dao.anhviet.free.frdao.anhviet.free.fr/cross cultural/vt2008-fek-d-2061.doc · web viewthe idea...

The impact of Thai culture toward the idea of Empowerment on Multinational Corporation in

Thailand --- Company

BY

Suttida Chuvetsereporn Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden

Suttida Chuvetsereporn Maladalen University

Acknowledgement

1. Introduction Thailand Overview Research Problem Aim Target group

Table of content

Page 4

5 - 10 5 - 8

9 9 10

2. Methodology Approach The choice of company & Respondents The choice of questionnaires The conceptual relationship The choice of topic & theories The choice of information Analysis Approach

3. Data collection

4. Theory Framework

Culture Aspect National Culture Framework

10 - 13 10 11

11 – 12 12

12 - 13 13

13

14 – 26

14 - 21 14 – 18

Different between Western culture and Non Western Culture 18 Influence of National Culture on Management Practice 19 – 20 Thai management affects Thai Values

Empowerment Aspect The Derivation of Empowerment The Definition of Empowerment The Context of Empowerment

5. Conceptual Framework

6. Finding and Analysis Finding and Analysis Part 1 Finding and Analysis Part 2 Finding and Analysis Part 3


20 – 21

22 - 23 23 - 24 25 - 26

26

27 - 48 27 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 48

7. Conclusion and Recommendation Conclusion Recommendation

8. Limitation

9. References

10. Appendix


49 - 5249 - 51 52

53

54 – 58

59 - 73

Introduction

Nowadays, the world is closer than before, due to increasing in technology and communication through an internet, an increasing in the world globalization and expansion, export-import, wholly owned subsidiary, licensing etc. The idea that western pattern of doing business come to influence Asia easier. Asia applies those ideas wishing that all are match to them as in western country successful.

American management theory led to the belief that “one size fits all”; good manager in the United state of America will also being the good manager in other countries. The cross culture difference and physic distance impel us to study the method of management in Western country whether should it apply to Thailand.

I decided to focus on only one company that has many branches around the world, as I want to study the contribution to the cross culture research in management. The attempt to answer the question whether the management practice that work effectively in one culture could be transferred without modification for effective use in another culture.

Author is Thai so lead to think about the Thai culture that affect management style of internal control. Thailand is one of the developing countries which growing to be a new market for people around the world. Thai people are also able to adopt the idea of the others that they think maybe good for them. I think that Thailand is the country that has their own culture that totally different from Western countries. Their social structure, political, life style, management practice can show some critical views that I am interesting to study about, thus I chose Thailand as base country.

My personal background is in the field of business. I am also interesting more on the cross culture differences. Studying aboard make me know more about the culture differences, I come from an Asia countries that far from Nordic countries like Sweden. I have found culture shock when I first came here. It led me thought about the management theory; each theory should fit to each country same as everyday life culture. My culture is best for only my country or not. Finally, I came out with the topic of “ The impact of Thai culture toward the idea of Empowerment on Multinational Corporation in Thailand ”. I’ll focus on the Thai culture to be the sample group because I want to study that western pattern of management can be apply in every countries or not. As I had already mention in above that the empowerment is the key to succeed in most of firm in western countries, but I personal think that it is not match to anywhere. I am familiar with Thai people and culture. My own experience will be helpful for study this topic. Hopefully that all the information I have provided here will be helpful for readers.


Thailand Overview

The kingdom of Thailand is geographically lying in the heart of Southeast Asia. It’s a large and densely populated country. Thailand is boarded by Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Moreover, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia are our neighbor. The large population bases of neighbor countries provide fascinating markets for people establishing business in Thailand. Thailand is divided into 76 provinces, which are located in the central, southern, northern and northeastern regions. Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand, both the province with the highest population and the highest population density. Thailand is governed by constitutional monarchy.

People and Demographic

Population in Thailand is around 63.12 million in 2008. Of these the Chinese are perhaps the most numerous, especially in urban areas, though because of intermarriage and long years of residence, it is difficult to isolate them as a distinct group. About 75% of people living in Thai are Thai and 14% are Chinese. However, intermarriage has blurred this distinction. More than half of population is under 30


years of age, and this young education population sector is a major marketing target as well as workforce target. Thailand workforce is among the most cost efficient in the world, as they have earned a reputation for diligence and adaptability (Toewes,et al,2000) Due to the low rate laborer cost, Thailand attracted other countries for foreign direct investment(FDI) in Southeast Asia.

Education

Thailand education consist of many levels ,starting with nursery school for one year, three year of preschool, six years of compulsory primary school and six years of secondary education followed by high school. Secondary education has both a technical and academic qualification systems (Education in Thailand nd.).

The education system in Thailand is the old-fashioned, as the teaching method is telling students to memorize. There are not many activities that activate students to think, so student lack self-confident, self-esteem, and self-motivation. Education is not equal for every population, as school punch in the capital city. The far away students seem uneducated. Lacking of good school, facilities and technology Thai have been claim failure in education system (Education in Thailand nd.).

As the economy development, there has been increasing in demand for the young educated who can speaks and read English. As well paid jobs become more difficult to obtain, even young employees are reconsidering their attitude to work. This also cause the high competitive in job finding for new graduate going aboard for further study as to stay competitive to others (Toewes,et,al,2000).

Economy

Traditional Thai economic was based on agriculture. The economic is based on private sector and government as mixed economic. As economy gradually grows up, Thai shifted to more export-oriented strategy. Thai economic expand rapidly and nowadays the main income of Thailand come from export-oriented (Economy of Thailand nd.). As Thailand has an advantage in cost effective, Thailand steady grow up (Thailand's Advantages nd.). Government also supports exporter and foreign direct investment by open and free trade area. In an international survey (2006) shows that Thailand is the most attractive investment location. Thailand is also being a gateway to Southeast Asia.


MNE(Multinational Enterprise) in Thailand

FDI play an important role in Thai economic culture, after 1979 BOI (Board of Investment) was established (Pancharoen,1990). Many benefits Thailand provide for foreign investor so it’s lead to increasing number of investors invest in Thailand. Thailand becomes the country that attracts the investors due to a cost-competitive location for investors, offering a quality lifestyle for expatriates. Adding a healthy macroeconomic environment, a positive regulatory business environment and a welcoming culture clearly sets Thailand apart from its competitors (Thomas, n.d).

“Thailand ranks 20th among the 145 countries surveyed and first in Southeast Asia in terms of ease of doing business. Thailand has lower start up cost than the others countries in Asia, cost compared to China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam. Lower startup barriers in Thailand allow entrepreneurs and businesses to quickly put their resources to productive uses” (By Alita Thomas)

Relationship with Western country

The psychic distance is the difficulty that home country and foreign country meet. Psychic distance is the different between cultures as language, traditional, political, and legal and so on. Those factors are the obstacle for foreigner to invest in the countries which located far away from them (Johnson & Vahlne,1997).Thailand and The Western country are also has the same problem of the psychic distance (Wikipedia, n.d). The location is one the factor that affects the investor to invest in foreign country although that benefit to company as a whole. The network relationship is one factor that reduces the psychic distance as the treaty of amity that Thailand signed with United States. This is perhaps why the American companies doing business in Thailand easier than other countries (Toewes&McGregor,2000).


Research problem:

I will do research on a MNC in Thai, and find out how the

”Thai culture could influence the employee empowerment in Thailand”.

I have chosen a MNC, because it can represent the cross-national management, meanwhile could focus on one aspect of Thailand. “Expatriate subjects (Japanese, German, Hungarian, and American) complained that some Thai employees did not show any strong commitment to the task assignment. Thai employees hesitate to say they could not do the work when it was assigned and hesitate to ask for any help when there were problems. Expatriates reported that their Thai staff rarely committed to tell when they could get the job done (Roong Sriussadaporn, 2006). They also not dare enough to ask boss when they feel not clear about that task. Through this report, I would like to explore if the western pattern of management can be easily apply in Thailand. As the empowerment can be used in reality in Thai business culture, which to give power, to open up, to release potential of Thai work attitude (Bryan Smith, 1997) so to see how much it work, I will random 120 staff to ask for their feeling toward this management style.

Through this research, readers could understand more about cultural differences and management style influence empowerment. Readers also find the results from sample size whether this implementation is effective and efficient or not.

Aim:

I aim to use company to study the national culture on system of management in Thailand. American-owned organizations conducted an introduction of empowerment in Thailand lead us to pick up one idea that used to popular ‘empowerment’ to do this research. I aim at using the multinational company in Thai to describe the working relationship between managers and employees. Explain how the Asian company cultures adopt to western style of management. My research tries to find out whether the culture influences on management system. Then I will identify the opinions of Thai managers and employees by doing the primary research; identify the problems of culture difference that occur during the conduction of empowerment by identify the value that are not congruent with the concept of empowerment. How managers cope with those problem if any. After that authors will recommend how organization could implement empowerment in Thailand easily and smoothly. Author hopes that the research will be useful for readers.


Target Group:

Students who get benefit from this research Researchers who interest in this topic NYK company; hope this thesis could give some help on management in company. Businessmen who would like to foreign direct investment

Methodological approach:

This chapter will tell you why author choose this topic. The author will provide the information about the detail of strategy that author has used and the design of research methodology. Readers could also get the information about which particular theory author will choose for conclusion. Author tries to use Qualitative and Quantitative method of data collection.

The data collection will be shown here. The primary data, author will explain how the data is collected. The information and the source of information will also be shown in this part. Author also mention why those questions are asked and the scope that author intend to study. For the secondary data, author will show which theory author will focus on. Why do those theories importance for this study. Author also shows that where those information are from.

