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Individualism collectivism measures, along with decision styles, are examined in Taiwan. About 600 questionnaires were distributed directly to employees with managerial positions in private, public, and mixed enter prises in the capital, Taipei. In general, Taiwanese were found to be more collectivist than individualistic. Participants displayed a strong preference for consultative and participative styles and determined that these two styles were the most effective in practice. Further more, participants indicated that their immediate supervisors were mostly consultative and autocratic.

Saudi managers′ responses and evaluations of the role of MNCs is reported and analysed. The research answers questions regarding the contribution of MNCs in four areas: political, cultural, economic and technological. Results indicate the Arabian executives consider MNCs to have both positive and negative effects. MNCs′ most obvious negative impacts are on political independence and on values and consumption patterns. On the positive side, the executives recognise the crucial role of MNCs in establishing export capacity, improving productivity, and managerial skills and creation of new jobs.

With close to two billion people occupying some 50 countries and spending in excess of US$2tn on food and recreational services alone, Muslim societies represent a significant segment of the world’s population, which warrants greater research attention and better understanding. While Islamic scholarship dates back over 1,400 years, few scholars have studied the impact of Islamic teachings and their effect on surrounding business and policy. The purpose of this paper is to better connect business strategy with Islamic philosophy.

This research is a theoretical paper based on literature review of existing works in academia and from the Koran. The researchers consulted academics and religious leader to better understand the written word and its implications on the various philosophies. This paper offers a sound foundation for further research on Islamic business philosophy.

This research is the base for further exploration into Islamic business philosophy and their underpinnings. To better understand Islamic business models, this study introduces three main and three minor schools of thought to provide a foundation for further research. The schools differ in their theological assumptions and worldviews. Some of them place emphases on traditional approaches, i.e. Jabria (like contemporary Salafies) and some underscore the virtue of reasons and enlightenment (e.g. Mu’tazila or the rationalists).

In brief, the study posits six different perspectives and interpretations relevant to Islamic policy that will be useful for both managerial practitioners and scholars to consider when undertaking business in a Muslim context.

Proposes to highlight the centrality of human resources in the Ten Commandments (TCs), providing a perspective regarding their application for business organizations. Focuses on the TCs in the Abrahamic religions (Jews, Christians, Muslims) and explains how loyalty, networking and minimizing conflict aims to ensure survival and continuity. Concludes TCs are general moral principles that reflect the general orientations and directions of their respective religions and that companies should give attention to universal aspects of TCs and their qualities.

This paper examined the relationships between national culture and strategic behavior in the banking industry in Jordan and U.S. The study first developed a strategic posture and secondly a cultural profile for the top management of the research domain. The strategic posture suggested the readiness for strategic response from managers. The degree of readiness was correlated with the constructed cultural profile of the managers and financial performance of the banks. The study found significant relationships between certain national cultural strategic characteristics, (risk propensity, time orientation, and openness to change, uncertainty avoidance and managerial perception of control over the environment) strategic behavior and financial performance.

Saudi and Indian managers are compared on attitudes towards work and work‐related variables. Cultural differences were found to play the most important role in determining managerial orientation. Demographic and organisational variables were less important. Managers from both nations were found to be highly committed to work. However, Indian managers showed greater commitment to work obligation and entitlement, and were more individualistic, than Saudi managers.

In international business, the customers' perception is vital for marketing and strategic planning. This study is designed to address the perceptions of managers in Kuwait of the national environments of Japan, Germany, and the U.S. and the prospect of global leadership for each nation. Sixty‐four major Kuwaiti firms participated. The results indicate that Japan is perceived to offer the most conducive business environment for effective global competition. In addition, participants believe that Japan will surpass the U.S. economically and technologically in the near future. Nevertheless, the results show that U.S. based firms are perceived to be more adaptable to changing world conditions and that they do a better job of attracting the best human resources than German or Japanese based firms.

With the end of the cold war two major developments in the world have taken place. First, regional trade pacts and alliances have taken on added value as a mechanism for economic growth and prosperity (e.g., North America Free Trade Agreement, European Unity, etc.). Second, the patterns of competition on a worldwide basis are changing more rapidly than ever. Along with these developments, a new understanding of global leadership has emerged. Global leadership is no longer measured solely by military strength. Indeed, commitment to the military and defense industry may be a burden inconsistent with maintaining a nation's competitive position in the global marketplace. This study is designed to address the economic competitiveness of the U.S., Germany, and Japan and their leadership position in world markets.

Investigates managerial values as predictors of managerial decision styles. A multiple regression analysis indicated that existential values related positively to a consultative decision‐making style while tribalistic values related significantly to a pseudo‐consultative decision‐making style. Furthermore, identifies value dimensions attributed to each decision‐making style.

In 1987, the Harvard Business Review conducted a survey of its readers regarding the U.S. performance in the world markets. The study indicated that the U.S. had a deep‐seated problem of inadequate international competitiveness (Scott, 1987). More recently, Ernst & Young/American Quality Foundation undertook an International Quality Study which examined quality practices in Canada, Germany, Japan and the U.S. (See Bowles, 1992). The study revealed that 22 per cent of U.S. business always or almost always translate customer expectations into the design of new products and service. In Germany and Japan, the figure was 40 per cent and 58 per cent respectively. The results induced, Joshua Hammond, president of the American Quality Foundation, to state that “It is clear … that quality performance has a long way to go before it reaches parity with financial performance as a matter of primary importance to America's senior executives”. What makes the situation more complex and urgent is the fact that international competition has changed the structure of global markets and the rules of the business game. Furthermore, U.S. businesses no longer command the lead in the global marketplace and new international competitors are not only aggressive and competent, but appear to give priority to customer needs and expectations. For example, many Japanese companies view customer satisfaction as a way of building loyalty, thereby generating repeat sales. In contrast, U.S. executives have often aimed not at producing customer satisfaction, but at preventing customer dissatisfaction (Bowles, 1992). Similarly, the Fortune Global 500 List (Fortune 1995) showed that three countries accounted for the majority of the top 500 firms in the world; U.S. (151 firms), Japan (149 firms), and Germany (44 firms). Nevertheless, the list indicated that more Japanese companies have made it to the top ten (from three in 1993 to six in 1994), while the number of the U.S. firms stayed the same (three) in both years.