Publication: SAM Advanced Management Journal
Publication Date: 22-MAR-06
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: Guglielmino, Paul J. ; Guglielmino, Lucy Madsen
Article Excerpt
Increasing global competition and the growth in international business, juxtaposed with constant and increasing rates of change, place new demands on management to implement effective models of human resource development across cultures. Within the U.S., a number of forces have led to increased interest in examining workplace learning. Corporate downsizing and reductions in levels of management have led to increases in each individual's span of control. Unprecedented growth in information and technology has created parallel demands for learning and problem-solving such that it has become impossible for training design and delivery to keep pace with learning needs. At the same time, global competition has made rapid response to learning needs even more critical.
An important aspect of the U.S. response has been a focus on developing learning organizations (Jude-York, 1993; Piskurich, 1991, 2000; Senge, 1990; Senge, Kleiner, Roberts, Ross, Roth, and Smith, 1999; Ravid, 1986; Watkins and Marsick, 1993). The key element in an effective learning organization is the acceptance of responsibility by each individual for recognizing and addressing his or her own learning needs and then sharing that learning with appropriate others in the organization. In other words, each individual needs to function as a self-directed learner to meet the demands of the rapidly changing workplace.
Studies documenting the positive relationship between job performance and self-directed learning readiness (Durr, 1992, Guglielmino, Guglielmino, and Long, 1987; Roberts, 1986) support this assertion. Additional support comes from studies documenting positive relationships between self-directed learning readiness and management levels (Durr, 1992; Roberts, 1986) and success as an entrepreneur (Guglielmino and Klatt, 1994) or top female executive (Guglielmino, 1996).
The influence of the culture surrounding the organization is also a vital consideration as managers are prepared to work in other countries and appropriate training and development practices are sought by multinational organizations. Hofstede (1980, 1991), based on a study of employees in 40 counties spanning more than two decades, asserts that the culture of a nation explains over half of the differences in the behavior and attitude of employees, more than can be explained by differences in gender, race, age, or professional roles. Based on an approach that examines the national sample rather than the individual person as the unit of analysis, Hofstede (1980) derived four dimensions of culture and later added a fifth. Conceptually, two dimensions were most likely to be related to readiness for self-directed learning: (a) power distance (PD), "the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions ... accept and expect that power is distributed unequally," and (b) individualism/ collectivism (IN), "the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups." High scores on individualism were found in countries in which individuals focused on taking care of themselves and their immediate families. Low scores on individualism represented societies in which "people from birth onward are integrated into strong, cohesive, in-groups ... which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty."
Marquardt and Engel (1993) pointed out, "Just as form (i.e., structure) impacts function (i.e., operations) in organizations, so does culture significantly influence training and learning" (p.33). However, the role of culture in approaches to learning has not been adequately considered (Adler, Doktor, and Redding, 1986; Bailey, Chen, and Dou, 1987). The findings of two exploratory studies argue for further examination of the relationship of readiness for selfdirected learning with elements of culture and one manifestation of economic health, per capita income. A study by Guglielmino, Klatt, and Guglielmino (1995) found differences across cultures in levels of readiness for self-directed learning and noted that these levels correlated with differences in per capita income. A preliminary analysis of self-directed learning readiness across cultures (Guglielmino and Guglielmino, 2005) indicated significant relationships with some elements of culture, but sample sizes were uneven. In light of the findings related to self-directed learning readiness and performance, the increasing individual responsibility for job-related learning in the U.S., and the propensity to assume that training and development practices that work in the home country will work elsewhere, it becomes critical to examine the relationships of self-directed learning readiness to culture and economic indicators.
Purpose of the Study and Hypotheses
This study explores the readiness for self-directed learning of business managers and employees in five countries as related to 1) the cultural dimensions of power distance and individualism and 2) the economic dimension of gross national income per capita.
Two hypotheses were examined:
1. There is no relationship between self-directed learning readiness as measured by the selfdirected learning readiness scale (SDLRS) and country scores for power distance (PD) or individualism as reported in Hofstede's Dimensions of Culture.
2. There is no relationship between self-directed learning readiness as measured by the self-directed learning readiness scale (SDLRS) and gross national income per capita (GNIPC) in the five countries examined.
Research Design
* Data Collection and Sample Data were collected from a mix of developed and developing countries in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Hofstede's scores for power distance and individualism were available for all countries except Lithuania. Schwartz (1994) has developed...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
More articles from
SAM Advanced Management Journal
ADA's reasonable accommodation: myth or reality., 22-SEP-07
Corporate social responsibility: an exploratory study in the United Arab Emirates., 22-SEP-07
Improving organizations by coaching individual development using the resource-based business strategy., 22-SEP-07
Looking for additional articles?
Click here to search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Click here to search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company analysis or best practices in managing your organization, Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible, authoritative information they need to support their business goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting, company research or defining management best practices - Goliath is your leading source for accurate information. |
