comparative value priorities of chinese and new zealand

and Porter, 1991; Littrell, 2002a, 2002b, 2004; Littrell and Valentin (2005); Littrell and
Nkomo (2005); Lucas et al. (1992); Schneider and Littrell (2003), Selmer (1997), and
Stogdill (1963)) with results demonstrating that the LBDQXII successfully
discriminates between cultures on several factors yielding differences that are consistent
with the literature.
As noted earlier, this thesis study is a part of an overarching global project with an
objective to develop multi-language versions of the questionnaire for use across societal
cultures, focussing at the moment on a culture area in China and in New Zealand.
Aycan (2008: 228-229) reviews The Ohio State Tradition and indicates that the twelvefactor
structure of the LBDQXII does not consistently replicate across cultures, and
Misumi (1985) and Triandis (1990) argue that the operationalisation of production and
relationship orientations probably differs across cultures. In this part of the overarching
project, the psychometric quality of the LBDQXII represented by Cronbach alpha
analyses and the results from two focus group studies in China indicate the items are
satisfactory representations of the twelve preferred leader behaviour dimensions. The
Cronbach alpha analyses indicate elimination and rephrasing of some items in some
dimensions will improve reliability. This is a future task.
Tyler, Newcombe and Barrett (2005) investigated Western-developed tests translated
into Chinese which were shown to have greater internal consistency and criterionrelated
validity on a Chinese sample than a Chinese test developed specifically on a
Chinese sample. Hence, we need to exercise caution concerning the expectation that a
test developed locally is superior to well-researched Western-developed tests. Westerndeveloped
tests can be both reliable and valid when used on a Chinese sample. A wellconstructed
test based on a well-researched model that has been adequately translated
locally may be just as good a measure of the local experience as a locally developed
test. My study investigates this idea in New Zealand and South China.
Task, Relationship, and Transformational Behaviour Theory
As noted above, the evolution from trait theories of leadership research emphasized two
general, broadly-defined behaviour categories that are usually described as relationshiporiented
behaviour and task-oriented behaviour; examples include consideration and
59