Content area
Abstract
Management in general, and personnel management in particular, are culturally constrained. A distinction is made between national cultures and organization cultures. National cultures differ mainly on the level of fundamental values; five dimensions of values can be distinguished. These affect organization structures, motivation, performance appraisal, objective setting, strategic management, and humanization of work. National cultures do not converge over time. Organization cultures (within nations) differ mainly on the level of more superficial practices, which means they are somewhat manageable. Six dimensions of practices can be distinguished, with implications for management. Managing multinationals means accepting national culture differences and managing organizational culture differences.