Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Exploring Regional Differences in Cultural Values : A Hybrid Thematic Analysis


Affiliations
1 Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 41 2115, Maharashtra, India
2 Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
3 Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Purpose : Extant research had, for the most part, confined itself to comparing cultural values at the inter-nation level. This was despite the criticism from studies such as Hofstede’s and the knowledge that most variation in culture resided within nations and not between them. Moreover, the alarming failures of cross-border mergers and acquisitions and other challenges that organizations ascribed to cultural differences pointed to the need for more utilitarian knowledge in this field. Hence, this study sought to explore the cultural differences within a diverse and developing nation, in this case, within India, that were relevant to organizations.

Design/Methodology/Approach : This paper drew on 30 in-depth interviews with senior executives in multiple sectors with organizational experience in more than one region of India. Interview transcripts were analyzed with the help of open coding, followed by clustering into higher-order themes. Finally, a hybrid thematic analysis was used to develop the themes/values.

Findings : Interviewed executives reported having experienced differences in cultural values when working with different regions of India. Mastery, Egalitarianism, Embeddedness, and Hierarchy were the second-order values that over two-thirds of the executives experienced as different.

Originality/Value : This knowledge could be of great value, particularly to organizations outside India planning to enter or expand in India and organizations within the country planning to expand beyond their current location.


Keywords

Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, Intra-National Cultures, Regional Cultures, Inter-Cultural Management, Sub-Cultures, India, Emerging Markets, Hybrid Thematic Analysis.

JEL Classification Codes : A14, F23, M14, M30

Paper Submission Date : March 4, 2022 ; Paper sent back for Revision : July 22, 2022 ; Paper Acceptance Date : July 30, 2022 ; Paper Published Online : October 15, 2022

User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Akanji, B., Mordi, C., Ajonbadi, H., & Adekoya, O. D. (2021). Exploring cultural values in conflict management: A qualitative study of university heads of departments. Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, 16(2), 350–369. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-06-2020-1953

  • Behl, A., Chavan, M., Dutta, P., & Sheorey, P. A. (2019). Benchmarking publication metrics for Indian business researchers: Exploring the role of collaboration. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 27(2), 571–591. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-04-2019-0184

  • Beugelsdijk, S., Kostova, T., Kunst, V. E., Spadafora, E., & Van Essen, M. (2018). Cultural distance and firm internationalization: A meta-analytical review and theoretical implications. Journal of Management, 44(1), 89–130. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206317729027

  • Bhardwaj, A., Dietz, J., & Beamish, P. W. (2007). Host country cultural influences on foreign direct investment. Management International Review, 47(1), 29–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-007-0003-7

  • Bond, M. H. (2013). Refining Lewin's formula: A general model for explaining situational influence on individual social behavior. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 16(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1111ajsp.12012

  • Bond, M. H., & Smith, P. B. (2018). Discovering culture's influence in studies of individual behavior in organizational settings: A challenging proposal. International Studies of Management and Organization, 48(4), 419–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/00208825.2018.1504475

  • Campion, L. L., & Wang, C. X. (2019). Collectivism and individualism: The differentiation of leadership. TechTrends, 63(3), 353–356. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00399-x

  • Choudhary, J., & Shree, S. (2021). Intra-national cultural values: A systematic review of literature and the way forward for comparative studies in India. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 14(5–7), 56–74. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2021/v14i5-7/164690

  • Dheer, R., Lenartowicz, T., & Peterson, M. F. (2015). Mapping India's regional subcultures: Implications for international management. Journal of International Business Studies, 46(4), 443–467. https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2014.70

  • Dheer, R., Lenartowicz, T., Peterson, M. F., & Petrescu, M. (2014). Cultural regions of Canada and United States : Implications for international management research. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 14(3), 343–384. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470595814543706

  • Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(1), 80–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500107

  • Gelfand, M. J., Aycan, Z., Erez, M., & Leung, K. (2017). Cross-cultural industrial organizational psychology and organizational behavior: A hundred-year journey. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 514–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000186

  • Götz, F. M., Ebert, T., & Rentfrow, P. J. (2018). Regional cultures and the psychological geography of Switzerland: Person – environment – fit in personality predicts subjective wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00517

  • Hassi, A., & Storti, G. (2011). Organizational training across cultures: Variations in practices and attitudes. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(1), 45–70. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090591111095736

  • Hofstede, G. (1980). Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Sage Publications.

