Abstract
An analytical framework was developed that incorporates dimensions of managerial performance and locational preferences of the manager. Individual locational preferences of foreign manager directly affect the potential to create synergy and therefore the performance of the foreign firm in a particular location. Our analytical approach is an actor-centered approach. In the first step we evaluate the work style and life-style of the foreign executive manager in purpose to estimate the potential of synergy creation in the cross-cultural workplace. The second step was to evaluate locational preferences using conjoint analysis. Our investigation included all 141 foreign executive managers listed in the directory of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Japan and affiliates. Interviews were conducted with 58 executive managers. 43 valid cases have been used for analyses.
The foreign managers'need for human resource support is significantly higher in the 1st tier global city. Foreign managers with a weak ability to adapt have a significantly stronger preference for human resource access than managers with a strong adaptability. Executives with a clear strategic intent prefer the collaboration in the MNE for their success. Thus, we assume that different types of international managers have different synergy potentials.
We found two different types of managers: First, EXPATriated managers are characterized as a person with global management skills but often described as being disembedded from their working and living environment. Second, HYBRID managers are socially embedded and evince more sensitivity towards local norms and values. We identified a hybrid manager as a person with strong cultural adjustment skills and adequate business knowledge or vice versa. Significant differences were found for adaptation, discovery and sensibility. Hybrid managers adapt more to the local working or business environment than Expat managers. Their life style centers not on the Expat community. They have a higher sense of discovery and perform strong sensitivity towards cultural issues in private life as well. Hybrid managers develop a strong sensitivity to cultural issues and attain appropriate knowledge for intercultural communication. Consequently, we were able to verify that Expat managers and hybrid managers show significantly different degrees of acculturation.
We verify that acculturation of foreign executive managers based in Osaka-Kobe is slightly stronger than in Tokyo-Yokohama. This result let us infer that business environment in Osaka-Kobe remains, relatively, more traditionally Japanese. Or, to make it clear, Tokyo-Yokohama is more affected by globalization processes. Expat managers prefer to work in the first tier Global City Tokyo-Yokohama. Here, those managers stay culturally disembedded but can rely on knowledge-rich networks within the epistemic international business community. Hybrid manager's potential to create synergy in the intercultural workplace is higher than that of the average expatriate manager. They have the advantage of a relatively strong acculturation and thus succeeded in implementing their strategic intent.
The Expat manager's locational preferences show that he depends on human resources concentrated in the 1st tier Global City. Only supported by the 1st tier Global City he has a chance to succeed in the foreign business environment. Therefore, we do expect a great crush of Expat managers into the 1st tier global city, Tokyo-Yokohama.
The Hybrid manager has locational preferences that distinguish him from the Expat manager. He seeks cooperation to create market opportunities, achieved knowledge about local business relations. He succeeds in acculturation and with the implementation of his strategic intent in a fashion that makes synergy effects possible! He got the skills to create synergy. Therefore he is able to operate outside the Expat community and succeeds in the 2nd tier Global City as well.
