Empowerment and continuous improvement in the United States, Mexico, Poland, and India: Predicting fit on the basis of the dimensions of power distance and individualism

Christopher Robert, Tahira M. Probst, Joseph J. Martocchio, Fritz Drasgow, John J. Lawler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Although variations in national cultures predominate as explanations for the belief that universal approaches to management do not exist, there have been few reports of systematic studies. Data from employees of a single firm with operations in the United States, Mexico, Poland, and India were used to test the fit of empowerment and continuous improvement practices with national culture. Using the theoretical constructs of individualism-collectivism and power distance, the authors predicted that the practices would be more congruent in some cultures than in others and that value congruence would result in job satisfaction. Using structural equations modeling, the authors found that empowerment was negatively associated with satisfaction in India but positively associated in the other 3 samples. Continuous improvement was positively associated with satisfaction in all samples. Substantive, theoretical, and methodological implications are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)643-658
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Applied Psychology
Volume85
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2000

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Psychology

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