role of managers in private-sector companies in 15 advanced and newly industrialising nations throughout the world: the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Russia, Poland, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea, the Territory of Hong Kong, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Malaysia. The authors are specialists in their knowledge of the countries they write about; and as a group, they are able to provide greater insight about particular nations than could be offered by one person trying to cover such diverse nations. The editor then discusses the similarities and differences both within and across these 15 nations. The book begins with an introduction by Peterson, the editor of the volume. Here he provides a brief historical overview of the developments in International Management since World War II, as well as the rapid internationalisation and globalisation of the world economy in recent years. The next chapters discuss the role of managers in the 15 countries. Each chapter uses a common outline, including: the definition of managers; the growth trends in managerial employment; the status and ideology of managers in that culture; the link between societal values and managerial values and behaviour; the ways that managers are recruited, selected, appraised and compensated; the role, if any, of managers in labour relations; and future trends regarding managers. The book concludes with the editor’s discussion of the similarities and differences of national managers.