The choices of company: First, NYK Company is the multinational company that Parent Company is located in Japan. NYK have many branches around the world such as America, Western Europe, and South Europe which appropriate for our study. Second, NYK is a representative of a multinational company in Thailand that practice empowerment. As NYK was implemented empowerment since company was established in Thailand. Third, most of employees in NYK are Thai nationality so that the strong culture structure still exists in an organization. The influence of Thai culture will be obviously reflected back to empowerment practice. Thus, author chose NYK to study how Thai culture influences empowerment practice in Thailand.

The choices of Respondents: First, author used one set of questionnaire to collect data concerning on the employees’ attitude toward the empowerment practice in Thailand. Author distributed questionnaire randomly to staffs who working under control of our interviewee managers. Thus, 120 questionnaires were distributed with the help of Mr. Nattapan Sirirattanapol; MD of NYK Company. Due to the internal control of company, the name of respondents cannot be presented. Second, the small interview was conducted with four managers at NYK. Author tries to find out the attitude of employees in higher position. Author intends to see different attitude between the white collar and the blue collar worker toward empowerment. Different


function managers were invited to response to this research using an interview guide. Mr. Anuvat Ngamkajeejit is an import sales manager who control over USA/Canada/Europe/Mediterranean areas. Miss Jamriang Paengtong is an Accounting Section Manager. Mr.Kosol Sanitwong is a Human resource Manager and Mr. Khomsan Tanyapanyachon is the export and import sales manager who control over the automotive parts.

Design of Questionnaires: First, this set of questionnaire is conducted for gather the information about the employees’ attitude toward the empowerment practice. Second, this set of questionnaires is also conducted to find out the employees’ attitude toward the managers practice under the empowerment. The questionnaire contained 3 parts. First part, is present the general information about respondents. Different choices are designed to answer the particularly useful data about the background information of respondents. Six-point scale was used in the second part of questionnaire for find out the basic understanding, belief and attitude toward company culture of management (6 = very agree and 1 = very disagree). The questionnaire is design to find out whether Thai culture is in the collectivist or individualism country. High power distance culture or lower power distance country is also the result that author intend to design questionnaire for. As empowerment have high participation, involving and self-efficacy, so author intended to find out particular characteristic of Thai people. Author will use those finding to see how Thai culture affects implementation of empowerment. Third part, author wants to find out employees’ attitude toward the empowerment practice. Author designed questionnaires for find out the present surrounding and the expectation surrounding of company. Author focus more on the idea of Vogt & Kenneth, so the measurement is asked step by step follow their ideas. Starting with how the Information flows in the company. Author also wants to know how free the information flows from managers to subordinates. Next step is Decision Making, author develops questionnaire to test how much the power are in hand of subordinates under the decision making part. Then, planning and managing of managers over the subordinates, do they have involving in planning. Follow by the Evaluation and Control, this part author tries to look at the way managers evaluate subordinates, do subordinates have any criticism toward managers’ evaluation. Moreover, the Leadership and Motivation is the other tools for author to test how efficient of empowerment practice in Thailand. Final element is Selection, Discussion and Development. Thus, one set of questionnaire will contain 6 main elements which follow the idea of Vogt & Kenneth. Respondents are asked to answer each question twice to see employees’ present situation and their expectation toward empowerment practice in Thailand.

Theory and Conceptual Framework relationship: The questionnaire developed above, author has shown the characteristic of Thai culture based on Hofstede’s culture dimension theory. Literature reviews are presented the main definition and characteristic on empowerment. Matching the Thai culture characteristic with an


empowerment practice base on Vogt & Kenneth, to test how the efficiency and effectively of implement empowerment in Thailand. For the Finding section, the results can show the characteristic of Thai culture based on Hofstede dimensions. Then, the data have used to compare those Thai characteristics with the Western culture characteristics; which successfully implement empowerment. Author will find Mean, Mode and Standard Deviation of each question to present. Other factors which may be influence the practicing of empowerment such as Gender, Education, and Age. Mean is using for describe the central location of the data, readers can find how employees’ attitude by looking at each mean difference. As the data is not much, author will use traditional way of running the data (manual count). There are also the table show how linkage between culture and empowerment in the conclusion part.

The choice of topic: As author used to mention that author is Thai who has studied aboard, so it lead author think about this topic. Author picks up the idea of empowerment and Thai culture to study. Author thinks that there are linkages between Thai cultures that affect the practice of empowerment.

The choice of Theory: The general information about Thailand may help readers to know more about this country. The information about Thai people, education and economic will make readers know more about nature of Thai people, so readers will understand the basic standard of Thai people. After that author will show the idea of national culture and business culture (Bhaskaran &Sukumaran,2007). Author is focus more on the Hofstede's cultural dimensions model which has been widely used as a basic explanatory and predictive model in a variety of business studies. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (1991) were included with five dimensions; power distance index (PDI), individualism (IDV), masculinity (MAS),uncertainty avoidance index (UAI), and long-term orientation (LTO). Hofstede (1980) also compares the western Culture values and none-western culture values to see the differences in overview culture (Anbari et al, n.d.). After that the idea of empowerment will be first written in the short conclusion to help readers easily understand empowerment. The idea of empowerment was written in many perspectives but the main idea about empowerment was the way white collar give the power to blue collar. Author tried to separate into three main different views about empowerment. First of all, author will mention about the definition of empowerment. Then, show the concept of empowerment and those idea of empowerment in author’s opinion after reading though many literatures of empowerment. The idea of cross culture management and physic distance are also the factors that affect the empowerment that use in Thailand.

The choice of information: Author uses the Multinational Corporation to study, due to the same company which is affected by many culture differences, environment of work place and also behavior of different societies lead to have different way of implement the management style of control over their subordinates. It can help author to see more clearly about the culture differences which affect the management style.


Author does research about the Multinational corporation in Thailand which implementing the idea of empowerment. The company should have at less two branches located in USA (Western country) and Thailand. Readers may want to know why author chose company that has at least one branch in Thailand and one in USA. The reason is the management style of empowerment is the American management theory that use effectively in U.S.A (Laurent 1983) and that is why author want to study how effective and how efficient if it’s implemented in Thailand. Information will be gathered from interview managers of multinational company and distribute questionnaire to employees. Literatures review in some articles, text book and old thesis about empowerment and culture value.

Analysis Approach:

Author will use the data collect from questionnaires and the information from managers to see how feeling of doing their work with the power in hand. Author do find out the opinion of the managers under the idea of empowerment in Thai whether how the effectiveness and efficiency of the empowerment in Thailand toward the Thai culture.

Author uses secondary data, the theory of cultural dimension in management of Hofstede. The theories about cross culture management. Focus more on many theories of empowerment. Author will show the theories about empowerment and focus more on the organization culture of the company that apply the idea of empowerment. The impact of culture on the organizational management function will be shown. Combined secondary together with the review literatures to get the realistic empirical data and compare the empowerment in Thai’s companies and western’s companies. Giving recommendations on how company should adapt their practicing to succeed smoothly in control business environment (based on suggestion of managers). The recommendations will be based on the data gain from staff and managers.

Data Collection:

Author decided to focus on only one company that has many branches around the world. Author preferred to do interview with the managers of four departments in the company, via telephone. 120 questionnaires are distributed to NYK staff to see how they feel towards the implementation of empowerment in their company. Four guiding set of questionnaires was distributed to managers of company. For questionnaires author hope to get paper back from respondents more than 70%. Those questions which picked up to review were related directly to the idea of empowerment, Thai culture and western culture.


Theoretical Framework:

National culture framework

There are many studies about the national culture such as Hall, Hofstede, Black and Mendenhall, Inglehart and Trompenaars. Author intend to focus more on Hofstede’s culture dimensions model, his work provide the comparison across the countries. His work is one of the most important models on culture differences. Hofstede dimension related more on the international management.

Hofstede’s culture dimensions. He defined culture in five dimensions. The following graph as show below is the five types of culture that Hofstede’s defined:

Table 1 Five elements in Hofstede cultural dimension

Source: Hofstede (1994)


PDI - Power Distance Index: represent the idea of unequally, which people expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.

“Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society and anybody with some international experience will be aware that 'all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others’(Hofstede ,n.d.)

There are high level and low level of power distance Index. In the low power distance communities, people in this community will not expect and accept the different status also they have the different power in hand. In the high power distance communities, it’s the reverse relationship, people accept the differentiate status easily, the different hierarchy are obviously shown. They easily defer to others who have higher status and more power in hand than they do.

IDV – Individualism: show the idea of the individual and the idea of collectivism. This part measures the extent to which people are integrated into groups. People who concern more on individual will have relatively loose social. They are more solely, separately. Individualism is the idea that human being respects noting more than the benefit of his/her. They think and judge independently, it is intimately connected with the concept of autonomy. (Branden, 1994).

In other side” collectivism” people show their strong loyalty to their social respondent Waterman (1981). This type of people gain the support from their social, because they are also belong to the group as Brown, Singelis, and William(1995) discuss about individualism and collectivism. Hofstede (1980) show that Thai culture is very much more on the collectivistic than American or American are more individual than Thai. The Degree of individualism and collectivism in an organization depend not only environment but also other factors such as people education, subculture and traditional (Lee,1999)

MAS – Masculinity (Femininity) : It’s refer to the role and position distributed to different gender. This dimension shows the culture toward the cooperation, relationship among gender. The societies tend to see greater difference value between men and women in working place. In high masculinity society, the different genders lead to get discrimination. In the low masculinity society, each gender is treated similarly. Hofstede define the feminine as the country that treat women equal to men and masculinity as country that have discrimination.


LTO - Long-Term Orientation: This dimension reflects the degree to which people and organizations adopt long-term or short-term orientation. Hofstede and Bond (1998) said that include strong orientation toward ordering relationships by status, thrift, and having a sense of shame, as well as weak orientation toward protection face, respect for tradition, and reciprocity in favor and gifts. Thrift and perseverance are the characters of Long Term Orientation while Short Term Orientation respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's face.

