Country and Organizational-Level Adaptation to Foreign Workplace Ideologies: A Comparative Study of Distributive Justice Values in China, Russia and the United States

• Published in: Journal of international business studies Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 389 - 406
• Main Authors: Giacobbe-Miller, Jane K., Miller, D. J., Zhang, W., Victorov, V. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Academy of International Business, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen Denmark, and the McDonough School of Business, Georgetown University 01.07.2003; Palgrave Macmillan
• Series: Journal of International Business Studies
• Subjects: Adaptation; Business management; Business studies; China; Chinese culture; Collectivism; Corporate culture; Corporations; Cross cultural studies; Cultural values; Culture; Distribution; Distributive justice; Economic growth; Economic value; Equality; Free markets; Hypotheses; Individualism; Institutionalism; Joint ventures; Justice; Management; Organization theory; Organizational change; Productivity; Russian culture; Russian Federation; U.S.A; Values
• ISSN: 0047-2506; 1478-6990
• DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400040

Drawing from concepts of cultural distance and cultural propensity to change, we predict the convergence, divergence or crossvergence of distributive justice values in China and Russia, as compared with US managers. Using institutional theory, we predict responses by organizational type (joint ventures/foreignowned vs state-owned enterprises (SOEs)). Lastly, we develop predictions based on the interaction of culture and organizational type. Results indicate divergence in China, regardless of organizational type. In contrast, differences by organizational type were observed among Russian managers, with convergence among managers in joint ventures, but continuing divergence among managers in SOEs. Implications for theory are discussed.