  • Hofstede, G., Garibaldi de Hilal, A. V., Malvezzi, S., Tanure, B., & Vinken, H. (2010). Comparing regional cultures within a country: Lessons from Brazil. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 41(3), 336–352. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022109359696

  • Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill.

  • House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., & Gupta, V. (eds.) (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations: The globe study of 62 societies. Sage Publications, Inc.

  • James, R., & Jones, R. (2014). Transferring the Toyota lean cultural paradigm into India: Implications for human resource management. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(15), 2174–2191. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2013.862290

  • Kanojia, M., Shukla, B., & Wali, A. (2022). Critical factors to technology development in Indian academia: An ISM-MICMAC approach. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 15(5), 8–26. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2022/v15i5/169578

  • Khatri, N., Ojha, A. K., Budhwar, P., Srinivasan, V., & Varma, A. (2012). Management research in India: Current state and future directions. IIMB Management Review, 24(2), 104–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iimb.2012.05.002

  • Kirkman, B. L., Lowe, K. B., & Gibson, C. B. (2006). A quarter century of Culture's Consequences : A review of empirical research incorporating Hofstede's cultural values framework. Journal of International Business Studies, 37, 285–320. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400202

  • Kumar, S., Giridhar, V., & Sadarangani, P. (2019). A cross-national study of environmental performance and culture: Implications of the findings and strategies. Global Business Review, 20(4), 1051–1068. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150919845260

  • Kumari, N., & Singh, D. (2018). Impact of organizational culture on employee performance. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 11(6), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2018/v11i6/128442

  • Lenartowicz, T., Johnson, J. P., & White, C. T. (2003). The neglect of intracountry cultural variation in international management research. Journal of Business Research, 56(12), 999–1008. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(01)00314-9

  • Liao, Z. (2018). Corporate culture, environmental innovation and financial performance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27(8), 1368–1375. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2186

  • Louahabi, Y., Moustaghfir, K., & Cseh, M. (2020). Testing Hofstede's 6-D model in the North and Northwest regions of Morocco: Implications for human resource development. Human Systems Management, 39(1), 51–68. https://doi.org/10.3233/HSM-190615

  • Marcus, J., Kahraman, F., Su, S., & Fritzsche, B. A. (2019). Capturing intranational cultural variation in international business research: Microsocietal differences in collectivism across Turkey. Journal of World Business, 54(6), 101020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2019.101020

  • Myers, M. D. (2013). Qualitative research in business & management (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

  • Nadeem, S., Raza, M., Kayani, N., Aziz, A., & Nayab, D. (2018). Examining cross-cultural compatibility of high performance work practices. International Business Review, 27(3), 563–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2017.10.006

  • Panda, A., & Gupta, R. K. (2004). Mapping cultural diversity within India: A meta-analysis of some recent studies. Global Business Review, 5(1), 27–49. https://doi.org/10.1177/097215090400500103

  • Paul Huo, Y., & Randall, D. M. (1991). Exploring subcultural differences in Hofstede's value survey: The case of the Chinese. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 8(2), 159–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01731938

  • Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2005). The art of hearing data. In, Qualitative Interviewing (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

  • Sarala, R. M., Vaara, E., & Junni, P. (2019). Beyond merger syndrome and cultural differences: New avenues for research on the “human side” of global mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Journal of World Business, 54(4), 307–321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2017.10.001

  • Saunders, M. N., & Townsend, K. (2018). Choosing participants. In C. Cassell, A. L. Cunliffe, & G. Grandy (eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative business and management research methods (pp. 480–494). SAGE Publications Inc.

  • Schwartz, S. H. (1992). Cultural dimensions of values: Toward an understanding of national differences. International Journal of Psychology, 27 (3–4), p. 540.

