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This study investigates the conceptual and psychometric properties of trust in organizations. Critical review of recent literature led to the conclusion that there is no single agreed upon definition of trust and that controversy exists as to its construct validity. We present empirical results based on a complex procedure for scale development, which includes a design made up of four separate stages of research. The construct of trust in employment relationships was ultimately refined to entail three dimensions: harmony, reliability, and concern (HRC). The final results of this study led to the development of a standardized 16‐item instrument that can be used to measure trust in the context of employment relationships. Evidence of the scale’s reliability, factor structure, and validity is also presented.

Even though both values and life roles are intensively studied topics, limited research has been conducted regarding the association between the two. In the context of the Dutch public sector, this study therefore examines how life roles and values relate to each other. Moreover, the possible role of gender within these associations is explored. Thereby, the study extends the literature in this domain and increases the understanding of how values and life roles affect the behavior. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The paper analyzed cross-sectional survey data of 114 employees of the Dutch public sector. Values were operationalized according to the Dolan et al.'s dimensions: emotional-developmental; ethical-social; pragmatic-economic; life roles were measured as “parental” and “occupational”.

The paper found no direct association between life roles and values. However, the paper found a gender differences suggesting that the more parental role oriented a woman is, the less occupational role oriented she is. In addition, the paper found a negative association between emotional-developmental values and ethical-social values.

This study contributes to the existing literature on life roles and values by examining their mutual association. The paper found that the two concepts – although theoretically related – can be empirically distinguished. For organizations within the public sector, it is relevant to know which and how values and life roles affect their employees. Thereby, organizations can design their strategies, training and development policies, and recruitment activities in order to attract and retain (potential) employees.

The purpose of this paper is to integrate cultural value management into the high level of human resource management to propose a new direction of strategic human resource management (SHRM) development through management by the values (MBV) concept.

The paper proposes an integrative MBV SHRM model for Chinese management, incorporating Neo‐Confucian values for responsible, pragmatic and humanistic management, as well as two dynamic SHRM elements: leadership and learning. First SHRM in China is described; then the MBV concept and model are introduced. At that point, the evolution of cultural studies and Chinese Neo‐Confucianism is introduced before proposing an integrative MBV SHRM model for Chinese management.

Instead of the economic approach most often adopted by SHRM researchers, a harmonious managerial approach is argued for, based on the MBV triaxial model: ethical, economic, and emotional values, to orient the operations of the organisation.

This integration of three angles in values, management, and performance is novel in the field of SHRM. It not only contributes to the further development of the field, but also implies healthier and more sustainable practices in management, both in China and in the rest of the world.

This paper is aimed at presenting a conceptual model of managing by values (MBV) as an important philosophical and practical framework for leaders and managers of organizations use in today’s work environment. We briefly discuss the evolution of management from that of management by instruction (MBI) to management by objectives (MBO) and finally management by values (MBV). We outline the trends and examples of two influential organizations focusing on values and finally provide a MBV as critical and needed method that has been used in Spain and extensively in Cuba.

Although this is a conceptual article, we have included some practical examples where MBV has been used and also some research that has been conducted using this model on MBA students across business schools across the globe.

We present the three major dimensions of MBV (economical‐pragmatic, ethical, and emotional‐developmental). These dimensions were derived from research and practice using MBV in organizations and business schools.

In this article, we present a new management philosophy and practice that is pertinent to organizational leaders and managers in the twenty‐first century. We believe that MBA is not only an important method but also one that is very needed for organizations today. We believe this system of values is core to organizational success and development as it is critical to both practitioners and researchers.

The purpose of the paper is twofold. The first purpose is to provide a synthesis of the dominant cross-cultural models and to present the more recent tri-axial model as a promising alternative that responds well to the limitation of prevailing models. Consequently, the second purpose is to employ the model to explore key differences in the culture and values of public service organisations in old and new EU member states.

The paper surveyed public sector employees in four different countries, two old EU (OEU) states (Germany, The Netherlands) and two new EU (NEU) states (Estonia, Lithuania). The employees were asked to classify 60 values on the three axes of the tri-axial model and to select the five most important values in their organization. The survey replies were analyzed and mapped to facilitate comparison of the tri-axial cultural profile of the two EU clusters.

The results show differences in value orientation between the two groups of countries: the public sector in the OEU member states appears to be more ethically and less pragmatically oriented than in the NEU member states. Findings show that in the new member states, value congruence is very high across demographic groups, in contrast to the situation encountered in the OEU member states.

Further research should include more countries before generalising the conclusions of this study to the rest of the OEU and NEU countries. Furthermore, although collecting data from a homogeneous unit (e.g. public sector) suggests more valid comparison, in the future, research should strive to also examine additional units, for example private companies.

The conclusions derived from this exploratory cultural mapping provide useful knowledge for improving international collaboration across public sector organizations.

This study is the first study that maps the values in the public sector using the tri-axial model.

This paper aims to be a conversation with Simon Dolan, conducted by Santiago Ibarreche, about his career as a successful scholar, author of many books, change agent, and a cross-cultural international observer.

This paper is an interview.

The interview explores Dolan’s career, his achievements and continued search for excellence in terms of teaching, research, and service in academia. It explores his experiences as faculty member and prolific author and developer of new approaches in teaching, research, also looking at the importance of anticipating the future of the work place and the importance of Management by Values.

The interview in this special section, A Life in Research, brings out an individual scholar’s experience and history, not only as recognition of scholarly impact, but also as recognition of the person.

The exploratory study introduced the tri-axial model as a basic framework of cultural value to Chinese public sectors. The study tries to display value mapping of the Chinese public sectors and to examine the relationship between the identified values with organizational outcome variables, which is normally characteristic of an exploratory research. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

404 civil servants were asked to classify 62 cultural values into three axes, emotional, economical and ethical, and to attain the importance of the 62 values.

Five cultural values including happiness, belonging, harmony, achievement, and efficiency are identified to be the most important values in Chinese public sectors. Harmony and achievement were found to affect organizational outcome variables.

Sample size is relatively small, and more cultural differences have been neglected within Chinese culture. And the paper collected data twice and used different means, but analyzed the combined data, which could be problematic.

The findings suggest that Chinese civil servants pay much attention on emotional-developmental type of cultural values. Ethic-related culture needs to be emphasized more on culture building behaviors both at the organizational level and at the national level.

This is the first time the tri-axial model was introduced into Chinese culture. Testing with Chinese samples, the tri-axial model appears to address some of the important limitations of previous models that were summarized before. The paper successfully grouped all the cultural values into three pre-defined axes. The most important values are identified.

This paper addresses the extent to which culture is affecting the adoption of global human resource management (HRM) practices by Spanish organizations. One of our main objectives was to offer a thorough review of the recent empirical evidence regarding HRM practices in Spanish organizations. Another goal was to discuss these findings in light of the Spanish culture in order to identify possible cultural barriers to the adoption of global HRM practices. Our results suggest that Spanish organizations are slowly adopting global practices; however, many traditional practices remain. We suggest that the cultural variables of low future orientation, high power distance, and low institutional collectivism may exert continuing pressures that will hinder the adoption of certain global HRM practices.