Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T18:08:00.013Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

National culture, employee empowerment and advanced manufacturing technology utilisation: A study of Nigeria and New Zealand

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 December 2017

Chris Nwachukwu Obi ,
Chris Leggett  and
Howard Harris
Chris Nwachukwu Obi*
Affiliation:
School of Management, University of South Australia Business School, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Chris Leggett
Affiliation:
School of Management, University of South Australia Business School, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Howard Harris
Affiliation:
School of Management, University of South Australia Business School, Adelaide, SA, Australia
*
Corresponding author: chris.obi@unisa.edu.au
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

With manufacturers seeking investment opportunities in Africa, it is timely to explore the interaction of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) and human resource management approaches there. Because research elsewhere suggests that the effects of the interaction differ across national boundaries, we investigated empowerment approaches and AMT utilisation in Nigeria and New Zealand. Using operational-level survey data from 153 manufacturing managers/CEOs in both countries, we explored the role of national culture on managerial attitudes towards employee empowerment during AMT adoption. Drawing on Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, our results suggest that the observed differences in AMT–empowerment interface are attributable to different national values. The results specifically indicated that during AMT adoption, New Zealand’s liberal culture encourages managers to empower employees more than does Nigeria’s authoritarian one. The results would particularly assist practitioners to recognise the traditional/conservative nature of African values when practicing HR in a country like Nigeria.

Keywords

cultureempowermentAMTNigeriaNZ
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , July 2020 , pp. 460 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2017