UAI - Uncertainty Avoidance: It’s represent the feeling of people in society whether they feel comfortable or not in the unstructured situation. Unstructured situation occur without notice, unusual, unpredictable, extraordinary sometime occur immediately. Government tries to avoid that uncertainty by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures. General behavior of human does not like the uncertainty and ambiguity. This dimension shows the employee behavior toward the idea of empowerment by the way that how much they participate is also due to risk possibility affected to them.

Table 2 Hofstede’s dimension

Hofstede’s dimension United State

Thailand Comparison

Power distance Index

Individualism Masculinity

Uncertainty Avoidance

Long-term Orientation

**Source :Hofstede (1994)

40

91 62

46

29

64

20 34

64

56

Thailand have higher power distance index

American is more individualism Thai is less discriminate than

American American are more risk taker than

Thai Thailand is more long-term

Orientation

The table 2 above shows the score between Thailand and United state toward five dimensions. Thai have higher power distance more than American. Thailand has the strong hierarchy and seniority. In the community that have high power distance the management system trend to be centralization. (Zhang, 1994) For the independent between Thai and American are obviously shows that Thai are more collectivism than American do. Thai like to be in group is proved by the data above. Thai people look over the gender difference more than American do although Thai have strong hierarchy. Thai also have the uncertainty rate of avoidance higher than American. Thai


does like to take a risk compare with American. In the same way, they aptitude is toward long term more than short term orientation. It seems to have link together between long term orientation and uncertainty avoidance. Thai may don’t want to take any risk so that the look forward for long term orientation only.

Trompenaars' and Hampden-Turner's cultural factors describe culture into

seven different dimensions.

Universalism vs. Particularism: This dimension shows the different between Universalism and Particularism. Universalism is about finding board and general rules. This Universalism is about trying to search for the best rule when there is no rules fit. Paricularism is about finding exceptions. When there is no rules fit, they won’t find the other rules to fit. They will judge by their own instinct not strict to the rule.

Analyzing vs. Integrating: This two ideas have reverse relationship. Analyzing see people who have the big picture in his mind as out of reality people. Integrating said that people who have big picture in his mind but his head in the weed will miss understanding the truth.

Individualism vs. Communitarianism; This dimension show the different between Communitarianism and Individualism. Individualism is the term used to describe a moral, political or social of human being, people think and act independently. People who have high individualism trend not to think about social benefit. Communitarianism is reverse relationship with Individualism. This group of people pays more attention to society. They will think of other people, family, group, company, country before themselves.

Inner-directed vs. outer-directed: This dimension shows the process of thinking of human being. Inner directed is the thinking and personal judgment without other factor effect, it’s the internal mind of people. Sometime we also use the term of “intuitive” to mention this idea. Outer-directed is the way people seek the data from the real world. After getting that information we think and decision again. It’s not come from our own personal judgment.

Time as sequence vs. Time synchronization: This dimension shows the different between sequence and synchronization .Time as sequence sees the event occurs in the ordinary item. One event happen so the other event follow, happen one after the other. Time as synchronization sees the event parallel and synchronized, it can happen in the same time.


Achieved status vs. Ascribed status: This dimension shows different idea between Achieved and Ascribed status. Achieved status is about getting status by their own performance while Ascribed is getting status by their luck. Achieved is depend on their own works while the ascribed is acquire by other judgments. Achieve status can loss anytime your performance is poor, but for Ascribed status can know where status is and stays there.

Equality vs. Hierarchy: This dimension shows the different between the Equality and Hierarchy. Equality is that all the people are in the same level in the society, they should treat fairly. They have equally right and status irrespective of birth or any other worthiness. On the other hand, Hierarchy shows that in society have many different levels of people. This idea is separate people to different level and treat with different standard, just like people in higher position will have more power over lower position people. Senior can order junior, superior can order subordinate, and manager can order staff. The lower level people also obey to the higher level people’s order through the chain of command.

Readers can see that both Hofstedes cultural dimension and Trompenaars' and Hampden-Turner's cultural dimension are similarity.

Table 3 The different between Western culture and non Western culture

Enrollment in local colleges, 2005

Source: (Anbari et al, 2003)

The table above shows the total different between two cultures. Western Culture (American) has high degree of individualism while Thai culture has high degree of collectivism. Thai people are influenced by external control than self control. Western


culture teach people to be more self controllable than external control. Thai also have strong hierarchy than western countries. In Thai people respect elder while western people respect the competency. Western people take direct action whereas Thai people avoid direct action (indirectness).

Influence of national culture on management practices

Bakhtari (1995) said that national culture is one of many factors which influence the management practice, found that culture components are religion, value, system, and language. It’s obviously show that culture plays an important role in the employee’s perception of management style and overall organizational. Newman and Nollen support Hofstede idea that low power distance company has higher outcome as there are more participate and involve in sharing their idea to company. Outcome of working of the high power distance company are low due to low participating and involving in sharing idea. Moreover performance outputs of individualistic and collectivistic also depend on management contribution. As in individualistic the performance can be higher if management emphasized individual employee contribution. For collectivism the performance can be high if management not to emphasized individual employee. Newman and Nollen were talking about the distance problem (Culture Problem), as far as the parent company and their subsidiary, the greater chance to have difficulty to implement similar management practices.

The national culture helps us to understand more what others expected to be treated, and also show that the national culture plays an important role in the management practice (xin, 1997). Newman and Nollen (1996) mention that the management practice congruent with national culture will lead to better performance of organization.

Morakul (1999) said after try to imply the ABC system (The activity-based costing) in Thailand, that there is high level of resistance in empowerment practice and resistance power due to their culture. Those finding was support Hofstede’s idea that Thai culture are in high power distance culture. Morakul also mention about Thai organization that he found collectivist and feminine society. Thai see others as out-group (anyone who is not in your own group).

Wikipedia defined that ”Collectivism is a term used to describe any moral, political, or social outlook, that stresses human interdependence and the importance of a collective, rather than the importance of separate individuals”.


Workers are integrated into strong, organization assuming like family, they think they are all membership of same society (Michael, 1997). Feminine culture people will show better performance by equal treated, concerned others’ welfare and less motivated by self-interest (Kanungo & Jaeger, 1990)

Michael (1997) gave supporting to Hefstede’s idea about the power distance and uncertainty. He said that in the low power distance culture there is more idea sharing or two way communication than in high power distance. Or we can say that people feel free to give their idea if the power distance is low. For Uncertainty Avoidance dimension, Michael mentions that the degree of job satisfaction for the high uncertainty avoidance culture is higher. On the other hand, people in high uncertainty avoidance culture have more stress and anxiety. One way to help those problems is their boss need to spend more time to explain what is expected of them (Alfred, Rabindra, 1990)

From the literature above one could conclude that we cannot separate national culture from management practices. An impaction of the national culture has affected over employees’ performance. National culture is a central organization principle of employees’ understanding of work, and the way which they expect to be treated. Management practices that reinforce national culture value are more likely to yield predictable behavior (Wright and Mischel 1987). Management practices which consistent with existing behavioral expectations and routine of employee are not distracted employees from their work (Earley,1994).

Thai management affects Thai Values

Hofstede model come from conducted the survey collecting data from employees of the IBM company around 40 countries though out the world. Finally, came out with the Hofstede model. Not only Hofstede but also Holmes and colleagues wrote about value of Thai. Holmes and colleagues wrote down by his experience working with Thai. Thai is a hierarchy society more until it’s becoming the norm of environment among the organization in Thai. Merit combines the one abilities intellectual or spiritual attainment and accomplishment in various areas of life; it includes one’s earned rank and position. Deference is normally given to each of these aspects of seniority. Thai also pay so much attention in the hierarchy, thus the hierarchy make up of Thai society has a great influence on Thai organizational structures. Moreover, Thai structure differ significantly from foreign structure (Holmes el at,1995). Thai people like to be in the group and give the priority to relationship among people (Holmes el at,1995). Thai work hard to maintain the relationship among a wide and complex network of people. It’s becoming the norm that Thai try to be together. Avoidance conflict is an important thing Thai concern. Thai always make sure that they don’t offend with others by their action or word and try hard to avoid friction confrontation


and conflict. Thai way of avoid conflict have very much impact on how Thai express conversation and action. Thai will not controversy during the conversation to interrupt the speaker and that Thai said “it’s saving the others face.

Thompson (1988) found that Thai concern about their face, they don’t want to lose their face to others as any other Asians. Ho (1976) said that ‘face is lost when the individual, either through his action or that of people closely related to him, fails to meet essential requirement placed upon him by virtue of the social position he occupies. Level of face concern is higher in collectivist culture relative to individualist culture.

The concept of ‘saving face’ and ‘conflict avoidance’ is Thai norm that lead to be company norm. Thai participate in the work place bring their own behavior of suggestion indirectly and softly to saving others face in the company. As culture is form by the external environment, nonverbal behavior like this is created andinterpreted in the company quietly (Hall, 1983). This group of people is gradually absorbing those norms until being their culture, when their reaction is automatically. This type of norm is less exists in Western culture.

Moreover Thai found that more sensitive toward others. Thai word that used to explain the saving face idea is ‘Kreng Jai’. Kreng jai also is sometimes translated as ‘consideration’ or ‘deference’ an implicit obligation to respect others’ feelings(Maguire 2002). This concept encompasses with many elements such as diffidence, deference, consideration, reluctance to impose or interrupt others etc. Thai also concern about the negotiation with others, especially superiors. Thai avoid making any uncomfortable and reluctant to tell their own right (Pornpitakpan, 2000).


The derivation of Empowerment

During 1800s, the human behaviors nearby Mississippi were different from people in east part. They started to be highly independent, self-confident, solely, stubborn, self-control. It was comparable during 1850s, the work habit of people become separate into two groups, the idea of responsibility leadership and the idea of control leadership. The idea of responsibility readership (empowerment) was from Chinese. Chinese were diligence. Chinese accepted those work that American rejected to do, thus they were hired in 1864 to work with the Central Pacific Railroad Company. American believed that efficient work habit of Chinese done the impossible project. That is the starting history of empowerment in experience and research of Webb (2003).

