IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v44y2007i8p1349-1370.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comprehensiveness versus Pragmatism: Consensus at the Japanese–Dutch Interface

Author

Listed:
  • Niels G. Noorderhaven
  • Jos Benders
  • Arjan B. Keizer

Abstract

abstract By comparing the views of managers working at the interface of two consensus‐oriented societies, Japan and the Netherlands, we show important differences between the consensus decision‐making processes as seen by Japanese and Dutch managers. These differences relate to how complete the agreement of opinion should be in order to speak of consensus, with the Japanese managers demanding a more complete consensus than the Dutch. The processes and conditions that Japanese and Dutch managers see as leading to consensus also differ. Japanese consensus is based on a more ordered, sequential process than Dutch consensus. Our respondents differed deeply regarding the role of the hierarchy in their own and the others’ consensus processes, with both Japanese and Dutch managers seeing their own consensus process as less hierarchical. Our findings show that the concept of consensus is interpreted quite differently by Japanese and Dutch managers. This is an important warning for companies operating at the interface of these two societies. More in general our research illustrates the usefulness for international management research of detailed comparative studies focusing not on stark contrasts but on more subtle differences between management practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Niels G. Noorderhaven & Jos Benders & Arjan B. Keizer, 2007. "Comprehensiveness versus Pragmatism: Consensus at the Japanese–Dutch Interface," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(8), pages 1349-1370, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:44:y:2007:i:8:p:1349-1370
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00712.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00712.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2007.00712.x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ouchi, William, 1981. "Theory Z: How American business can meet the Japanese challenge," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 82-83.
    2. Lindy Edwards, 1997. "Consensus in Conflict: Competing Conceptual Structures and the Changing Nature of Japanese Politics in the Postwar Era," Asia Pacific Economic Papers 267, Australia-Japan Research Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    3. Anne Tempel & Peter Walgenbach, 2007. "Global Standardization of Organizational Forms and Management Practices? What New Institutionalism and the Business‐Systems Approach Can Learn from Each Other," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 1-24, January.
    4. Hyunghae Byun & Sierk Ybema, 2005. "Japanese Business in the Dutch Polder: The Experience of Cultural Differences in Asymmetric Power Relations," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 535-552, December.
    5. Fetters, Michael D., 1995. "Nemawashi essential for conducting research in Japan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 375-381, August.
    6. Harris, Simon, 2000. "Reconciling positive and interpretative international management research: a native category approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 9(6), pages 755-770, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Andrea Cardoni & Filippo Zanin & Francesca Bartolacci & George H. (Jody) Tompson, 2018. "Strategic planning for value creation in business networks. Conceptual framework and theoretical proposals," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(1), pages 17-44.
    2. Leila Hurmerinta & Eriikka Paavilainen-Mäntymäki & Mélanie E. Hassett, 2016. "TEMPUS FUGIT: A Hermeneutic Approach to the Internationalisation Process," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 805-825, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Von Glinow, Mary Ann & Huo, Y. Paul & Lowe, Kevin, 1999. "Leadership across the Pacific Ocean: a tri-national comparison," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Hanibuchi, Tomoya & Murata, Yohei & Ichida, Yukinobu & Hirai, Hiroshi & Kawachi, Ichiro & Kondo, Katsunori, 2012. "Place-specific constructs of social capital and their possible associations to health: A Japanese case study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 225-232.
    3. Kaja Prystupa, 2017. "The Role of Organizational Culture in KnowledgeManagement in Small Companies," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 13(3), pages 151-173.
    4. Coviello, Nicole E. & Jones, Marian V., 2004. "Methodological issues in international entrepreneurship research," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 485-508, July.
    5. Jan Goldenstein & Philipp Poschmann & Michael Hunoldt, 2023. "The Global Orientation of Organizations: An Analysis of the Effects of Global Cultural Rationalization and National Institutional Traditions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1584-1623, September.
    6. Cabrera, Elizabeth F., 1998. "A computer-based aid for the design of a strategic organizational culture," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB 6541, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.
    7. Gutberlet, Melissa & Preuss, Lutz & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson, 2023. "Macro level matters: Advancing circular economy in different business systems within Europe," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    8. Sinem AYDOGDU & Baris ASIKGIL, 2011. "The Effect of Transformational Leadership Behavior on Organizational Culture: An Application in Pharmaceutical Industry," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 1(4), pages 65-73.
    9. Hisako Matsuo, 2012. "Transfer of Japanese Human Resource Management to US Subsidiaries: Resource Dependence Theory and Institutionalism," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 2(6), pages 34-46, November.
    10. Caligiuri, Paula & Bonache, Jaime, 2016. "Evolving and enduring challenges in global mobility," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 127-141.
    11. Kamalesh Kumar & Giacomo Boesso & Rishtee Batra & Jun Yao, 2019. "Explicit and implicit corporate social responsibility: Differences in the approach to stakeholder engagement activities of U.S. and Japanese companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 1121-1130, September.
    12. Nicola Misani, 2010. "The convergence of corporate social responsibility practices," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 33(7), pages 734-748, June.
    13. Tamaki Horii & Yan Jin & Raymond E. Levitt, 2005. "Modeling and Analyzing Cultural Influences on Project Team Performance," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 305-321, January.
    14. Damianus Abun & Nimfa C. Catbagan & Theogenia Magallanes & Robert Rodrigo & Egdona A. Quinto, 2021. "Leadership Attitude of office Heads toward Employees and Leadership Styles," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 16(1), pages 401-419, February.
    15. Mitsuru Kodama & Tomoatsu Shibata, 2013. "Research into Ambidextrous R&D in Product Development New Product Development at a Precision Device Maker," TMARG Discussion Papers 109, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University.
    16. Nitish Singh & Surender Munjal & Sumit Kundu & K. Rangarajan, 2023. "Platform-Based Internationalization of Smaller Firms: The Role of Government Policy," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 91-115, February.
    17. Cedric Herring, 2004. "Open for business in the black metropolis: Race, disadvantage, and entrepreneurial activity in Chicago's inner city," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 31(4), pages 35-57, June.
    18. Hee‐Yong Lee & Dong‐Wook Kwak & Jeong‐Yang Park, 2017. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Supply Chains of Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(6), pages 634-647, November.
    19. Sheehan, James, 1998. "NGOs and participatory management styles: a case study of CONCERN Worldwide, Mozambique," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 29090, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    20. Yoshiko DeMotta & Sankar Sen, 2017. "How psychological contracts motivate employer-brand patronage," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 385-395, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:44:y:2007:i:8:p:1349-1370. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0022-2380 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.