Achieving Successful Cross-Cultural and Management Integration ...

Achieving Successful Cross-Cultural and Management Integration: The Experience of Lenovo and IBM
4.0 Research Methodology
4.1Method
By Sharona Peng
This study aims to examine the cultural integration processes in Lenovo after its
M&A with IBM. As this study focuses on staffs who work in Lenovo and IBM PC
department, particularly participants in the culture integration, samples were selected
from these willing to join in the research. Since Lenovo has set up a particular
department which mainly focuses on cultural integration between Lenovo and IBM, a
convenient sampling method is used for sample selection. While it is important to
select managers from both Lenovo and IBM to ensure a wider range of opinions,
unfortunately there were no mangers from IBM able to participate in Lenovo Beijing.
Therefore, 5 Chinese managers in this special department were selected.
Data collection methods in this research includes design of a semi-structured
interview protocol, pre-testing, and face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Based on
a literature review, a first draft semi-structured interview protocol has been designed
ready for pre-testing. Interview questions were drawn up based on the literatures
which examine from both national and corporate culture perspectives by looking at
areas such as motivation, new management style and policies, and how companies
encourage commitment and communications; and manage resistance from staff. The
data from the interviews are very be helpful in analysing the integration stages and
modes that Lenovo is currently at, integrating implications for Lenovo, and
differences in Chinese and Western management styles. As the target interviewees
are managers in Lenovo’s China operations, the English language protocol is
translated into Chinese which has also been translated by an external person from
Chinese back into English in order to ensure consistency in translation. Following this,
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