Title: Lessons from beyond the Great Wall: what cross-cultural management researchers can learn from the Middle Kingdom

Authors: Kevin Lo, Snejina Michailova

Addresses: Department of Management and International Business, University of Auckland Business School, Private Bag 92019, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand. ' Department of Management and International Business, University of Auckland Business School, Private Bag 92019, 1142 Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract: This paper revisits three studies conducted in the context of China to demonstrate how a single culture has eluded explanation by some of the most well-known cross-cultural studies as well as rendered valid, reliable scales from Western contexts inadequate in that culture. We suggest that cross-cultural researchers can utilise less-explored research contexts to further develop the sophistication of research by: a) identifying emics; b) aiming at cultural completeness; c) contextualising and meaningfully incorporating indigenous thought and knowledge. Looking beyond the three studies, we address the issue of intra-cultural variation, which can assist us to formulate truly cross-cultural approaches, both conceptually and methodologically, and to capture cross-cultural differences that might otherwise be lost to pseudo-etic or parochial approaches.

Keywords: cross-cultural management research; Chinese management studies; emics; cultural completeness; indigenous thought; intra-cultural variation; cross-cultural competence; China.

DOI: 10.1504/EJCCM.2010.031996

European Journal of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management, 2010 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.188 - 196

Published online: 03 Mar 2010 *