Social categorisation in Philippine organisations: Values toward collective identity and management through intergroup relations

The popularity of American-style management techniques in the Philippines implies an inevitable transition from the traditional values rooted in interdependent collectivism to the modern values of independent individualism. It is argued that an indigenous style of Filipino management is viable and imperative, which recognises the salience of collective identities in organisations. Based on a theory of social categorisation, a conceptual model of management through intergroup relations is presented. The main contention is that, in place of a dysfunctional conflict between Americanised management tactics and contemporary Filipino values, organisational effectiveness could ensue from a synchronic synergy between Filipino-style management tactics and the social categorisation effects of intragroup convergence and intergroup divergence.     

History and managerial culture in Singapore: “Pragmatism”, “openness” and “paternalism”

This paper examines the historical evolution of culture and management in Singapore, the existence of cultural fluidity in the society and the openness of Singapore to foreign management in relation to the changes in the environment resulting from modernization and development. Management in Singapore has always been multinational in origin. It has also been influenced considerably by the Chinese family system. It is in a state of flux; new and foreign practices are continually assimilated and adapted. Inspite of the wide variations in management practices, Singapore management remained characteristically pragmatic and open as well as paternalistic.Dr. Chong Li Choy is Senior Lecturer in the School of Management, National University of Singapore.     

Research on asian cultures and management: Some epistemological issues

This paper highlights the major issues raised in the conference Culture and Management Styles in Southeast Asian countries and discusses the espistomological and methodological problems of doing comparative management research in general as well as in the region.The paper identifies the themes which emerged from the conference discussions as (1) the fundamental rationale for research and the apparent weakness in making it explicit, (2) the questions of epistomology as regards causation, and the (3) more mundane issues faced in conforming to standard research paradigms. These issues are discussed under the following headings: What is to be included, subjects' espoused theory or theory in use, idiographic versus nomothetic approaches, more universal variables, problems of defining culture. The implications and significance of different approaches and disciplines concerning these issues are considered, and guidelines for future research in the area are suggested.Professor Gordon S. Redding is with the Department of Management Studies, University of Hong Kong.     

The state of East Asian banking structure and activities in the United States

This paper examines the structure and activities of East Asian banks in the USA in terms of their institutional components, legal environment, asset size and market structure, loan activities, geographical distribution and area of specialization. The discussion includes 10 Asia Pacific countries. The final section presents prognoses on the domination of Japanese banks as well as those of the two Chinas.Faramarz Damanpour is a Professor of Finance and International Business at James Madison University, U.S.A.     

Transcending Paradox: The Chinese “Middle Way” Perspective

Western thought is noted for its strengths in categorization and analysis; Eastern, or Chinese thought, is noted for its integrative and encompassing nature. This article seeks to bridge the two. Specifically, it aims to enrich Western thinking and the existing body of paradox literature by proposing the idea of paradoxical integration, a concept derived from the Chinese middle way philosophy. Paradoxical integration, the notion that two opposites (such as self and other) may be interdependent in nature and together constitute a totality (integration), is introduced as one means of transcending paradox and the conventional Western conceptualization of exclusive opposites. It suggests how we can apply the concept of interdependent opposites in a both/and framework to foster reconciliation of the apparent polarities of such dichotomies as competition and cooperation. The article concludes with a discussion of the broad implications of the concept of paradoxical integration upon both academic research and business practice.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Industry Dynamics in the Swedish Textile and Wearing Apparel Sector

This paper analyses the adjustment process within the Swedish textile and wearing apparel sector and finds results that support the notion of Schumpeters creative destruction. The turnover of plants and jobs seems to improve the industries from within due to an exit (entry) of less (more) productive plants, exit (entry) of old (new) incumbents, a destruction (creation) of less (more) human-capital intensive jobs, and a supply of new products on the world market. The econometric analysis of the probability of exit with plant, firm and industry characteristics supports the idea of a rationalisation from within.     

Location and Implementation Issues in Support Function FDI: The Globalisation of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

This research looks at foreign direct investment in support functions such as R&D and employee training facilities, through a study of the globalisation of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Linkages among investments are highlighted. Centripetal forces are identified which pull later-stage FDI to the sites of initial investments, resulting in the creation of integrated, self-contained value chains overseas. Specific examples of R&D and employee training FDI suggest that while the purpose of support function FDI is to gain cost or differentiation benefits, successful implementation requires effective knowledge creation and transfer capabilities.     

