Keynote Speech

Title

A Tale of Two Perspectives on Culture Shock – Insights and Inspirations

Presenter

Margaret Shaffer

Abstract

Culture shock is a sense of confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety that may affect people who are exposed to an alien culture without adequate preparation. Traditionally, scholars in the international business field have studied this phenomenon in the context of expatriate adjustment. Studies over the past 3 decades, including several reviews and meta-analyses, have culminated in many good insights about this topic, leading some to suggest that it is time to move away from it and investigate other expatriate experiences. More recently, however, our own observations suggest that culture shock is ubiquitous and not limited to those who make the transition to another culture to work and live. In the wake of the acceleration of globalization during the last decade, the impact of globalization as an external environmental stressor has been omnipresent and overwhelming, compelling people who have never left their home country to adjust to an alien culture where what was once familiar has now become unfamiliar. In this presentation, I integrate these two perspectives to (1) argue for a continued but reimagined approach to expatriate adjustment research by drawing on findings from the newcomer adjustment domain, and (2) lay the groundwork for future research on domestic employees by taking a theoretical lens from one focal group of people in one context (i.e., global employees in an alien culture abroad) into another (i.e., local employees in an alien culture at home). In doing so, I highlight the value of an interdisciplinary approach to conducting research and offer several conceptual and methodological insights and inspirations for the broader organisational behavior and management literatures.

Panel 1：Managing Employees in Times of Uncertainty

Panel 1 – Presentation 1

Title

Dialectical Leadership Behavior and its Antecedents and Consequences: An Indigenous Research Approach

Presenter

Hui Wang

Abstract

Based on dialectical thinking style rooted in the Chinese traditional culture and current management practice, we developed a new leadership construct, namely, dialectical leadership behavior and tested its antecedents and consequences. Dialectical leadership behavior is characterized as a strategic leadership behavior including timely adapting organisational strategy and managerial practices to environmental changes, understanding and balancing between management contradictions, and holistically coordinating different departments and resources in organisations. Through a series of studies, we found that dialectical leadership behavior was composed of six dimensions: timely adjusting, individualized mentoring, weighing contradictions, balancing kindness and strictness, promoting coordination, and holistically managing. We further distinguished dialectical leadership behavior from other related leadership constructs with theoretical and empirical efforts. Finally, we revealed that CEO personality in terms of humility and narcissism had impact on dialectical leadership behavior, and CEO dialectical leadership behavior positively affected firm strategic flexibility and ultimately improved firm innovative capability and performance.

Panel 1 – Presentation 2

Title

Multiculturals' and Multilinguals' Bridging Activities in Contexts of Certainty and Uncertainty

Presenter

Markus Pudelko

Abstract

This study investigates how multicultural and multilingual employees develop and enact their particular capabilities to bridge cultural and language barriers in international work contexts. Although previous literature has already identified the usefulness of these individuals in overcoming such hurdles, we offer novel insights into how these employees not only use their assets in contexts of certainty but interestingly also their shortcomings in contexts of uncertainty to bridge cultural and language barriers. Based on an in-depth analysis of 154 interviews, we inductively develop a theoretical model of bridging activities that carefully distinguishes between the related, but still distinct, concepts of culture- and language-related bridging. 

Panel 1 – Presentation 3

Title

Back Home Where I (Don't) Belong: Fit Among Emerging Country Returnees & The Role of Identity Workspaces

Presenter

Nana Yaa A. Gyamfi

Abstract

With globalization, employees’ movements across national boundaries hold implications for their fit with work environments, especially when work-related values and norms vary between home and host contexts, as is the case between advanced and emerging countries. Employing a grounded theory approach, we explore the research question: how do emerging country professionals navigate fit with their home country contexts after immersion in advanced countries? Drawing on person-environment fit literatures, we analyzed interview data from Ghanaian professionals who had pursued postgraduate programs in advanced countries. Findings indicate that (potential or actual) returnees to emerging markets (anticipate or) experience partial fit with both home and host contexts, due to returnees’ work values and norms evolving to embody both home- and host oriented content. Furthermore, such dually-oriented returnees seek out bubble organisations, which serve as identity workspaces, enabling them to maintain both home- and host-oriented values and norms. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Panel II: Managing Organisations in Times of Uncertainty