Maslow created his model of hierarchy to show that people have different need. Someone needs only to fulfill their personal growth. Someone may want more than that. They want to be in the group, want to fulfill by group of people or achieved higher status. Participation would satisfy human needs of self-actualization and fulfillment this mechanism increase motivation and performance. Increasing the quality of working life, developments in social environment is including more educated workers has led to a higher level of expectation concerning quality of life (Cotton, 1993).

McgGregor separated human into two characters based on his theory of X and Y constructs. Understand of staff characters help superior know how to treat them. Theory X shows that people inherently dislike work, prefer to be directed and must be controlled to get work done. Theory Y shows that this kind of people view work as being as natural as play or rest, they happy with working. They will exercise self direction and control themselves to achieve the goal that they are committed to do, with responsibility.

Hygiene factors theory by http://www.akri.org/cognition/motivate.htm suggest that achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility advancement and growth are all the factors that increase job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is the one's feelings or state-of-mind regarding their work. It’s no fixed level of satisfaction; it’s depending


on personal happiness of their job. There are also many factors that influence a person's level of job satisfaction.

“He also suggested the existence of Hygiene Factors that act as demotivators. These include company policy, supervision, working conditions, interpersonal relations and salary” (John ,2005)

Those ideas share the common assumption that environment effect human being. The knowledge they gain and experience provide the opportunity for them to grow and being involve in the society. It is also assume that the opportunity to get job satisfaction and work efficiency start with participation. Before they can participate it’s assume that they need to have both work to do and power in hand (empowerment) (Wilkinson ,1998).

The definition of empowerment

Empowerment becomes popular management practice, but the exactly definition still blur. As Cunningham & Hyman (1996) state that there is not simple and single definition of empowerment. CHAMBERLIN (1997) said that people know the common concept as self-esteem and self –efficacy, but she feel that it’s not the exactly meaning of empowerment. She defines the definition of empowerment as a complex and multidimensional concept. It’s a process rather than an event (Bradwick, 1991). Some defined empowerment as shearing power with or moving power to those doing the work (Peters, 1987). Conger & Kannungo (1988, p.474) defined the empowerment as “a process where the individual’s belief in his/her efficacy is enhanced”. Empowerment sometimes was defined as thinking outside the box Kilton (2003). Other use phrases such as redistribution authority and control (Champy, 1995;Karsten, 1994). Whatever the definition of empowerment are used, the concept of empowerment is an important tools for operation; develop their performance and potential of the individual for the company successful. (Lin, 1998)

Many people know the empowerment as the management constructs so that author arise the discussion of the empowerment on, how does empowerment differs from theories about how to improve employees’ jobs. Author hope to find out that empowerment goes beyond participation and job enrichment to involve employees in their management of the company.


Empowerment and Job Enrichment

The wikipedia defined the definition of job enrichment as an attempt to motivate employees to give an idea, give them an opportunity to show their abilities. It is the contrast to job enlargement. Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary give the definition of enrich as “improve the quality of something by adding something else”Hackman & Oldham (1976) talked about the 3 ways of job enrichment. First, was trying to change the vision of individual to have the same aim as company and give them freedom to work. Second, give employees the incentives and finally make sure that those incentives are what they really want. (Lapbanjoob,http://www.sg.ac.th/go/article/article_prevo.asp?id=183&status=prev,12 december 2006) According to those definitions, lead us to assume that the job enrichment is one characteristic in the empowerment.

Empowerment and Employee Involvement

Leanna & Florkowski (1992, p.234) defined employee involvement as “ a process of involving employees in some aspect(s) of decision making that had been traditionally reserved for management.” As this definition show that empowerment is the highest level of employee involvement. It’s because that employee can share their idea thus, it’s make them feel they are part of company. Their jobs meaningful, any job they done are affected to environment. They can have the option to choose the way they do their jobs (Johnson & Redmend , 1998) So the beneficial way to increase employee involvement is to empower them.

Empowerment and Participation

Participation is the lowest level of employee involvement where employees are asked to give suggestions. Lowler et al (1992) make the distinction between off-line and on-line participation. Off-line participation, which they term parallel organizational structures, involves special meeting or problem-solving activities that are separate from the normal work process. Employees do have the opportunity to make suggestions, but they do not have the power to implement decisions. These parallel structures enable participation. Alternatively, through on-line participation, the work structure can be redesigned so that employees have the authority to make structure can be redesigned so that employees have the authority to make and carry out importance decisions about their work and the organization. Consequence, redesigned jobs only enable first stage of empowerment (Sigler, 1997).


The context of empowerment

Empowerment has been elaborated by many scholars, it’s both psychological process and as technique for altering the work structure (Conger & Kanungo, 1988).

Byham (1992) said that empowerment is a feeling of job ownership and commitment brought about by the way of abilities to make decision, responsible, measured by results and be recognized as thoughtful. Definition is not as difficult as practicing empowerment Rapoport (1984). Empowerment helps improving the self-efficiency, by the way that subordinates showing their capacities to the groups and making decision (Nanette Page, Nanette Page, 1999).For Thomas and Velthouse 1990, believed that the empowerment was not only self-efficacy. The task motivation is the other factors that motivation. (Conger & Kanungo,1988) believe that empowerment have effected by relationship. People will feel powerless when they are control by the other person. Thus, Conger and Kanungo (1988) draw the five stages on empowerment as a relationship construct. First stage, talking about the condition that makes the subordinates feels powerless. Second stage, the strategies and technique that managerial use. Third stage, remove all the external factors, build up self-efficiency. Fourth stage, result in empowering experience of subordinate, receive all information and feel empowered. Final stage, See the behavior effects of empowerment. (Spretizer, 1995b) also mention about the self-efficiency. She defined the motivation in four cognitions: meaning, competence, self-determination and impact. Social structure of organization influences the psychological sense of empowerment. Employees’ perception of empowerment is influenced by the organization culture and leadership. Promotion satisfaction and turnover intensions can change employees’ perception (Sparrowe,1994). The result from the study of Kirkman & Rosen, (1996) shows that there were significant related of empowerment with leadership behavior, environment, policy and organization structure.

Lin (1998) identified that management style of empowerment leader is high task and high people oriented. Vogt and Kenneth (1990) draw six dimensions of the empowered organization;

1. Management-Information/Communication. 2. Decision Making and Action 3. Project -Planning, Organization and System – Integration


4. System – Evaluation and Internal – Control 5. Leadership/ Motivation, and Reward System 6. Selection, Placement and Development Lashley and McGoldrick also draw the five dimensions of empowerment;

1. Task dimension; employee involve in empowerment have higher discretion than employee involve in the production line organization.

2. Task allocation dimension; show the amount of responsible autonomy employee fulfill. Employees involving in production line organization, have not much permission to consideration while employees involving in empowerment have high autonomy.

3. Power dimension; show the feeling of employees who have experience with empowered. Employees involving in product line organization have power limited to their task.

4. Commitment dimension; show the commitment of employees with the organization compliance in empowerment.

5. Culture dimension; show the foster feeling of empowerment. Employees involving in production line organization trend to have control-orientation. In the other hand, Employees involving in empowered organization trend to have trust-oriented.

Supported Lashley and McGolrick idea of trust-oriented in empowerment, Rothsteins (1995) said that without trust, empowerment cannot be work.

This study author will focus more on Vogt and Kenneth (1990), six dimensions. Author will set the questionnaire to find out the linkage between the Hofstede culture dimensions with Vogt and Kenneth empowerment dimension.


Conceptual Framework:

Thai culture Influence of Thai culture on

empowerment

Empowerment

There is no literature found that the empowerment and culture have the link between each others, but there are many literatures wrote down that culture difference have impact on the organization. (Adler, 1997) As Joynt & Warner (1996) have defined the definition of culture as the acquiring the knowledge that people use to interpret experience and to generate social behavior. Their behavior is shared between their group member, their organizations, and societies. (Rugman & Hodgett,2000)

Author try to show the way that Thai culture have affected on the practice of empowerment in Thailand and conclude the theory above to show that how the culture influence the idea of empowerment. Author will show the theory of Culture Difference and Empowerment what lead author thinks that the Culture have influence the idea of empowerment based on secondary data and primary data.


.

Finding and Analysis:

Finding part 1: General Information

This chapter author will show the finding data of primary research and analysis of those literatures and data from research objectives. Author will use tables to help readers be more easily to understand to provide a greater understanding of the researcher finding.

1.1 Description the collection sample

The total questions were distributed to employee at NYK (Thailand) for 120 questionnaires. From the helping of Mr. Nattapan Sirirattanapol; MD of NYK (Thailand), author got the 79 questionnaires return. However, some questionnaires cannot be use due to uncompleted, skipping and standard error. Finally, the entirely qualified questionnaires are 67 questionnaires.

Table 1.1 Personal Information


Continuous Table 1.1 Personal Information


As 1.1, most

the table of

respondents are male (60.61 %). Out of total respondents, 83.33% of them have completed bachelor degree. Majority of them are in the department of sales/marketing division, as the nature of the company is the shipping company that needs many of salesmen. Minority of them are in servicing department that provides services after shipping. It should be informed that those salesmen are being under different management levels, respecting to different managers. NYK separated section for the marketing division, such as some managers are in charge with the shipping over the area of the north part and the middle part of Thailand, some response only south and so on. They separated into many departments for having better service to their customers. There are 92.42% of respondents studied in Thailand. The other 7.58% of the rest have even been studied aboard. For working aboard, almost all of them have no experience on working in foreign countries, just only some of them have been working in other places. There are 14 out of 66 questionnaires were answered by the employees who have experience working with NKK for more around 3-4 years and it was the major group of respondents. Most of respondents have a bachelor degree which is 83.33 % of them, and 7.58% of them have higher degree. The rest around 9% are lower degree. Most importance is that all of them are Thai Nationality.