The Egalitarian Leader: A Comparison of Leadership in Australia and New Zealand

This article compares leadership in Australia and New Zealand based on data collected as a part of the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) 62-nation culture and leadership project. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to demonstrate that etic (universal) dimensions of Charismatic and Self-Protective leadership are evident in both cultures, but that the dimensions have emic (local) culturally determined manifestations. These emic manifestations were stronger in New Zealand than in Australia. Leadership effectiveness incorporated the negative emic dimension of Bureaucratic leadership (both countries), and the positive emic dimension of Egalitarian leadership in Australia and Team leadership in New Zealand. Both models of leadership nonetheless represent styles of leadership based on egalitarian principles.     

The needs of Japanese industry and engineering education

Japan experienced a miraculous reconstruction after the second world war partly due to the far-sighted support of the victors, especially the United States, and China, who did not divide the country or demand reparations, and partly due to the unique inherent qualities of the Japanese people.The Japanese race has developed its national identity from a combination of the country's location, climate and the circumstances of its some 1000 year history. As a result the people of Japan are truly a single race, for the most part uniform in experience, culture and language with a strong domestic orientation. From an educational viewpoint, the Japanese are historically good learners. However, they are traditionally bad when it comes to generating new ideas by applying theory for creative purposes.A simple process of (1) follow, (2) catch up and (3) equal or surpass describes the development of the high-tech industry in Japan. This process has made the most of the Japanese people's ability to absorb information as well as their single-minded determination to achieve goals and their propensity for concentrated effort. As the automobile and semi-conductor industries illustrate, the Japanese have unequalled expertise when it comes to adopting technology from advanced industrial nations overseas, perfecting it and making it their own.The challenge for the Japanese people, now that the catch-up process is all but completed, is to continue their progress by generating their own innovative ideas. In addition, the Japanese must develop a more global orientation and consider the needs of foreign markets in new product development. This evolution must take place in an atmosphere of international sharing, co-operation and partnership.In terms of education, the traditional good learner with a domestic orientation must be taught how to be a good original thinker with an international viewpoint.The engineering system in Japan has been placed against this background and is examined from both an historic and a futuristic perspective.     

Pricing the default option of international sovereign borrowers

When a country in debt encounters serious difficulties servicing that debt, the option to default begins to look attractive. Yet, barring major political upheavals, default has rarely occurred in the post-war era. The reason is that countries in trouble are able to capture (through renegotiations) some of the value of their option to default. We model this process in a manner which allows us to estimate the value of the default option which lenders issue to sovereign borrowers.We wish to thank our discussant, Malick Ousmane Sy, and the chair of our session, Lester W. Johnson, for their helpful comments.     

China's Labour-Management System Reforms: Breaking the ‘Three Old Irons’ (1978–1999)

This article systematically examines the fundamental changes that have taken place in China's labour-management system since China embarked on its economic reforms in 1978. The system was, from the 1950s onwards, characterized by what were called the three old irons, i.e. life-time employment (the iron rice bowl), centrally administered wages (the iron wage), and state-controlled appointment and promotion of managerial staff (the iron chair). This study reviews the degree to which the reform process is breaking these three old irons and is arguably replacing them with a hybrid human resource management model, albeit with Chinese characteristics, that reflects the influence of foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) that have invested in China.     

Designing the future? Technology,values and choice

There is a widespread recognition of the desirability of broadening the scope of technology education with the objective of a form of technological literacy which would embrace social relations as well as technique. In 1990, Technology was introduced as a compulsory element of general education in England and Wales. Initially the curriculum gave equal weight both to the context as well as the content of technological activity, but subsequent revisions point the way back to an emphasis on technique and a narrower view of the role of the designer. In some respects, this simplifies the task of the technology teacher, and it might also be said to reflect the everyday realities of much technological activity. It is, however, an essentially conservative approach which tends to reinforce and legitimise attitudes which place a high value on technical performance while consigning the purposes and outcomes of technological activity to the shadows. It is argued that, for the sake of the future, it is essential that values in design and technology are brought up to the light. Technology teachers should take some responsibility for this, but cannot be expected to shoulder the whole burden.     

Paths to Common Ground? A Rejoinder to Dewey's Response

While subsequent discussion in this Review has failed to reconcile the merger policies proposed by Dewey and Keyes, it has suggested that they are not as far apart as they seemed at first reading. It now appears that both writers advocate a serious critical consideration of the efficiencies claims advanced by proponents of otherwise unacceptable mergers. Moreover, there may be a possibility that Dewey's special large-firm merger control could be defended on grounds which would not conflict with Keyes' proposal but would simply complement it.     

Making Ethical Judgements: A Cross-Cultural Management Study

This article reports the results of a cross-cultural empirical study across seven countries which investigates the differences in the way managers structure their ethical judgements regarding the loyalty of a corporation to its employees, the loyalty of employees to the corporation, and the loyalty of employees towards their co-workers. Managers' ethical judgements from the East Asian tiger countries of Japan, Korea and Hong Kong are compared with those from the Anglo countries of the United States and Australia, and with those from the transitional countries of Asiatic Russia and Poland. An adapted version of the well documented Reidenbach-Robin instrument is used, and its cross-cultural application investigated. As hypothesized, cross-cultural differences were indicated for both the structure and content of managers' ethical judgements, which have important implications for the way organizations are effectively managed both nationally, regionally and internationally. Weaknesses in the a priori constructs of the research instrument were also indicated, and recommendations made for future development of methodology in this area.     