Panel II – Presentation 1

Title

How do Managers Lead in Times of Uncertainty? Understanding the Implications of Uncertainty for Managers in Organisations

Presenter

Mayowa Babalola

Abstract

Previous research has highlighted the pivotal role played by leaders in navigating organisations through periods of uncertainty. However, our understanding of how uncertainty affects leaders themselves remains incomplete. In this symposium, I will present two theoretical models elucidating the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral consequences of two types of uncertainty—financial and job insecurity—on leaders, drawing from Uncertainty Management Theory (UMT). Utilizing datasets from managers and their direct reports across diverse organisations in China and Pakistan, our findings reveal that leaders' experiences of uncertainty, encompassing financial insecurity and job insecurity, are associated with leaders' emotional feelings of anxiety and cognitive state of self-interest (i.e., self-serving cognitions). These effects subsequently hinder ethical leadership while promoting self-serving leadership behavior. Furthermore, we identify that organisational pay fairness and overall justice act as mitigating factors for the impacts of leaders’ financial and job insecurities, respectively. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings will be discussed, along with providing directions for future research.

Panel II – Presentation 2

Title

Strategic HRM and environmental disruptions: implications for Chinese organisations

Presenter

Sunghoon Kim

Abstract

Environmental disruptions—life-threatening changes in the extra-organisational environment—have received much attention in the context of management over the recent years. A disruptive environment is a type of extreme managerial context but is different from other extreme management contexts, such as risky or emergency contexts, in the sense that it normally does not allow for preparation. Due to its unexpectedness and its profound impact on existing arrangements within and across organisations, environmental disruption is a challenging managerial concern. Although management scholars have developed rich discussions on organisational responses to a range of changing business environments, research on disruptive environments is still in an emerging stage.

Environmental disruptions are important for organisations' human resource management (HRM) concerns. Disruptive events such as earthquakes and COVID-19 can disturb the local labor market, overrun an organisation's human resource (HR) capability, and seriously undermine firm performance. In this presentation, I will examine the role of strategic HRM in the face of environmental disruptions. I will summarize the current status of knowledge around three questions: 1. How can HRM help individual employees cope with environmental disruptions? 2. How can HRM help organisations be more resilient against environmental disruptions? 3. How can HRM help the community being affected by environmental disruptions? I will also discuss how China-based research can further advance our knowledge on the subject.

Keynote Speakers

Margaret Shaffer

Margaret A. Shaffer is the Michael F. Price Chair and Professor of International Business at the Price College of Business, The University of Oklahoma. Her research interests stem from her own experiences as an expatriate in Hong Kong. In general, her research focus is on understanding the experiences of globally mobile employees, with an emphasis on various types of global employees, global careers, and the work-life interface. Her publications have appeared in journals such as the Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Management, and Journal of International Business Studies. She is an associate editor for the Journal of Global Mobility.

Panel I Speakers

Hui Wang

Hui WANG is a professor at Guanghua School of Management, Peking University. He received his PhD from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology majored in organisational behavior. He published his papers on Academy of Management Journal, Organisation Behavior and Human Decision Process, Personnel Psychology, and etc. His research interest is on leadership behavior and organisational culture, especially in the context of Chinese management. He teaches a lot of courses related to leadership behavior, team building and management, organisational culture, and psychological capital at different levels including EMBA, MBA, and EDP. He also provides management consulting to State Owned Enterprises, private firms, and joint ventures.

Markus Pudelko

Markus Pudelko is Director of the Department of International Business at Tübingen University School of Business and Economics. He earned Master degrees in Business Studies (University of Cologne), Economics (Sorbonne University) and International Management (Community of European Management Schools - CEMS) and a PhD (University of Cologne).