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adler, N. J. (2002). International dimension on organisational behaviour (4th ed.). Ontario: South-Western Thomson.Google Scholar
Alyahya, K. (2004). Empowerment and human capital utilisation in DM: The Middle East in comparative perspective. Organisation and Change Conference Paper, Academy of Management Proceedings, pp. 1–3.Google Scholar
Andrews, T. G., & Mead, R. (2009). Cross-cultural management: Critical perspective on business and management. New York, NY: Routledge.Google Scholar
Barry, H. (1980). Description and use of human relations area files. New York, NY: SAGE.Google Scholar
Beugre, C. D., & Offodile, F. (2001). Managing for organisational effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa: A cultural-fit model. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 12(4), 535–550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Black, J. S., & Porter, L. W. (1991). Managerial behaviour and job performance: A successful manager in Los Angeles may not succeed in Hong Kong. Journal of International Business, 22, 99–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blanchard, K. J., Carlos, P., & Randolph, A. (1999). The three keys to empowerment: Releasing the power within people for astonishing results. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.Google Scholar
Bond, M. H., & Smith, P. B. (1996). Cross-cultural social and organisational psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 47, 205–235.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonner, J. M., Ruekert, R. W., & Walker, O. C. J. (2002). Upper management control of new product development projects and project performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 19(3), 233–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunetto, Y., & Farr-Wharton, R. (2007). The moderating role of trust in SME owner/managers’ decision-making about collaboration. Journal of Small Business Management, 45(3), 362–387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cakar, N. D., & Erturk, A. (2010). Comparing innovation capability of small and medium-sized enterprises: Examining the effects of organisational culture and empowerment. Journal of Small Business Management, 48(3), 325–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castrillon, I. D., & Cantorna, A. S. (2005). The effect of the implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies on training in the manufacturing sector. Journal of European Industrial Training, 29(4), 268–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Central Bank of Nigeria (2010). Annual report and statement of account, Nigeria Country Profile, pp. 16–24.Google Scholar
Chase, R. B., Jacobs, F. R., & Aquilano, N. J. (2004). Operations management for competitive advantage (10th ed.). Sydney: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Clark, T. (1990). International marketing and national character: A review and proposal for an integrative theory. Journal of Marketing, 45(4), 66–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conger, J. A., & Kanungo, R. N. (1988). The empowerment process: Integrating theory and practice. Academy of Management Review, 13, 471–482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Connolly, D. J. (1996). Technology in the workplace affects managers, employees. Hotel and Motel Management, 211(11), 28–49.Google Scholar
Conover, W. J. (1999). Practical nonparametric statistics (3rd ed.). New York, NY: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Darling, M. (1996). Empowerment: Myth or reality? The Canadian Manager, 21(3), 26.Google Scholar
Detert, J. R. (2000). A framework for linking culture and improvement initiatives in organisations. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 850–863.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dorenbosch, L., Van Engen, M. L., & Verhagen, M. (2005). On-the-job innovation: The impact of job design and human resource management through product ownership. Creativity and Innovation Management, 14(2), 129–141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dowling, P., Schuler, R., & Welch., D. (1999). International dimension of human resources management. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.Google Scholar
Downing, C. E., Gallaugher, J. M., & Segars, A. H. (2003). Information technology choices in dissimilar cultures: Enhancing empowerment. Journal of Global Information Management, 11(1), 20–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunne, T., & Schmitz, J. A. (1995). Wages, employer size-wage premia and employment structure: Their relationship to advanced technology usage in US manufacturing establishments. Economica, 62, 89–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ekpenyon, D. B., & Nyong, M. O. (1999). Small and medium-scale enterprises in Nigeria: Their characteristics, problems and sources of finance, African Economic Research Consortium (Research Paper No. 16), Nairobi.Google Scholar
Fafunwa, A. B. (1975). History of education in Nigeria. London: George Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
George, O., Owoyemi, O., & Onakala, U. (2012). Hofstede’s ‘software of the mind’ revisited and tested: The case of Cadbury Worldwide and Cadbury (Nigeria) Plc – A qualitative study. International Business Research, 5(9), 148–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gil, F., Alcover, C., & Peiro, J. (2005). Work team effectiveness in organisational contexts: Recent research and applications in Spain and Portugal. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 20(3), 193–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haner, U. (2005). Spaces for creativity and innovation in two established organisations. Creativity and Innovation Management, 14(3), 288–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrison, G. L. (1995). Satisfaction, tension and interpersonal relations: A cross-cultural comparison of managers in Singapore and Australia. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 10(8), 13–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofstede, G. (1980). Motivation, leadership, and organisation: Do American theories apply abroad? Organisational Dynamics, 9, 42–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofstede, G. (1991). Culture and organisations: Software of the mind. London: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G. (1994). Value survey module 1994 Manual. Maastricht, The Netherlands: Institute for Research on Intercultural Co-Operation, University of Limburg.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organisations: Software of the mind, intercultural cooperation and its importance for survival (3rd ed.). London: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Hoppe, M. (1993). The effect of national culture on the theory and practice of managing R&D professionals abroad. Research and Development Management, 23(4), 313–325.Google Scholar