1.2 Description about the Thai value and organization culture


Here the data were collected to verify what author try to find out, Thai are in collective or individual culture, Thai are in high or low power distance culture, as Hofstede (1994) mention.

Table 1.2 the result for description the Thai value and organization culture

From question 6, it shows average score for 4.58, it means that in NYK co., still have hierarchy structure. Everyone knows who have authority over whom. For the common answer is 6, this data indicates that those structure seem to be strong hierarchy culture which existing in Thailand. Standard deviation is only 1.44, mean that Thai employee have the similar idea that hierarchy is an importance aspect. The results from questionnaires imply that Thai have the high power distance index, and those characteristic is existing in NYK Company. Question no.8 supports the idea of hierarchy that the good manager needs to be able to answer all their subordinates’ questions. It shows the subordinates’ attitude which believe in their managers. They believe that their managers need to be able to solve problem precisely and correctly. However the question no.9 contradicts the characteristic of Holmes and Colleague (1995) mention that Thai way of work are less likely to show their ideas over the boss. The average score is 4.64, shows that respondents sometime want to object their boss ideas. The common answer 6 is very high for the rate of sharing idea. Moreover, the result from question no.13 agrees with the idea from the question no.9, the average score is 4.20. The result shows that Thai employees do not hesitate to


criticism their bosses if they find inaccuracy. This finding a bit contradict with the Thai way “conflict avoidance” express by Holmes and Colleague (1995) and Komin (1991) as Thai’s concern more on relationship and less likely to express opposition. However Thai think that sharing information is good, but the information should be informed by soft and polite action. From the question no.16, shows the characteristic of Thai that is still being a conflict avoidance society. As respondents answer that the best way to solve all problems is compromise, average score is 4.76. Thai concern the relationship more than money as can be seen from question no.12, average score is 4.09. The way Thai compromise is supporting by Holmes and colleague who found out that Thai respected boss as father more than master. More than average score from question 12 imply what the Holmes and colleague found still present in the organization. One more supporting shows in question no.10, average score is lower average (2.73), outcome shows that people believe that to be the valuable assets for organization are to participate and be involved in sharing the information among each other(employees and boss).

For finding base on Hofstede dimension of collectivism and individualism, average score of respondents for question no.7 said that they think the decision make by teamwork is better than individual, is 2.30. The common answer “I” is quite low. It’s the reverse relationship from Holmes and Colleague (1995) claimed that Thai not usually make the decision by team, and boss makes the decision for all. Deeper study may help we know why those idea is reverse relationship with the study of Holmes and Colleague (1995).

Table 1.2.1 The relationship between different ages and Thai organization culture

By looking at the relationship between different ages of respondents and Thai


organizational culture, one could notice that there are significant differences between senior employees and junior employees. The result shows that older respondents are more agreed that relationships are more important than high income. The mean difference is not much only 0.41. Moreover, the result form question 16 shows that Thai have high conflict avoidance. Although there are some mean difference among different age, but all of them are higher than average. There are all agree in same direction. The results from each age are almost the same. The result can be concluded that Thai culture have high conflict avoidance without age effected. From question 6 there is mean difference between each age of respondent, but not much. The mean result shows very high score. They are all agrees that Thai company have strong hierarchy. Everyone knows who have authority over whom. In additional, the result from question 7 shows that every ages of respondents agree that decision making by groups are better than individual. This result shows that Thai have lower level of individualism. Thai are high power distance culture. However, there are slightly differences between the opinion of older employees and younger employees, but the mean average of each age are not too much difference.

Moreover, the results can be concluded that different ages are not a factor effect the

attitude toward organization culture. The result from each question shows same direction of answer. Thai culture influences employees’ attitude to be in the same direction no matter old you are.

Table 1.2.2 The relationship between gender and Thai organization culture


By looking at table 1.2.2, there is no much different between answering from male respondents and female respondents. Although Female believes that Thai organization culture has strong hierarchy than male believe, but the total mean score is higher only 0.32. One could see that there are not differences among answer from different gender toward present Thai organization culture. In each question, there is the same direction in answering from male and female. This can be implied that gender is not the main factor affected Thai attitude toward organization culture. Both gender agreed that Thai are high power distance culture and Thai are collectivism culture, see the mean.

Table 1.2.3 The relationship between level of education and Thai organization culture

The result from table 1.2.3, one could see that the level of education have an affect over the employees’ attitude toward Thai organization culture. By looking at question no.6, the mean score is very high (5.5) at the technical level while the mean score is at average (3.6) at master level. The mean score is gradually lower and lower when higher education level. Mean score of 3.6 is the lowest score over the four level of education. One could have question why higher education, lead to be less agree with Thai have strong hierarchy. Education may help employees know and understand more about empowerment, and how to develop empowerment is not easily. As company gradually changes day by day subordinates make not know that the power is already delegated to them. Only subordinates know some about concept of empowerment will know that mangers starting to empower. By looking at question no.7, there is direct relationship between the level of education and organization


culture. Higher education level leads to be more individual. This can imply that Thai is in collectivism country due to Thai is developing country (lack education). Not too many people have educated. Moreover the higher education employees trend to be concern more on company benefit than strict to company rule. This result can imply that the higher education, employees trend to be more ambitious to take risk than lower education. Even if there are differences between level of education but the answers are in the same direction. Total mean of every level of education still be more rely on Thai has strong hierarchy, high power distance culture, risk avoidance and individualism culture.

Table 1.3 Comparison from the length of working

Comparison between different working years in company, it’s questionable that why worker who have 5 to 10 years experience have some different attitude toward the question no 7,8,10 and 11. It may be because 5 to 10 years experience workers are in the middle between management level and non-management which may lead the answer shows different direction from others.


Empowerment was implemented in NYK since they established company in Thailand. This program aimed to change the traditional role of managers and supervisors to be more effective coaches and in the collaborative process of helping other expand their contribution to the correct and continuous success of the organization. The mother company started using this idea first then the initial training program started in NYK Thailand from the top to low level manager and so on to staff. They are gradually delegating more and more power to subordinates day by day basic. However there was no announcement due to internal management program need to trial and error, and to avoid imitation. It was not inconvenient to be published the internal way of management to public. Subordinates also don’t know this management program. Until now this management style were used publicly, so it not the secret any more, Khun Nattavut said.


As the long time NYK has implemented the idea of empowerment, so this part is about trying to find out the difference between mean expectation and mean of present implement of empowerment. Comparing to those scales, assisting the employees’ attitude toward the present practice and expectation whether there will be an increasing or decreasing in demand of empowerment communication, decision making, planning and organizing, evaluation and control, leadership and motivation and selection, and also placement and development.

Finding Part 2 : Finding data based on Vogt and Kenneth (1990) six

dimensions

2.1 Information Flow

Information Flow - In the organization that implemented the empowerment, the information should flow in the organization freely from every part of an organization. Everyone have right to consume all the information that come in company; underling can access to the same information as commander do. Equality is one key to success in implement empowerment. However, in the high power distance infer from Hofstede, people in high power distance will easily defer to people who have higher level and power than them. As finding in part one that Thai is in high power distance culture, this is another evidence that prove the characteristic of high power distance.

Table 2.1.1 Information Flow


This group of questions is about the information communication. Author wants to check that characteristic of Thai management whether it matches with high or low power distance culture. However, the mean score is not so high, mean score is still more than average. The score 3.81 shows that the power and knowledge in Thai culture of management is likely to be hold by manager’s hand, still be truth. Managers don’t like to explain and give all information to subordinates. He/She will give only the information that subordinates need to know. Managers will not give authority to subordinate to choose consuming information by his/herself. Managers will keep all information and transfer only some to subordinates. The mean different is only 0.31 from what subordinate expected, it shows that Thai don’t request for any changing in transferring information. Thai accept to be assign with limited information from managers if that information is enough for working.

4.2 Decision Making

Decision Making - This group of questions author want to check Thai organization, how much the power for making decision is in hand of subordinates. Traditional way of management, the managers have to make decisions for their subordinates. Subordinates just do by order, won’t involve in sharing any idea. Although Thai subordinates accustom to be mandatory more than collaborate with managers for decision making, it’s an importance for managers to encourage their subordinates to participate in decision making.

Table 2.1.2 Decision Making


The overall mean are 3.78 meaning that they still cannot make decision independently. For the mean expectation is 3.61 show what subordinates expect their managers will treat them. It can be seen that the mean different is 0.17, which indicates that subordinates want to have power for making decision in their hand more than now they gain. Although from interview manager Khun Anuvat, he said that he is very happy when their subordinates can make decision by themselves. Subordinates help him to reduce his job and he likes working in the team with his subordinates. New generation have new idea to grow up our company, it’s very pleased to have subordinates idea. But there are some traditional managers that still keep power in their hands, they are afraid of losing job to subordinates. Thus, not only traditional managers that always make decision by his/herself, but also subordinates that do not willing to make decision by his/herself over his/her boss. This may be influenced by Thai culture, as for subordinates to be involved more in decision making is to change traditional way of management. There is 0.17 mean different presents that employees want greater involvement in decision making and want to have authority and power to make it. This can answer the previous question which finding above about why the result shows that Thai seem to be individual decision making. Even though Thai people like to be in group but they want to make decision independently.

2.3 Planning and Managing

Planning and Managing – This part of questionnaire author try to check how much NYK delegate the responsibility in planning and managing to subordinates. In practice empowerment, managers should allow subordinates to involve in decision making, planning and organizing their own duties. Although subordinates have chance to know the information, it’s importance for them to gain some authority to make their own decisions. Traditional way of management in Thailand, only managers have authority to make decision and plan. During, subordinates get use to be assign from mangers what their job and responsibility are. Planning and Decision making should be the job of managers. Thai prefer to get job description and duties explaining from managers. Subordinates may not want to get involve as conflict may arise when they try to share their idea to managers.


