Individualism/collectivism and attitudes towards human resource systems: a comparative study of American,Irish and Indian MBA students |
| |
| Authors: | Nagarajan Ramamoorthy Amit Gupta Ron M Sardessai Patrick C Flood |
| |
| Institution: | 1. University of Houston-Victoria , 14000 University Boulevard, TX 77479, Sugarland , USA Phone: (tel: +1 (281) 275 3381 E-mail: ramamoorthyn@uhv.edu ramamoorthyn@uhv.edu;3. Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore , Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore , 560 076 , India Phone: +91 80 6993322;4. University of Houston-Victoria , 14000 University Boulevard, Sugarland , TX 77479 , USA Phone: +1 (281) 275 3381 E-mail: sardessair@uhv.edu;5. University of Limerick, Department of Personnel and Employment Relations , National Technological Park, Plassey , Limerick , Ireland Phone: +353 61 202929 Fax: +353 61 202929 E-mail: patrick.flood@ul.ie |
| |
| Abstract: | In this study, we collected data from 180 MBA students from the USA, Ireland and India on their individualism/collectivism (IC) orientations and their preferences for human resource management (HRM) practices. Contrary to expectations, the Indian sample tended to be more individualistic than the American or Irish sample. While there were no differences on the preferences for progressive HRM practices across sample, the Americans exhibited a greater preference for paternalistic practices than the Indians and the Irish. Further, the Americans also showed a greater preference for equality in rewards than the Irish and fairness in appraisals/rewards than the Indians. At the individual level, controlling for nationality, age and gender, higher individualism scores on the supremacy of individual goals and self-reliance dimensions were positively related to progressive HRM practices. Higher individualism on supremacy of individual goals was also positively related to procedural fairness in appraisals/rewards and negatively related to paternalistic HRM practices. A higher preference for working alone was negatively related to progressive HRM practices. Further, higher individualism on the supremacy of individual interest dimension was negatively related to progressive HRM practices and positively related to paternalistic HRM practices. Implications are discussed. |
| |
| Keywords: | Individualism collectivism human resource management employee attitudes equity equality reward systems |
|
|