Before joining Tübingen University, he worked for eight years for the University of Edinburgh Business School. For longer-term research purposes, he visits frequently other universities, such as Columbia University, Copenhagen Business School, Doshisha University, Dubai University, EAFIT, ESCP, Estonian Business School, Fudan University, Hebrew University Jerusalem, IESE, Korea University, Melbourne University, Peking University, San Francisco de Quito University, San José State University, Simon Fraser University, Sophia University, Stellenbosch University, Sydney University, Umea University, Universidad Católica Argentina, Vaasa University, Vietnam National University and Waseda University.

His current research focuses on headquarters-subsidiary relationships, multinational individuals and teams, the impact of language on international business, trust, international HRM, Chinese and Japanese management and cross-cultural management. He has published on these topics in books, book chapters and journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Human Resource Management, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Leadership Quarterly and Long Range Planning. He has received 36 research awards, among others from the Academy of Management and the Academy of International Business. Currently, he is senior editor of the Journal of World Business.

Nana Yaa A. Gyamfi

Nana Yaa A. Gyamfi is a Lecturer of Management at CEIBS. She earned her Ph.D. and MRes. in Management from IESE Business School, M.Sc. in Organisational Behavior from London School of Economics and Political Science and B.Sc. in Administration (Accounting) from University of Ghana Business School. Dr. Gyamfi’s research interests are on cultural identity, identity theory, identity resources, multinational work contexts, and emerging markets. Her research is published in Academy of Management Review, Oxford Research Encyclopaedia of Business and Management, Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, Advances in Global Leadership and Research in Accounting in Emerging Economies. Dr. Gyamfi won the award for best dissertation in International Management at the Academy of Management Conference, 2023; where she was also selected as one of the IM Division’s best reviewers. She was a nominee of the FIU/AIB Best Theory Paper Award at the 2021 Academy of International Business Conference and won an Emerald Literati Award for Outstanding Author Contribution in 2020. Dr. Gyamfi has taught classes on international management, organisational behavior, and human resource management in CEIBS Global EMBA, MBA and executive education programmes in Shanghai and Accra. She has coached intercultural teams and has consulting experience involving transformation of fledgling ideas into thriving technology start-ups in Ghana.

Panel II Speakers

Mayowa Babalola

Mayowa Babalola is a Professor of Management at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Belgium, and has taught at institutions in various parts of the world, including Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

Mayowa’s primary areas of focus include leadership, behavioral ethics, and work-family relationships. His research program aims to promote ethical behavior in organisations, build a healthier and more productive workforce, and cultivate long-term positive work and family relationships. His work has been published in top business and management journals, including the Journal of Management (Ranked ABDC A*, ABS 4*, FT50), Personnel Psychology (ABDC A*, ABS 4*), Human Relations (ABDC A*, ABS 4, FT50), Journal of Organisational Behavior (ABS 4), and Journal of Business Ethics (FT50). Mayowa is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Ethics and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Management.

Sunghoon Kim

Sunghoon Kim is an Associate Professor in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School. He received his PhD from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, MBA and bachelor’s degree from Seoul National University. Before joining the University of Sydney, he was an Associate Professor at UNSW Business School. He serves as an Associate Editor of Human Resource Management and an editorial board member of many journals including International Journal of HRM and Journal of Industrial Relations. His research has been published in reputable journals such as Human Resource Management, Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Journal of International Business Studies, Organisation Studies, International Journal of Human Resource Management, and Management and Organisation Review. Sunghoon co-edited Routledge Handbook of Human Resource Management in Asia, and China’s Changing Workplace beyond the Transition(Routledge). He is passionate in developing future HR leaders, serving as the Director of postgraduate HRM/IR programs at the University of Sydney Business School. Sunghoon’s industry engagement includes his contribution to the Google funded project entitled “Transformation of Work in Asia-Pacific in the 21st Century”.