Table 2.1.3 Planning and Managing

In NYK subordinates feel that their managers still not delegate authority to them as he/she should get. The mean score is 3.07, it show that in NYK managers still not delegate power to subordinates to make planning for company. As interview Khun Anuvat, he said that in NYK the planning is made by team not by individual. Although, the mean score is near average, it’s still over the average for 0.07. In practice empowerment, it should be more delegate authority than this. For the mean of future is 2.79, shows that subordinates want their mangers to delegate responsibility to make their own planning. It shows that the respondents preferred greater freedom for organizing their own duties.

2.1.4 Evaluation and Control

Evaluation and Control – This part of question author want to check whether managers open mind enough to receive any evaluation from subordinates. In the developing empowerment two way communications is an important factor. Managers


should control subordinates to share their idea, not just control them to make by order. Traditional way of management as it be previously mentioned that boss is likely to be “father”, that makes subordinates not feel comfortable to evaluate managers. Then, this research wants to find out whether it still true or not in NYK company.

Table 2.1.4 Evaluation and Control

After collect all data, the mean average shows 3.47 meaning that Thai managers evaluate their subordinates without accept or listen to their reasons. In other way, it may be because subordinates may not want to share idea to managers. When looking at the mean expectation of respondents, the result shows similar score as present situation. It’s look like Thai subordinates don’t want to change their way of organization. They get use to evaluated by manager without any excuse. From asking managers in NYK, he said that sometime traditional managers, who get us to order still don’t want to change. They are sticking to traditional way of management that they are only one level that in charge with evaluation and control. They don’t like the idea of empowerment. They want to keep power in their hand. Without telling that they do not accept, they still not practice it, Khun Jamriang mention. That is one reason that he think subordinates don’t want to evaluate or sharing their idea. If


subordinates feel that managers are more open-minded, employees are demanding the greater degree of evaluation in this area.

2.1.5 Leadership and Motivation

Leadership and Motivation – This leadership skill is also an importance in successful empowerment practices. Managers should work collaborative with his/her subordinates. Motivation subordinates to show their leadership skill seems to be managers’ duty. However, Traditional managers in Thai were more like father than collaborator. Traditional managers were leader and get use to order his/her subordinates. They may not know what motivation is for. From this part of questionnaire, will emphasize on how much managers motivates their subordinates in NYK in order to see that subordinates still stick to traditional managers’ style or they want to be motivated.

Table 2.1.5 Leadership and Motivation

The results present in table shows the mean score of 4.01 meaning that Thai managers motivate their employees by increasing salary rather than recognition. Fortunately, this reward is also seen as significant motivation tool for many Thais.


The finding shows the preference of respondent demanding in this area is 4.12. One could see difference in present management and employee expectation is not much. This could imply that managers in NYK recognize subordinate behavior and know how to motivate them.

After interview human resource manager Khun Kosol, he said that his company have program for training and educating how to motivate subordinates, and it’s really work. Increasing salary is the best motivator for Thai as Thailand is developing country, our people prefer money to recognition, he added.

He also mention that subordinates don’t feel hesitate to show their leadership skill to traditional managers because like now NYK have the tactic to control over that kind of managers. The mean score of expectation is higher than present. Although the better way to motivation is not money, but as Thai is developing country so money is the best tools to motivate employees. Thai employees also want their managers to be less confident so they will be more open-mined to listen to others.

2.1.6 Selection, Discussion and Development

This part of questionnaire was set to find out how managers in NYK select job for subordinates. In organization, it is very importance to put the right man in the right job. Discussion before selection the job and Development are also significant, by the way giving the employees a lot freedom how to do the job. It’s the opportunity for them to develop their selves-efficacy, knowing the meaning of selves-confident. That helps the employees to be confident enough to share the idea with others, collaborate between managers and subordinators. It’s also a good opportunity for company to have subordinates’ the idea for development of company.

Table 2.1.6 Selection, Discussion and Development


The result shows that managers have high power in company. Managers can control over the selection; managers are one which has power to choose who is suitable for this job. No one else is being able to select the job whatever managers choose for them, they need to get it done. Without discussion managers assign job to every subordinates. From the mean score of present shows 3.66, means that managers hold the power to select job with his/herself. The result of expectation is 3.53, it can be implied that subordinates expect to be able to select their own job. Although the mean difference is not much(0.03), is the gap that shows the demanding that organization should managed more empower between those two variables.

Table 2.2 The statistic comparing between different gender and Vogt and Kenneth six dimensions of the empowered organization.


The result shows that male thought that NYK present as already practicing empowerment greater than female do, accounting for 3.71 (male) and 3.84 (Female). Female employees believe that information is not flow freely in an organization than male employees do. The result shows that information flow freely to male than female. The result could indicate that Thai is masculinity country which unequally treats male and female workers. In addition, female employees also believe that they have no power to select their own task. Meanwhile, male employees’ degree of believe in unfairly power to section, discussion and development is lower.

In addition, the mean difference (0.13) between males’ attitude and females’ attitude in present situation toward practice of empowerment can imply that Thai treat male and female unequally. Female employees seem to be more relying on controlling of managers than male do as the result show 0.46 mean differences between them. Moreover, the lower mean score of female, lead to believe that female are more satisfied with NYK managers controlling and evaluating than male. However Female employees are more satisfied with controlling and evaluating of NYK manager than male employees, both male and female employees also want managers to be more open-mined to receive their evaluation. They also don’t really like the way their managers’ control over them as there are demanding in the future (expectation).

There are differences between male and female attitude toward empowerment as Thailand is masculinity country. Therefore the results show differences between males’ attitude and females’ attitude in present situation and expectation toward empowerment, the mean differences are not much (0.13 for present and 0.12 for expectation). From this finding, one could figure out that there is not much affect between different genders toward empowerment.


Table 2.2 The statistic comparing between different education level and Vogt and Kenneth six dimensions of the empowered organization.

By looking at table 2.2, one could see that the higher level of education, the higher negative attitude toward implementation of empowerment in Thailand. The total mean score is gradually increasing as higher in education. The master degree employees seem to be more dissatisfied with the implementation of empowerment than the rest degrees’ employees. The higher in education level, the higher demand for power. Master degrees’ respondents believe that they have low power in hand. Meanwhile, technical degrees’ respondents believe that they have some authority to make their own decision. On the other hand, for evaluation and control questions the mean differences are almost the same. As author mention above that Thai get used to be control and evaluation by mangers. Thai also satisfy with those controlling. The results in table 2.2 can be indicated that level of education have influence in implementation of empowerment.


Part 3 Interview mangers of NYK

From interview four managers in NYK, their understanding toward empowerment is the delegation authority and responsibility to subordinates. Moreover empowerment is the power that managers give to subordinates to make decision, planning, managing their duty.

From asking why NYK chose to use empowerment as internal system of management. Khun Khomson said that in the past the longest process was waiting for approval. We need to waste time mailing to parent company before getting approval. Before getting approval, more than ten time mailing out, can you imagine. The time different was one problem for us, we lose customer because they have no time to wait for us. Then, we talked about this problem and implement empowerment. Headquarters confer with each other and broach to parent company about empower to Thai managers. Finally, parent company concern about this disadvantage, thus parent started to empower to managers in Thailand to make our own decision. However parent company still set standard and role for managers. Since the empowerment was practice in NYK, the training program was developed concurrently to educate employee. We can work freely and efficiency. First, it was introduced to the management team and implement in the top level of management. Nowadays, it is implementing in every level of management.

3.1 Education Effect Empowerment

From asking about the influences of different level of management on empowerment, group of manager answer in same direction that it’s not related much.

At first we think that it was we lack education about empower. After training program we know that it was not majority problem. It came from the tradition way of education in Thailand, since we was young we learn by telling from teachers, not ever learn by ourselves. When we need to think by ourselves, it is not as easy as you think. Khun Paengtong said.

Managers said that it depend more on behavior of each subordinates. Higher education cannot prove that they will make better decision, although they have affect some to people. The experience is also an importance for decision making. We look more on particular employee whether who will get which level of power. Education is one from many factors that we use to choose to empower to our employee, but not only one factor that we use to make decision to empower.


From interview with four managers, author got similar answer that there are some problems occurs. It is because of Thai culture of education different form western culture of education. The background of each employee also other factor; some subordinates can develop easier, some cannot. Implement empowerment in Thailand seem impossible at the first time we implement it, Khum Khomsan said. After we trained and educated employees, they understood the importance of empowerment. It is gradually expanded to all level in company.

3.2 Traditional Management

The next problem occurred came from traditional managers. They didn’t understand why they need to give power in their hand to subordinate. They didn’t want to be evaluated; they used to be only one who can evaluate others. Managers expound that they try to solve this problem by educated, and ask for cooperation. Unfortunately, it was not 100% percent of managers cooperate. In other hand, they may understand but not intend to do. This is our big problem in empowerment. From the problem of unwilling to empower, bring back to the conflict avoidance. Subordinates refuse to share any idea to those kinds of managers. There are also some mangers that not express as they don’t like to empower, but they always hold no brief for subordinates’ idea. This unwilling we really cannot solve. Thai culture of management is one factor that leads to not efficiency implement empowerment. There are more factors that four managers said effect the empowerment that is employees’ discipline. Khun Anuvat said that if any country has discipline, that country develops.

3.3 Refuse Holding Risk

As author asks deeper whether why do managers think that your subordinates don’t like to be empower. Khun Kosol Sanitwong HR manager said “I think there are many point that possible to be the problem. Since we implement empowerment, subordinate said that any job boss doesn’t want to do, he give it to them and called it empowerment. Most worry to Thai is an increasing in job effort and risk in making wrong decision.”

