comparative value priorities of chinese and new zealand

dimensions, developing nine clusters: Near Eastern, Nordic, Arab, Germanic, Far
Eastern, Latin American, Latin European, Anglo, and Independent. More recently,
Brodbeck, Frese, Akerblom, Audia, Bakacsi, Bendova et al. (2000) found that
individuals from different regions valued different characteristics among leaders. Not all
differences, however, are related to the exercise of leadership, and recommending
concrete leadership styles on the basis of all or most of Laurent’s, Ronen and Shenkar’s,
and Brodbeck et al.’s findings does not appear to be practical. Using Hofstede’s (1980)
dimensions Early (1993) as an example found significant importance of the
Individualistic versus Collectivistic dimensions in shaping a prescribed leadership style
when a given culture is considered. Project GLOBE (House et al., 2004) identified nine
cultural attributes that have important managerial leadership implications. Project
GLOBE incorporates the research of Hofstede, Trompenaars and Hamden-Turner
(1998), and Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961) where these research teams suggest how
different managerial practices might be received in different cultures.
Many societies believe that the things affecting individuals’ lives reside within the
individual (referred to as internal locus of control); in these cultures, motivations and
values are derived from within. Others, in contrast, view the environment as more
powerful and influential, wherein the environment, rather than the individual, shapes
outcomes (referred to as external locus of control); as an example predominantly
Muslim societies, along with many others, tend to believe that everything is
foreordained by Allah or God, as evidenced by the general use of the term Insha’Allah,
“If Allah wills it”. Such a belief has significant effects on motivational aspects of
leadership (Muczyk and Holt, 2008: 279).
THE NEED FOR CROSS-CULTURAL LEADERSHIP THEORY AND RESEARCH
The continuing globalisation of business organisations and increasing interdependencies
amongst nations means that improving our understanding of cultural influences on
leadership and organisational practices is important to international business success.
Contemporary managerial leaders of international firms face fierce and rapidly changing
international competition. Leaders and would-be leaders must face complex issues,
which are usually difficult to interpret. International trade has only overcome to some
degree physical distance, not cultural distance. Obviously, effective organisational
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