Hui, C. H., & Triandis, F. (1986). Individualism-collectivism: A study of cross-cultural researchers. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 17, 225–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hui, M. K., Au, K., & Fock, H. (2004). Empowerment effects across cultures. Journal of International Business Studies, 13, 46–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hur, J., Seo, H., & Lee, Y. (2005). Information and communication technology diffusion and skill upgrading in Korean industries. Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 14(7), 553–571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inglehart, R., & Baker, W. (2000). Modernisation, cultural change and the persistence of traditional values. American Sociological Review, 65(1), 19–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, T. (2004). Management and change in Africa: A cross-cultural perspective. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jassawalla, A. R., & Sashittal, H. C. (2002). Culture that support product innovation processes. Academy of Management Executive, 16(3), 42–53.Google Scholar
Jung, D. I., Chow, C., & Wu, A. (2003). The role of transformational leadership in enhancing organisational innovation: Hypotheses and some preliminary findings. Leadership Quarterly, 14(4), 525–544.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamoche, K. (2011). Contemporary developments in the management of human resources in Africa. Journal of World Business, 46(1), 1–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamoche, K., Chizema, A., Mellahi, K., & Newenham-Kahindi, A. (2012). New directions in the management of human resources in Africa. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(14), 2825–2834.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karlsson, C., & Loven, E. (2005). Managing new technology integration: Integrating software in manufactured products. International Journal of Innovation Management, 9(3), 343–370.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, J. C. (2000). Leadership and culture in NZ, GLOBE Contribution (Discussion Paper No. 88), Lincoln University, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Kerr, C., Dunlop, J. T., Harbison, F., & Myers, C. (1973). Industrialism and industrial man. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Khazanchi, S., Lewis, M. W., & Boyer, K. K. (2007). Innovation-supportive culture: The impact of organisational value on process innovation. Journal of Operations Management, 25, 871–884.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, G. T., & Kim, Y. B. (2005). An expository note on an economic justification of investments in advanced manufacturing systems. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 26(7), 934–941.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klein, J. A. (2003). The human cost of manufacturing reform. Harvard Business Review, 67(2), 60–73.Google Scholar
Knight-Turvey, N. (2006). Influencing employee innovation through structural empowerment initiatives: The need to feel empowered. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 43, 313–324.Google Scholar
Kreitner, R., & Kinicki, A. (2013). Organizational behavior (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin.Google Scholar
Kuo, T. H., Ho, L. A., Lin, C., & Lai, K. K. (2010). Employee empowerment in a technology advanced work environment. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 110(1), 24–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lenartowicz, T., & Roth, K. (1999). A framework for culture assessment. Journal of International Business Studies, 30(4), 781–798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Littrell, R. F. (2007). Influences on employee preferences for empowerment practices by the ‘ideal manager’ in China. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 13(1), 87–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lorca, P., & De Andres, J. (2011). Performance and management independence in the ERP implementations in Spain: A dynamic view. Information Systems Management, 28(2), 147–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Magjuka, R., & Schmenner, R. (1993). Cellular manufacturing, group technology and human resources management: An international study. International Journal of Management, 10(4), 405–415.Google Scholar
Marri, H. B., Gunasekaran, A., & Sohag, R. A. (2007). Implementation of advanced manufacturing technology in Pakistani small and medium enterprises. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 20(6), 726–739.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McSweeney, B. (2002). Hofstede’s model of national cultural differences and the consequence: A triumph of faith – A failure of analysis. Human Relations, 55(11), 89–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mendenhall, W., Reinmuth, J. E., & Beaver, R. (1993). Statistics for management and economics (6th ed.). Boston, MA: PWS-Kent.Google Scholar
Meredith, J., & Suresh, N. C. (1986). Justification techniques for advanced manufacturing technologies. International Journal of Production Research, 24(5), 1043–1057.Google Scholar
Merritt, A. (2000). Culture in the cockpit – Do Hofstede’s dimensions replicate? Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31(3), 283–301.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nakata, C., & Sivakumar, K. (1996). National culture and new product development: An integrative review. Journal of Marketing, 60(1), 61–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Bureau of Statistic (2016). 2015 statistics report on women and men in Nigeria – Reference reports, Retrieved 2 July 2017, from www.nigerianstat.gov.ng.Google Scholar
