Zeynep Aycan

Differences between tight and loose cultures: A 33-nation study

The differences across cultures in the enforcement of conformity may reflect their specific histories. With data from 33 nations, we illustrate the differences between cultures that are tight (have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behavior) versus loose (have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behavior). Tightness-looseness is part of a complex, loosely integrated multilevel system that comprises distal ecological and historical threats (e.g., high population density, resource scarcity, a history of territorial conflict, and disease and environmental threats), broad versus narrow socialization in societal institutions (e.g., autocracy, media regulations), the strength of everyday recurring situations, and micro-level psychological affordances (e.g., prevention self-guides, high regulatory strength, need for structure). This research advances knowledge that can foster cross-cultural understanding in a world of increasing global interdependence and has implications for modeling cultural change.

Impact of Culture on Human Resource Management Practices: A 10‐Country Comparison

Модель культурного соответствия объясняет, как социокультурное окружение влияет на внутреннюю рабочую культуру и практику HR-менеджмента. Эта модель проверялась в ходе опроса 1954 работников из бизнес-организаций 10 стран. Участники заполняли опросник из 57 вопросов, которыми измерялись мнения менеджеров по 4 социокультурным параметрам, 6 параметрам внутренней рабочей культуры и по практике HR-менеджмента в трех сферах. Умеренные множественные регрессии на индивидуальном уровне анализа показали, что менеджеры, характеризовавшие свое социокультурное окружение как фаталистское, считали также, что работники по своей природе не способны к гибкому реагированию. Эти менеджеры не применяли таких методов, как обогащение работы, делегирование надзорных полномочий, или премирование за превышение плана. Менеджеры, ценившие высокую лояльность, предполагали, что работники должны выполнять обязательства друг перед другом, и практиковали делегирование HR-полномочий. Менеджеры - сторонники патернализма и удаленности сильной власти ожидали от работников реакционности и не практиковали обогащение работы или делегирование полномочий. В статье обсуждаются культурно-специфичные паттерны связей между тремя наборами переменных, а также значение этой работы для кросс-культурной индустриально-организационной психологии.

Expatriate adjustment as a multifaceted phenomenon: individual and organizational level predictors

A conceptual model is proposed that identifies critical antecedents of expatriate adjustment. Adjustment is conceptualized as the degree of fit between the expatriate manager and the environment, both work and socio-cultural. Adjustment is marked by both reduced conflict and increased effectiveness. As a multidimensional phenomenon, expatriate adjustment can be identified in psychological, socio-cultural and work domains. The model predicts that psychological and socio-cultural adjustment are the most immediate predictors of work adjustment. In this paper, it is asserted that the success of the expatriation process depends not only on the expatriate managers competencies and skills, but also on organizational (both parent-company and local-unit) support and assistance prior to and during the assignment. Various international human resource management models are utilized to examine the organizational level antecedents of expatriate adjustment. Managerial resourcefulness, acculturation attitudes, personali...

Organizational Culture and Human Resource Management Practices The Model of Culture Fit

The Model of Culture Fit postulates that the sociocultural environment affects the internal work culture, which in turn influences human resource management practices. This model was tested by two independent cross-cultural studies comparing Indian and Canadian managers and employees. In assessing sociocultural environment and internal work culture, the “participant” technique was used in Study 1 (the respondents indicated their own beliefs and assumptions), and the “observant” technique was used in Study 2 (the respondents indicated beliefs and assumptions of the majority of individuals in society). In both studies, India scored higher than Canada on paternalism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, loyalty toward community, reactivity, and futuristic orientation. Indian employees reported having less enriched jobs than did Canadian employees. Mediated multiple regression analyses supported the Model of Culture Fit. Results suggest that the paternalism, self-reliance, and employee participation constructs merit further exploration, as does participant methodology.

