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Work Goals and Work-related Beliefs among Managers and Professionals in the United States and the People's Republic of China

Indiana University

Karen A. Jehn

University of Pennsylvania

The impact of cultural differences and similarities on the work goals and work- related beliefs of managers and professionals in the United States of America (US) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) were assessed. Seventy-one managers and professionals from the PRC and 51 managers and professionals from the US were surveyed. Consistent with cultural differences in uncertainty avoidance, results showed that Chinese managers and professionals were less interested in variety and adventure on the job, and valued a well-defined job more than their counterparts in the US. Consistent with cultural differences in individualism/collectivism, Chinese managers and professionals were more con cerned about collective welfare and harmonious relations compared to Americans, and personal accomplishment and opportunity for advancement were less impor tant for the Chinese. Cultural differences in attitudes towards authority produced mixed results, suggesting that Chinese managers and professionals are sometimes, but not always, more accepting of hierarchical authority than those in the US. Consistent with recent increases in materialism in China, the Chinese and Ameri can managers were equally interested in material rewards. Measures of variance explained showed that the two groups differed most in their beliefs that conflict should be eliminated from organizations, that rules should not be broken, that quietly doing one's duty is a great asset to the organization, that two bosses should be avoided, that serving one's country is important (PRC > US), and the value of personal and family time (US > PRC). The implications of these differences for the design of US-Chinese joint ventures were discussed.

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