Thai also doing business by follow managers. It means that we always leave responsibility to them. It’s not easy for us to change within short time. Subordinates don’t want to take any risk of wrong decision. It’s not normal practice in Thailand. Khun Paengtong said that “subordinates want power but they don’t want to hold the risk that cannot avoid from making decision. It’s also complicate to make decision as lacking of an information flow. No one wants to be empowering as no one wants uncertainty happen to them. No matter they decided, they need to take responsibility.


3.4 Conflict Avoidance

The next coming problem of empowerment, which conforms to the result of the questionnaire, is the manager reluctant to change to be empowerment. During the interview, author asked whether managers afraid to lose their power and control over subordinates. Although all managers that author interviews answer that they don’t ever afraid of losing the power over their subordinates, but they confide that there are some mangers that do so.

Author asks further question whether they trust their subordinate enough to empower them to make any decision. Khun Anuvat said happily that he feel proud of them.” If I mandate to whom, meaning that he/she is reliable. My subordinates help me to get the work done more quick than I do alone. It’s my pleasure to have them in the team.”I also involve in any matter that my subordinates decided as we are in the teamwork.

The finding seems confusing for subordinates because they may not know which kind of managers they found. There are some managers who open-minded and some of them narrow-minded. The best protection for them is tried to avoid conflict as much as they can do. Khun Khomsan said that Japanese feel so strange when they heard Thai word Jai Yan Yan, Yang Rai Ko Dai, Kreng Jai. (Take it easy, whatever, courteous) Japanese and American manager of NYK said that they never heard this from their subordinates in America or even in Japan. “Whenever he asked in the meeting room whether there are any problems or suggestion, no one show any opinion. They said softly I believe in you, it’s up to you. I have no comment at all. Khun Sanitwong give us a sample. Khun Paengtong added up that “seniority is good practice but subordinates need to have bound. They may should to Kreng Jai in sometime and not practice that in some situations, it’s depended on personal perspective to use it.”

Although managers suggest that subordinate should Kreng Jai only in some situations, but who knows the bound of each manager may totally difference. Finally, subordinates come out with the traditional practice that manager is like father. Whatever they said right is right, good is good. Conflict Avoidance also happen, subordinates trend to practice politely and loyalty to managers like ever. It’s not strange that subordinate will keep their mouth shut when the question arises. If they have different idea against managers, they may treat unequally after that. Who knows they may get punishment or etc. We try to solve this norm but it seems to become a culture of management in Thailand.

By asking manager in NYK, he said that he allow subordinate to shared idea to him. However, this system was not often seen in traditional Thai organization. As


Thai’s believe that criticism manager is not polite. Thus, Thai subordinate still don’t want to criticism to their manager, lead to not 100% successful in implement empowerment.


Conclusion

The finding from review literatures and collect data are gathered to conclude how Thai culture influence on empowerment. First, author need to tell that this research is based on one company in one industrial only. Author intended to find out whether one management practice can work effectively in other counties. Second, this study provide the contribution on management of empowerment literature, national culture and focus on the different between Western and Thai culture that lead to have the impact on empowerment practice. Finally, author hopes that it will be benefit to readers more or less.

Author finds out the key factors that empowerment practice is not much success in Thailand. Nevertheless that it’s not much associated with Thai culture, but it’s interesting to explore to readers. The following table may help reader understand more what author found.

The first table shows the linkage between western culture and empowerment

The second shows the linkage between Thai culture and western culture


The result of study support that Culture values of Western and Thai are totally difference as Anbari mention (look back table 3). The results do not specifically mention that empowerment in Thailand is not success. However, there are an attribute of Thai culture that reducing the maximize benefit of empowerment. The flow of information is the first key factor which important for making decision. As the information cannot flow freely in Thai organization; it is stuck in upper level employees, lead to have imperfection decision making. The results shows that Thailand is in the high power distance country. Thai believe more on seniority, rely more on managers and father figure. Meanwhile, western country degree of power distance is lower. Information may flow radically in organization, lead to have better decision making. Although the power is high but without any supporting information, decision making cannot be done effectively. Moreover, the managers take too much control over their subordinates, and also hold power to make decision on their hand. The decision making seems to be the responsibility of managers. There are only initial step of empowerment practicing in Thailand.

Thai have strong hierarchy structure and people respect by seniority system. The result shows that Thai have high degree of conflict avoidance. The results can be implied that Thai is collectivism while results indicated that Western is individualism. Thai avoid taking any risk so they won’t try to express any individual idea while western people trend to express idea in the direct relationship with others. Thai subordinates normally agree with managers’ decision making. Therefore, Thailand implements empowerment difficultly because of culture of Thai management. Empowerment has the high degree of individual involving and sharing own idea.

Empowerment allows subordinates to make decision and action without supervision of management. Subordinates should take responsibility of their own decision. As Thai have high rate of risk avoidance, Thai may be want to express their individual idea to avoid taking responsibility. An empowerment practice in the country that willing to take risk from sharing idea, lead to be successful practice empowerment. Thus, everyone take their own responsibilities and giving many idea to company. Self-confident and self-knowledge causes company more forward. Thailand is the strong risk avoidance country, so Thailand faces more obstacle than weak risk avoidance country.

Involving, Participating, Discussing and Collaborating is the greater need in practice empowerment. Unfortunately, it rarely meets in Thai country. The findings imply that Thailand is the feminine culture as people live quiescently, avoid criticism, and less aggressive. As Thailand is high power distance and strong hierarchy, normally juniority won’t criticism seniority. The consequence is the difficulty to implement empowerment in Feminine Society.


All the finding can identify the Culture different influence on management practice. The study shows that management practice which fit in one country may not fit in other countries. As culture difference, without adjust empowerment, implementation empowerment in Thailand is likely to fail. Inefficient and Ineffective happen because of Thai culture of management as table below.


Recommendation

(This part author will give the recommendation, but right now because the data still not yet gather, and the results still not come out so author still blank it first)


Limitation

This study has many limitations. First, this research has conduct on one company NYK (Thailand) and only one industry (logistic), its service industrial. Second, Author pick up the open-ended questionnaire to only four managers in NYK, other managers may have difference opinion. Third, the questionnaire was sent out to by ranking, only volunteer answer, not all 120 papers return. Only 74 papers return and only 66 paper useable. However the case study is like experiments and investors for author. Hopefully that this papers will be meaningful for readers more or less.


Reference list

Adler, N 1997, International Dimensions of organizational behavior, Third Edition, OH: South-Western,Cincinnati

Alfred M. Jaeger, Rabindra Nath Kanungo, (1990), ‘Limited of Western techniques in the Management of organization in Developing Countries’,

Kanungo R, Routledge

Anbari, F.T., E.V. Khilkhanova, and M.V. Romanova, and S.A. Umpleby, ‘Cross Cultural Differences and their Implications for Managing International Projects.’

Bakhtari, H 1995, ‘Cultural effects on Management Style, International Studies of management & Organization’, Vol. 25, No.3, pp.97-118

Bradwick, J. H.,1991, Danger in the comfort zone, American Management Association, New York

Brown, M., Singelis, T., & William, J. 1995, ’Culture self and collectivist communicator’, Human Communication Research, Vol.21, No.3, pp. 354-389

Bryan Smith, 1997, ‘Empowerment - the challenge is now Empowerment in Organizations’ , Volume 5, pp.120-122

Byham, W.C., 1992, ‘would you recognize an empowered organization an empowered organization if you saw one?’, Tapping the Network Journal, Vol. 3, No.2, pp.10-13

Champy, J 1995, Reengineering management: The mandate for new leadership managing the change to reengineered corporations, Harper Collins, New York

Conger, J. and Kanungo, R 1998, ‘The empowerment process:integrating theory and practice’, Academy of Management Review,Vol.13, No.3,pp.471-82 Cotton, J 1993, Employee Involvement, Stage, Newbury Park, CA

Cunningham, I., Hyman, J. and Baldry, C 1996, ‘Empowerment: the power to do what?’ Industrial Relations Journal, Vol.27, No.2, pp.147-59

Earley, P.C. (1994), Self or group? Culture effects of training on self-efficacy and performance, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 39, pp89-117


Hall, E.T. , (1983), The dance of life, New Your:, Anchor Books

Hofstede, G., 1994, The business of international business is culture, International Business review, Vol. 3, No.1, pp.1-14

Hofstede, G., 1984, Cultural dimensions in management and planning, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, pp.81-99.

Hofstede, G., 1980, Culture’s Consequence: International difference in working related values, Sage Publishing, Beverly Hill, California.

Hofstede, G., 1991, Culture and organizations: Software of the mind, Mcgraw-Hill, London

Holmes, H. & Tangtongtavy, S. and Tomizawa, R., 1995, Working with the Thais: A guide to management in Thailand, White Lotus: Bangkok

Johnson, D 1994, Research methods in educational management, Longman: London

Joynt, P. and Warner, M. (1996), Introduction: cross-cultural Perspectives, in Pat Joynt and Malcoln (eds.), Managing Across Cultures: Issue and Perspectives, London: International Thomson Business Press

Kanungo, R.N., & Jaeger, A.M. (1990), Management in developing country, New York: Chapman and Hall Inc.

