BUS272 TB

110 Part 1 Understanding the Workplace
the lowest percentage of Internet subscriptions (7.7 percent). 169 The higher job satisfaction
rate in Mexico could still indicate that it has better jobs or that employees are
more satisfied in lesser jobs because there is not as much opportunity for exposure to
outside contemporary influences. As you can see, higher job satisfaction may somewhat
reflect employee acceptance of the culture’s business practices, whether the practices
are traditional or cutting-edge contemporary. There are also many other potential
contributing factors.
Does organizational commitment vary cross-nationally? A recent study explored this
question and compared the organizational commitment of Chinese employees with
that of Canadian and South Korean employees. 170 Although results revealed that the
three types of commitment—normative, affective, and continuance—are present in all
three cultures, they differ in importance. In addition, the study found that Canadians
and South Koreans are closer to each other in values than either is with the Chinese.
Normative commitment (an obligation to remain with an organization for moral or
ethical reasons) and affective commitment (an emotional attachment to the organization
and belief in its values) were highest among Chinese employees. Continuance
commitment (the perceived economic value of remaining with an organization) was
lower among Chinese employees than among Canadian, British, and South Korean
employees.
Is Diversity Managed Differently across Cultures?
Besides the mere presence of diversity in international work settings, international
differences exist in how diversity is managed. Each country has its own legal framework
for dealing with diversity, and these frameworks are a powerful reflection of the
diversity-related concerns of each country. Many countries require specific targets and
quotas for achieving employment equity goals, whereas the legal framework in Canada
specifically forbids their use. The types of demographic differences considered important
for diversity management also vary across countries. For example, in India the
nondiscrimination framework includes quotas and set-aside programs for individuals
from lower castes. 171 A case study of the multinational Finnish company TRANSCO
found that it was possible to develop a consistent global philosophy for diversity
management. However, differences in legal and cultural factors across nations forced
TRANSCO to develop unique policies to match the cultural and legal frameworks of
each country in which it operated. 172
LESSONS LEARNED
• Values represent basic
convictions about what is
important, right, and good.
• Attitudes tend to predict
behaviours.
• Job satisfaction leads to
better performance.
S u m m a r y
Why is it important to know an individual’s values? Values often underlie and explain
attitudes, behaviours, and perceptions. So knowledge of an individual’s value system
can provide insight into what makes a person “tick.”
Managers should be interested in their employees’ attitudes because attitudes give
warnings of potential problems and influence behaviour. Creating a satisfied workforce
is hardly a guarantee of successful organizational performance, but evidence
strongly suggests that whatever managers can do to improve employee attitudes will
likely result in heightened organizational effectiveness all the way to high customer
satisfaction—and profits.
Diversity management must be an ongoing commitment that crosses all levels of
the organization. Policies to improve the climate for diversity can be effective, so long
as they are designed to acknowledge all employees’ perspectives.