A cross-cultural comparison of Asian and American managers' dependency patterns

Multinational Business Review, Spring 1997 by Michael, James

There are many managerial implications associated with dependency patterns.

Understanding dependency patterns should be an integral component of training programs for managers assigned to any overseas post, whether it be in the United States or Asia. American managers' proclivity to delegate authority to subordinates may not work in Asian organizations, especially Chinese and Korean. Asian subordinates may react more favorably to bosses who display an authoritarian yet paternalistic style of managing. American managers who wish to install cross-functional teams, especially self-autonomous ones, may find Asian workers reluctant to establish peer relations outside their immediate work group. A cross-functional team may work best in an Asian cultural setting if a strong figure, respected by all, is appointed to head up the group. By understanding dependency patterns, expatriate managers increase their ability to manage more effectively and assess how management practices can be best transferred to another cultural setting.

By understanding dependency patterns researchers are better able to identify where power exists within American and Asian organizations. Power is more diffuse within American organizations. Lower-level American managers are more likely to exert power and influence over others because of their ability to provide expert advice. The inter-relatedness of work flow activities in American organizations result in a higher level of interdependency among American managers compared to Asian managers. Power in Asian organizations is more concentrated and held at higher levels than in American organizations.

Dependency patterns are also helpful in understanding the frequency in which various managerial behaviors and influence tactics are performed across cultures. Some work has already been done in comparing Russian and American managerial behavior but it lacks a conceptual foundation for understanding why differences exist (Luthans, Welsh, & Rosenkrantz, 1993). Understanding dependency patterns may prove to be an important theoretical construct in explaining how managers in different cultures build relationships and communicate with others.

Studying dependency patterns in Asian cultures impose tremendous obstacles for researchers. Dependency relationships serve vital yet subtle social functions in Asian cultures. Questionnaires that have been used to study American dependency relationships in organizations may not uncover the multifaceted nature of relationships between Asian workers (Van de Ven & Ferry, 1980; Michael & Yukl, 1993). Observational and interviewing techniques may be more appropriate in studying Asian dependency relationships.

Western notions on power and managerial behavior may not be relevant in Asian cultures because of differences in cultural work values and industrial structures. Rather than reduce their dependencies on others, Asian managers often seek ways to increase it, which in turn has an impact on managerial behavior. American managers establish interpersonal relationships in organizations primarily for political rather than for affect purposes; Asian managers appear to be motivated more by affect than political. Dependency patterns are important theoretical constructs that should be used in developing models of cross-cultural differences in power and managerial behavior.