Shipper, F., (2000, August 4-9). Presented at the Academy of Management Meeting. Toronto, Canada
Prior studies in United States organizations have suggested that appropriate development of managerial skills can improve managerial effectiveness, thus saving time. Little prior cross-cultural research has been done, however, on managerial skills and effectiveness. In addition, the available research on managerial skills and effectiveness has been dominated by models depicting linear combinations of skills. In contrast, this research investigates in each culture whether a linear or nonlinear model better depicts the relationship between managerial skills and effectiveness. Comparisons of the best predicting models across the three cultures are examined and their implications for managerial development are explored. The results indicate that managerial skills can be classified on two dimensions, as previously found, and that the dimensions are relatively stable across all three cultures. In all three cultures nonlinear models were found to be more descriptive of the relationships between the two managerial skills’ dimensions and effectiveness than linear models. Nonetheless, the relationships between managerial skills and effectiveness varied dramatically across the three cultures. Thus, the results imply that different suggestions regarding management development would have to be given in each culture. In addition, the results imply that within a culture the suggestions for management development can vary depending on whether a linear or nonlinear model is chosen for studying and depicting the relationships. Therefore, the results suggest that examining the relationship between managerial skills and effectiveness is sensitive to both the type of model chosen and the culture within which the examination is performed.