Norusis, M. J. (1993). SPSS for Windows: Advanced statistics release. Chicago, IL: SPSS.Google Scholar
Nouiga, M., Gautier, R., & Truchot, P. (2005). Taking into consideration the sociocultural dimension in the drive for change through quality: Application to the Moroccan company. Quality Engineering, 17(4), 669–677.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Obi, C. N. (2000). The adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies: Human resources management implication – NZ evidence. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Department of Commerce and Management, Lincoln University, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Ogbonna, E., & Harris, L. (2000). Leadership style, organisational culture and performance: Empirical evidence from U.K. companies. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(4), 766–788.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oh, K., Pieper, J., & Gerhart, B. (2010). Comparing the predictive power of national cultural distance measures: Hofstede versus project globe. Academy of Management Review, 1, 1–6.Google Scholar
Omolewa, M. (1991). Certificate history of Nigeria. Owerri, Nigeria: Longman.Google Scholar
Perry, C., Riege, A., & Brown, L. (1999). Realism’s role among scientific paradigms in marketing research. Irish Marketing Review, 12(2), 16–23.Google Scholar
Quinn, R. E., & Gretchen, M. S. (1997). The road to empowerment: Seven questions every leader should consider. Organisational Dynamics, 26(2), 37–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robert, C. (2000). Empowerment and continuous improvement in the United States, Mexico and India: Predicting fit on the basis of dimensions of power distance and individualism. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(5), 643–658.Google Scholar
Sagie, A., & Aycan, Z. (2003). A cross-cultural analysis of participative decision-making in organisations. Human Relations, 56(4), 453–474.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schermerhorn, I. R. Jr. (1993). Management for productivity. New York: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Schermerhorn, I. R. Jr., Davidson, P., Poole, D., Wood, P., Simon, A., & McBarron, E. (2014). Management foundations and applications (2nd Asia-Pacific ed.). Sydney, Australia: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Schrage, M. (2004). Innovation diffusion. Technology Review, 107(10), 18–24.Google Scholar
Schwartz, S. H., & Sagie, G. (2000). Value consensus and importance: A cross-national study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31(4), 465–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sekaran, U. (1992). Research methods: A skill building approach. New York, NY: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Shah, G. (2009). The impact of economic globalization on work and family collectivism in India. Journal of Indian Business Research, 1(2), 95–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shane, S. (1993). Cultural influence on national rates of innovation. Journal of Business Venturing, 8(1), 59–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shetty, R. (2004). Innovation: The only sustainable competitive edge. Siliconindia, 8(8), 14–15.Google Scholar
Siegel, S. D., Waldman, A. D., & Youndahl, E. W. (1997). The adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies: Human resources management implications. Journal of Transactions on Engineering Management, 44(3), 288–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, J. (1995). Measurement issues in cross-national research. Journal of International Business Studies, 3, 597–619.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistics NZ (2010). 2001 Census: Ethnic groups – Reference report. Retrieved April 2016, from www.stats.govt,nz.Google Scholar
Statistics NZ (2015). Women at work: 1991–2013 – Reference report. Retrieved July 2017, from www.stats.govt,nz.Google Scholar
Stone, R. J. (2002). Human resource management (4th ed.). Sydney, Australia: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Styhre, A. (2004). Becoming empowered: Organisation change in a Telecom company. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(8), 1445–1462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taras, V., & Steel, P. (2010). Culture as a consequence: A multi-level multivariate meta-analysis of the effects of individual and country characteristics on work-related cultural values. Journal of International Management, 16, 211–233.Google Scholar
Taras, V., Steel, P., & Kirkman, B. L. (2012). Improving national cultural indices using a longitudinal meta-analysis of Hofstede’s dimensions. Journal of World Business, 47(3), 329–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, K. W., & Velthouse, B. A. (1990). Cognitive elements of empowerment: An interpretive model of intrinsic task motivation. Academy of Management Review, 15, 666–681.Google Scholar
Tukar, H., Altinoz, M., & Cakiroglu, D. (2011). The effects of employee empowerment on achievement motivation and the contextual performance of employee. African Journal of Business Management, 5(15), 6318–6329.Google Scholar
Van Oudenhoven, J. P. (2001). Do organisations reflect national cultures? A 10 nation study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 25, 89–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wall, T. D., Wood, S. J., & Leach, D. J. (2004). Empowerment and performance’. In C. L. Cooper & I. T. Robertson (Eds.), International Review of Industrial and Organisational Psychology (pp. 1–46). New York, NY: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Williamson, D. (2002). Forward from a critique of Hofstede’s model of national culture. Human Relations, 55(11), 1373–1395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yap, C. M., Buisson, D. H., & Garret, T. C. (2000). The influence of culture on innovative behaviour and management in Singapore. ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development, 17(1), 117–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yun, A. H. (1998). Work diversity and negotiation: The case of Singapore. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 19(2), 315–345.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zikmund, W. G. (1994). Exploring marketing research (5th ed.). Chicago, IL: Dryden Press.Google Scholar