  • Schwartz, S. H. (1994). Are there universal aspects in the structure and contents of human values? Journal of Social Issues, 50(4), 19–45. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1994.tb01196.x

  • Schwartz, S. H. (2006). A theory of cultural value orientations: Explication and applications. Comparative Sociology, 5(2–3), 137–182. https://doi.org/10.1163/156913306778667357

  • Schwartz, S. H. (2013). Value priorities and behavior: Applying a theory of integrated value systems. In, The psychology of values: The Ontario Symposium, 8(May), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.18682/pd.v2i0.514

  • Scott, D., Antoni, C., Grodzicki, J., Morales, E., & Peláez, J. (2020). Global pay transparency: An employee perspective. Compensation & Benefits Review, 52(3), 85–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886368720905693

  • Sinha, J. B., Daftuar, C. N., Gupta, R. K., Mishra, R. C., Jayseetha, R., Jha, S. S., Verma, J., & Vijayakumar, V. S. (1994). Regional similarities and differences in people's beliefs, practices and preferences. Psychology & Developing Societies, 6(2), 131–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/097133369400600204

  • Sinha, J. B., Gupta, P., Singh, S., Srinivas, E. S., & Vijaykumar, V. S. (2001). Societal beliefs, organizational climate, and managers' self-perceptions. Vikalpa, 26(1), 33–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/0256090920010104

  • Sinha, J. B., Sinha, R. B., Bhupatkar, A. P., Sukumaran, A., Gupta, P., Gupta, R., Panda, A., Singh, S., Singh-Sengupta, S., & Srinnas, E. S. (2004). Facets of societal and organisational cultures and managers' work related thoughts and feelings. Psychology and Developing Societies, 16(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/097133360401600101

  • Sinha, J. B., Vohra, N., Singhal, S., Sinha, R. B., & Ushashree, S. (2002). Normative predictions of collectivist-individualist intentions and behaviour of Indians. International Journal of Psychology, 37(5), 309-319. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207590244000124

  • Sun, J., Yoo, S., Park, J., & Hayati, B. (2019). Indulgence versus restraint: The moderating role of cultural differences on the relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance. Journal of Global Marketing, 32(2), 83–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/08911762.2018.1464236

  • Taras, V., Steel, P., & Kirkman, B. L. (2016). Does country equate with culture? Beyond geography in the search for cultural boundaries. Management International Review, 56(4), 455–487. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-016-0283-x

  • Tung, R. L. (2008). The cross-cultural research imperative: The need to balance crossnational and intra-national diversity. Journal of International Business Studies, 39(1), 41–46. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400331

  • Vandello, J. A., & Cohen, D. (1999). Patterns of individualism and collectivism across the United States. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(2), 279–292. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.2.279

  • Yadav, R. K., & Mohania, S. (2020). Merger of public sector banks : A case of Chennai Bank Ltd. and Bhopal Bank Ltd. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 13(2), 50–58. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2020/v13i2/150564


Abstract Views: 143

PDF Views: 0




  • Exploring Regional Differences in Cultural Values : A Hybrid Thematic Analysis

Abstract Views: 143  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Jugal Choudhary
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 41 2115, Maharashtra, India
Sonal Shree
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
Shailesh Rastogi
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
Jyoti Kappal
Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance, Symbiosis International University, Lavale, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India

Abstract


Purpose : Extant research had, for the most part, confined itself to comparing cultural values at the inter-nation level. This was despite the criticism from studies such as Hofstede’s and the knowledge that most variation in culture resided within nations and not between them. Moreover, the alarming failures of cross-border mergers and acquisitions and other challenges that organizations ascribed to cultural differences pointed to the need for more utilitarian knowledge in this field. Hence, this study sought to explore the cultural differences within a diverse and developing nation, in this case, within India, that were relevant to organizations.

Design/Methodology/Approach : This paper drew on 30 in-depth interviews with senior executives in multiple sectors with organizational experience in more than one region of India. Interview transcripts were analyzed with the help of open coding, followed by clustering into higher-order themes. Finally, a hybrid thematic analysis was used to develop the themes/values.

Findings : Interviewed executives reported having experienced differences in cultural values when working with different regions of India. Mastery, Egalitarianism, Embeddedness, and Hierarchy were the second-order values that over two-thirds of the executives experienced as different.

Originality/Value : This knowledge could be of great value, particularly to organizations outside India planning to enter or expand in India and organizations within the country planning to expand beyond their current location.


Keywords


Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, Intra-National Cultures, Regional Cultures, Inter-Cultural Management, Sub-Cultures, India, Emerging Markets, Hybrid Thematic Analysis.

JEL Classification Codes : A14, F23, M14, M30

Paper Submission Date : March 4, 2022 ; Paper sent back for Revision : July 22, 2022 ; Paper Acceptance Date : July 30, 2022 ; Paper Published Online : October 15, 2022


References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom%2F2022%2Fv15i10%2F172406