The interplay between cultural and institutional/structural contingencies in human resource management practices

In the face of globalization, organizations are concerned with how to design and implement HRM practices to fit the global as well as the local context. Based on a thorough literature review, the paper presents a systematic review of literature on cultural as well as institutional/structural contingencies influencing HRM practices in six key areas: human resource planning and career management; job analysis and design; recruitment and selection; performance appraisal; compensation and reward management; and training and development. The framework presented in this paper will, it is hoped, guide future cross-cultural research as well as the practices of multinational corporations.

Human resource management in Turkey ‐ Current issues and future challenges

In Turkey’s dynamic economy, HRM is recognized as one of the most important tools in maintaining organizational effectiveness and competitiveness. However, there are a number of barriers to the design and implementation of effective systems. The first part discusses the ways in which environmental forces influence HRM practices. In the second part, the administration of the key HR functions in Turkish organizations is described. Finally, future directions are discussed.

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Participative Decision-Making in Organizations

Despite considerable awareness about various forms and meanings of participative decision-making (PDM) in different parts of the world, there is less agreement on the causes of variation in PDM. This article argues that among other exogenous (e.g. sociopolitical, legal, historical) forces, the sociocultural context plays an important role in the observed differences among PDM approaches and practices across nations. Similarly, subcultures and organizational cultures may influence PDM within nations. Two cultural dimensions: individualism-collectivism and power distance, are linked with four widespread employee participation approaches: face-to-face PDM, collective PDM, pseudo-PDM, and paternalistic PDM. The attributes of each PDM form, including the cultural determinants, underlying beliefs, the types of decisions made, and the relationship between a specified form and other PDM meanings (e.g. self-managing teams) are elaborated.

The Assessment of Psychological Strain in Work Contexts

Irritation as defined in this paper is the subjectively perceived emotional and cognitive strain in occupational contexts. The structural equivalence of the Arabic, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Polish adaptations of the German Irritation Scale is examined. The Irritation Scale is recommended for application particularly in occupational contexts. In this field it can be used for evaluating interventions, for research on stress at work, and for individual counseling. Exploratory factor analyses, as well as single group and different multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses, were performed. Structural equivalency in terms of equal factor loadings as well as equal factor covariances across all adaptations can be claimed. However, the single group analyses suggest that the hypothesized factor model should be rejected in the English, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish versions, mainly because of borderline values in the RMSEA index.

Cultural orientations and preference for HRM policies and practices:the case of Oman

This study empirically examines the influence of cultural orientations on employee preferences of human resource management (HRM) policies and practices in Oman. Data were collected from 712 employees working in six large Omani organizations. The findings indicate that there is a number of differences among Omani employees regarding value orientations due especially to age, education and work experience. The findings show a strong orientation towards mastery, harmony, thinking and doing, and a weak orientation towards hierarchy, collectivism, subjugation and human nature-as-evil. The results demonstrate a clear link between value orientations and preferences for particular HRM policies and practices. Group-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those who scored high on collectivism and being orientations, and those who scored low on thinking and doing orientations. Hierarchy-oriented HRM practices are preferred by those scoring high on hierarchy, subjugation and human nature-as-bad orientations, and those scoring low on thinking and mastery orientations. Finally, preference for loose and informal HRM practices was positively associated with being, and negatively associated with thinking, doing and harmony orientations. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in detail.

Cross-Cultural Industrial and Organizational Psychology Contributions, Past Developments, and Future Directions

This article aims at critically evaluating the theory and scope of cross-cultural industrial and organizational (I/O) research, emphasizing its past and its future. In the theory section, the author discusses the ways sociocultural context influences organizational phenomena. Also discussed are issues such as the level of theory, assumption of linearity, unilateral effect of culture on organizations, conceptualization of culture, and atheoretical nature of research. In the second section, three areas of research, which are underrepresented in cross-cultural I/O literature, are discussed: staffing, performance management, and employee health and safety. It is argued that compared to traditional research topics of cross-cultural I/O psychology (e.g., leadership, motivation, work values, etc.), these topics are more central to the field, more related to improvement of human potential and conditions at work, and better able to guide practices in various cultural contexts.