Understanding cross-cultural sales manager–salesperson relationships in the Asia-Pacific Rim region: a grounded theory approach

Abstract

As more organizations implement multinational strategies, sales managers leading sales forces encounter complex cultural challenges that affect relationships, processes, and outcomes. We undertake a qualitative study with the objective of understanding the sales manager–salesperson relationship when the sales manager is leading sales representatives located in other cultures. Because of the significant size and growth of Asian countries, we focus our study on the Asia-Pacific Rim region. In-depth interviews conducted with 21 sales managers working for a large multinational technology firm in our focal region provide the data for our analysis. Using a grounded theory approach, we identify five key themes: building and sustaining cross-cultural relationships, cross-cultural communication effectiveness, acquisition and maintenance of trust across cultures, language, and decision-making. From our findings, research propositions are offered and implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

The effect of head turn on auditory asymmetry

In two experiments, right-handed men and women were tested for ear differences in report of dichotically presented digits, with their heads straight ahead, turned 90 degrees to the left, and turned 90 degrees to the right. In Experiment 1, head turn was controlled simply by asking the subjects to fixate an appropriately located point; a right-ear advantage occurred under all conditions of head turn among the men, but only in the head-straight condition among the women. In Experiment 2, head turn was controlled by having the subjects direct a flashlight attached to their heads toward the fixation point. This eliminated the right-ear advantage under all head conditions for the men, but for the women the right-ear advantage was, if anything, more pronounced when their heads were turned than when straight. These results suggest that auditory asymmetry depends in part on whether space is perceived as divided into left and right sides, and in part of the balance between spatial and verbal requirements. Both factors, and the asymmetry itself, may interact with sex.     

Intensive follow-up does not decrease the risk of repeat suicide attempts.

We carried out a randomized controlled trial to determine whether an intensive intervention after a suicide attempt could decrease by half the risk of a repeat attempt in the following two years. After initial assessment and randomization, experimental subjects attended 18 therapy appointments over one year, including one home visit, and measures to improve attendance. Control subjects received the usual care. Of 63 experimental subjects, 35% made a repeat attempt, and so did 30% of 63 control subjects. The study had a 99% power to detect the desired decrease of risk (30% to 15%). Clearly, the intervention did not achieve its objective.     

Work-Related Stress and Coping Strategies of Professional Women

Using data from interviews with professional women on their work-related stress and coping processes, the author identified those who were good and poor at coping.     

Inverting the modality effect in serial recall

Differences in recall ability between immediate serial recall of auditorily and visually presented verbal material have traditionally been considered restricted to the end of to-be-recalled lists, the recency section of the serial position curve (e.g., Crowder & Morton, 1969). Later studies showed that--under certain circumstances--differences in recall between the two modalities can be observed across the whole of the list (Frankish, 1985). However in all these studies the advantage observed is for recall of material presented in the auditorily modality. Six separate conditions across four experiments demonstrate that a visual advantage can be obtained with serial recall if participants are required to recall the list in two distinct sections using serial recall. Judged on a list-wide basis, the visual advantage is of equivalent size to the auditory advantage of the classical modality effect. The results demonstrate that differences in representation of auditory and visual verbal material in short-term memory persist beyond lexical and phonological categorization and are problematic for current theories of the modality effect.