“Meet the Editor” Speakers

Chak Fu Lam

Chak Fu Lam is an Associate Professor of Management at City University of Hong Kong. His research examines employee voice behavior, including why employees speak up, how managers respond to employee voice, and what makes employee voice sustainable over time. Chak Fu is also interested in self-determination and well-being at work. He has published research in Academy of Management Annals, Academy of Management Perspectives, Academy of Management Review, Human Resource Management Journal, International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Journal of Organisational Behavior, Journal of Personality, Organisational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Personnel Psychology. He received a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Middlebury College in Vermont and a doctorate in Management and Organisation from the University of Michigan. He is currently an Associate Editor of Academy of Management Review and serves on the editorial boards of Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Organisational Behavior, and Management and Organisation Review. In 2001, he was one of five reviewers to be awarded the title of Best Editorial Reviewer for his service to the Journal of Applied Psychology.

Hao Zhao

Zhao Hao is a Professor of Management at CEIBS. Prior to joining CEIBS, he was a tenured Associate Professor of Management at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lally School of Management. Prof. Zhao was awarded a Ph.D. degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and obtained his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Renmin University of China.

Prof. Zhao’s primary research interest focuses on factors that encourage people to become entrepreneurs and succeed, such as self-efficacy, personality, age, team dynamics, and entrepreneurship education. His secondary interests are in leadership styles, recruitment and selection, and ethics. He also studies how artificial intelligence influences workplace and people's work behaviors. His work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and the Journal of Management. He is an Elsevier Highly Cited Chinese Researcher and has won the Emerald Citations of Excellence Award three times for High Impact Papers.

Prof. Zhao has taught various courses in the US and China, including Organisational Behaviour, Talent Management, and Organisational Design and Change. He trained executives for Nestle, AbbVie, Bank of China, and Jones Lang LaSalle, etc. His classes often involve innovative modules, such as news, games, debates, historical stories, movies, and role plays. He writes for many magazines and newspapers, such as Harvard Business Review (Chinese ed.), 21 Century Management Review, National Business Daily, and The Paper.

Prof. Zhao is currently a co-editor of the Human Relations, and a field editor of the Journal of Business Venturing. Both journals are among those Financial Times uses to rank the research productivities of business schools worldwide. He serves on the editorial boards of multiple other journals and reviews for research grant agencies overseas.

Tae-Yeol Kim

Tae Yeol Kim is a Professor of Management and Philips Chair in Management at CEIBS. Prior to joining CEIBS, he was an associate professor in Management Department, City University of Hong Kong. He also once taught Organisational Behaviour Course at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, NC.

Prof. Kim earned his Ph.D. in Organisational Behaviour at The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He also holds a Master’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Yonsei University, Republic of Korea. He is serving as an Associate Editor of Human Relations, a Financial Times-listed journal, and Editorial Review Board of Journal of Management, Journal of Organisational Behaviour, Journal of Vocational Behaviour, and Management and Organisation Review.

Prof. Kim has been an International Affiliate of The Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology since 2006, a member of Academy of Management since 1999 and Asia Academy of Management since 2006. His current research mainly focuses on leadership, motivation, team and individual creativity, proactivity, self-verification striving, and person-environment fit. His work has been published in decent academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Studies, Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, MIT: Sloan Management Review, Journal of Organisational Behaviour, Human Relations, and Human Resource Management.

Prof. Kim has won many awards for both research and teaching, such as 2020 One of the World’s Most Cited Chinese Researchers, 2020 One of the best books published in Social Science between March 2019 and February 2020 by the National Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Education, Republic of Korea, 2019 Top downloaded article 2017-2018, WILEY, 2017 CEIBS Medal for Research Excellence, 2017 the best Reviewer at Human Relations, 2015, 2014 (July) Emerald Citations of Excellence, and 2012 Faculty Research Excellence Award at CEIBS.