The NCAA Cartel and Competitive Balance in College Football

The NCAA regulates college football player recruiting, eligibility, and compensation. The economic theory of cartels suggests that one consequence may be reduced competitive balance. The enforced restrictions inhibit weak teams from improving, and protect strong teams from competition. A stratification is implied which should be evident over time as less churning in national rankings and conference standings, and fewer schools achieving national prominence. I test this general hypothesis by comparing various competitive balance measures for about 25 years before and after NCAA enforcement began in 1952. The hypothesis is supported by all measures at both the national and conference levels.     

The management of Chinese small-business enterprises in Malaysia

This paper traces the development of Chinese business enterprises in Malaysia, a multiracial country where the Chinese comprise 30 per cent of the population. Most of the Chinese enterprises are very small. Reference is made to the sixteen Principles of Good Business Practices which originated from ancient China. It is argued that the strengths of the small Chinese organization such as strong family ties, sharing and pooling of resources, efficient use of manpower, practice of thrift, use of low gearing, flexibility of operations, etc., may become weaknesses if the business expands. ThePok Chow or labour contracting system, and the role of the Chinese business associations and guilds are also discussed. Since the promulgation of the new economic policy in 1970, there is greater urgency for Chinese enterprises to modernise, so as to adapt to changes in Malaysia.This paper has been submitted as a chapter of a forthcoming book entitled Managing in an Asian Plural Society. As one of the authors of this book, the writer of this paper is indebted to Tan Sri Datuk Hamzah Sendut and Mr. John Madsen, the other two authors, for permitting him to present this material at this conference.Professor Gregory Thong Tin Sin is chairman of the Division of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya.     

Testing for Competitiveness of Markets for Long Distance Telephone Services: Competition Finally?

Telecommunications regulatory policy is driven by rhetoric and myth concerning the competitiveness of long-distance service. Relying on behavioral tests for competitiveness, this review brings up to date analytical work establishing the pattern of competition or the lack of competition since the 1984 AT & T divestiture. Through mid 1997, the three large long-distance carriers in setting their price-cost margins have managed to carry through on a previously established strategy of tacit collusion in both message toll services and WATS-type business services. The remarkable results have been that price-cost margins increased while sales concentration declined. This general pattern is not contradicted by the most recent offering of 15-cent per minute one price on new discount plans since that too implies an increase in carriers' price cost margins as concentration continued to decline.     

The conceptual understanding of scientific principles in Home Economics

This paper stresses the importance of scientific understanding as part of Home Economics courses and describes how personal misconceptions can interfere with this understanding. It examines the misconceptions held by third level undergraduate students of a basic scientific principle used in the cooking of food, that of boiling, and compares these misconceptions with those of second level pupils commencing their formal education in science. Little difference is reported between the two groups in terms of the misconceptions held. The effectiveness of a teaching methodology based on a constructivist view of knowledge, that of cognitive conflict, in changing misconceptions is reported.     

An Investigation of Market Entry Strategy Selection: Exporting vs Foreign Direct Investment Modes—A Home-host Country Scenario

A critical issue for firms considering conducting business overseas is the choice of market entry mode. The two most widely options are exporting and foreign direct investment. This study examined a number of factors which have been suggested in the literature as important determinants of the choice between these two entry modes. Key factors examined included international business experience, immigrant effect, service requirements, and market size. The study employed a logistic regression analysis method to examine the market entry mode decisions of 124 New Zealand firms operating in a single foreign market (Taiwan). Significant factors identified included product type and proxy experience (firms' experience with Japan), and an immigrant effect which impacted on the choice of FDI mode.     

Temporal Dynamics of Crossvergence: Institutionalizing MNC Integration Strategies in Post-Crisis ASEAN

This study utilizes the temporal lens afforded by the unprecedented pace of the Asian financial crisis to re-conceptualize the convergence-divergence-crossvergence (CDC) framework. Grounded at the Western-headquartered ASEAN subsidiary, CDC is hypothesized as a dialectical progression comprising Western corporate culture (convergence) ASEAN societal culture (divergence) and ending with the institutionalization of these forces (crossvergence) as a transient re-equilibrium. Against a backdrop of increasing macro-level turbulence, the CDC dialectic is then fed through a dyadic cycle of environmental shocks and organizational responses. Managerial implications are discussed along with suggestions for future research.