Karsten, M.F. (1994), Management and gender, New York: Praeger

Kirkman, B.L., & Rosen, B 1996, Testing a model of team empowerment: An empirical investigation of antecedents and outcomes of empowered self-managing work team, Working paper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Komin, S 1991, Psychology of the Thai People: Value and Behaviour Patterns, National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok

Lashley, C 1994, If there any power in empowerment?, Conference Paper to Council for Hospitality Management, Research Conference, April

Lashley, C. and McGoldrick, J 1994, The limits of empowerment a critical assessment of human resources strategy for hospitality operations, Empowerment in Organizations, Vol.13, pp.75-96


Laurent, A., (1983), the cultural diversity of western conceptions of management, International Studies of Management and organizations, Vol.13, pp.75-96

Leanna, C.L., & Florkowski, G.W., (1992), Employee involvement programs: Integrating psychological theory and management practice, Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, Vol.10, pp. 223-270

Lee, T.W., (1999), Using Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research, ORM, Sage: London

Lowler, E.E., Mohrman, S.A. & Ledgord, G.E., 1992, ‘Employee involvement and total quality management’, Practices and results in Fortune 1000 companies, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Lin, C.Y. 1998,’ The essence of Empowerment: a conceptual model and case illustration, Journal of Applied Management Studies, Vol.7, No.2, pp.223-238

McGregor, D 1960, The human side of enterprise, New York: McGraw-Hill

Michael, J 1997, ‘A conceptual framework for aligning managerial behavior with cultural work values’, International Journal of Commerce & Management, Vol.7, No.3/4, pp.81-101

Morakul, S 1999, Cultural Influence on the ABC Implementation under Thai Environment, published doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas in Partial

Nanette Page, Cheryl E. Czuba, 1999, “Empowerment: What Is It?”, Journal of Extension, Vol. 37, No.5

Newman, K.L. & Nollen, S.D. 1996, Cultural and Congruence: The fit between management practices and national culture, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol.27, No.4, pp.753-779

Penrose, E 1995, The theory of the growth of the firm, Oxford University Press, Norfolk.

Peters, T 1987, Thriving on chaos: Handbook for a management revolution, New York: Harper Perennial Pornpitakpan, C 2000, Trade in Thailand: A three-way cultural comparison, Business Horizons


Roong Sriussadaporn, 2006, ‘Managing international business communication problems at work: a pilot study in foreign companies in Thailand‘, Cross Cultural Management, Vol.13, pp.330-344

Rothstein, L.R., 1995, The empowerment effort, Harvard Business Review,Vol.73, No.1, pp.21-30

Sarah Cook, 1993, ‘EMPOWERMENT CHECKLIST’, Empowerment in Organizations, Vol.1, pp.3

Sarah Cook, 1994, ‘The Cultural Implications of Empowerment’, Empowerment in Organizations, Vol.2, pp.9-13

Sigler, T.H., 1997, ‘The empowerment experience: a study of front line employees’, published doctoral dissertation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sparrow, R.T., 1994, ‘Empowerment in the hospitality industry: An exploration of antecedents and outcomes’, Hospitality Research Journal, 17 ,pp.51-73

Spretizer G.M., 1995,’Psychological empowerment in the workplace: dimensions, measurement and validation’, Academy of Management Journal, Vol.39, pp.483-504

Thompson, A.G., 1998,’Cross-cultural management of labor in a Thai environment’, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Vol.6, No.2, pp.323-338

Towes, B. and McGregor, R. (2000), Culture Shock! Success secrete to maximize business in Thailand: A hand-on guide to tackling Thai Business culture, Second Edition, Singapore, Time Book International

Trompenaar, F 1993, Riding the waves of culture, Nicholas Brealey, London

Vogt J.F. and Kenneth, L.M., 1990, Empowerment in Organization: How to speak expectation performance, Califonia, Pfeiffer Company

Waterman, A. S., 1981.’ Individualism and Interdependence’, The American Psychologist, Vol.36, No.7, pp.762-773

Wilkinson, A 1998, ‘Empowerment’ in Poole, M. and Warner, M. (Eds), International Encyclopedia of Business and Management Handbook of Human Resource Management, ITB Press, London


Wright, J.C. & W. Mischel, 1987,’A conditional approach to dispositional constructs: the local predictability of social behavior’, Journal of personality and Social Psychology, Vol.53, pp.1158-77

Zhang, x 1994, A comparative study of the perception of managerial role behavior: cultural-common and cultural-specific perspective, Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri, Columbia

Internet source

http://www.business-in-asia.com/why_thailand.htm (Retrieved: 3/16/2008) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_distance (Retrieved: 4/18/2008) http://feweb.uvt.nl/center/hofstede/page3.htm(Retrieved: 3/10/2008) http://images.google.co.th/imgres?imgurl=http://www.akri.org/cognition/images/motpyr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.akri.org/cognition/motivate.htm&h=241&w=266&sz=13&hl=th&start=19&um=1&tbnid=2eKRo1YS_E7jHM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmaslow%2Bhierarchy%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dth%26sa%3DN(Retrieved: 5/03/2008) https://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/pdf/working_with_self.pdf(Retrieved: 5/03/2008) http://padeedub.blogspot.com/2007/05/total-perdition-of-education-system-in.html(Retrieved: 5/03/2008)


Appendix

This is the letter send out to MD of NYK in Thailand.After he reply my mail to answer those question,I will show out the name an exactly his position in company.

Room no.308 Norraallegatan 24

Vasteras 72219 Sweden 19 April 2008

Dear whom may concern

I am Suttida Chuvetsereporn,a master student in International Business and Entrepreneur program at Malardalen University, Sweden. I am doing thesis work at present and interesting to research about the idea of empowerment. My research field is related with Thai multinational company and management system.I would like to have cooperation to response an interview and questionnaires about your companies.I found that your company is multinational company that have parent company in USA.I am planning to distribute 100 sets of questions to your staff, around 20-25 questions per one set of question. Moreover I would like managers of divisions to answer open-ended questions.The questionnaire related more on the idea of empowerment.

I have to ask for your permit to use the data collected from your company to analyze and conclude those idea of culture influence the empowerment.Your personal information will be between ourselves.In advance,I have written to ask for your further consideration about my requests. It’s no late than 24th April 2008,my guiding questions will be distributed to you after approved from university and my professors. Hope to hear good news from you

Yours Sincerely Suttida Chuvetsereporn


This is the letter send out to MD of NYK in Thailand.After he reply my mail to answer those question,I will show out the name an exactly his position in company.

Room no.308 Norraallegatan 24

Vasteras 72219 Sweden 19 April 2008

Dear whom may concern

I am Suttida Chuvetsereporn,a master student in International Business and Entrepreneur program at Malardalen University, Sweden. I am doing thesis work at present and interesting to research about the idea of empowerment. My research field is related with Thai multinational company and management system.I would like to have cooperation to response an interview and questionnaires about your companies.I have found that your company is multinational company that have parent company in Japan.and also have subordinated company in USA.I am planning to distribute 100 sets of questions to your staff, around 20-25 questions per one set of question. Moreover I would like managers of divisions to answer open-ended questions.The questionnaire related more on the idea of empowerment.

I have to ask for your permit to use the data collected from your company to analyze and conclude those idea of culture influence the empowerment.Your personal information will be between ourselves.In advance,I have written to ask for your further consideration about my requests. It’s no late than 24th April 2008,my guiding questions will be distributed to you after approved from university and my professors. Hope to hear good news from you

Yours Sincerely Suttida Chuvetsereporn


Guiding Questions (for interview managers)

General Information 1. What is your name and position in company? 2. How long have you been in company?

Information about empowerment

3. What do you know about Empowerment? 4. What is your prospective on the empowerment in Thailand?is it work or

not? 5. In company any policy that you think related to empowerment?Is it

work to implement those idea? 6. How long do you implement empowerment? 7. Why and what company expect when implement empowerment? 8. What is scope of implement?Implement to every level in organization or

only in some level of organization?

Problem that associate with implement of empowerment

9. Until now, do u have any problem or difficulty associated with implement empowerment?How can you handle it?

10. Is it has different problem in different level of company? 11. Are they any difference between your employees that educated from

overseas versus Thai University in adapting to western management practices?

12. Compare to other western countries do you think that empowerment is easy apply to Thai or not?

13. Do you think that Thai culture have effect the implementation of empowerment? Such as“Thai have hierarchy of management, subordinate afraid to share idea to supervisor” or “Thai always keep other face of telling that they are not correct, especially telling to boss and seniority”


14. Do you think that you trust your subordinate enough to give them all authority in hand to get work done?and do you feel like you have loose the control over them?

15. Do you think that the empowerment succeed implement in your company?What is the key you think making empowerment work in your

firm?such as increasing salary or training program 16. Do you think that organization is better to implement empowerment? 17. Do you think that the seniority culture in Thailand have effect

empowerment? 18. So far,do you have anything to add or suggest on this title

“empowerment”?


1. Gender MaleFemale

2. I have been studied aboard for

0 month

1-6 months 6 months - 1year 1 – 2 years 3 – 4 years 5 – 6 years 7 – 8 years 9 – 10 years 11 – 15 years 16 years up

3. I have been working aboard for

0 month



4. I have been working in this company for

0 month


5. Highest degree of education Technical Diploma Bachelor Master Doctoral

6. The main importance for having a hierarchy is everyone knows who has authority over whom. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

7. Decision make by individual is better than group decision. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

8. Good manager have to be able to answer all the questions arise from subordinates, and have to solve problem precisely and correctly. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1


Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

9. It’s desirable that management authority can be question. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

10. Employees who quietly do their job are the valuable asset of an organization. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

11. Nowadays executive power is use wastefully. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

12. Good relationship in work place is more valuable than a high salary. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

13. Lower level employee should criticism the boss and seniority if find any inaccuracy. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

14. A company or organization’s rule should not be broken. Not even when the employee thinks it is a company’s benefit. Present


6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

15. Reward and raise salary is the best tool for motivation. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

16. The best way to solve any conflict is compromise. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

17. Working with long time staying employee in company is the best way to get ahead. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1


1. My managers like to make decision for fixing problem by themselves against others’ will.

Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

2. In communication, my managers will give important information without other supporting data.


3. My managers like to draft business planning by them until it is approved without team decision for the planning



4. My Managers will send the evaluation form directly to human resources quietly with out to inform their supporters.


5. My managers attempt to be a leadership in every matter without pushing forward subordinates to be leader.


6. For recruitment, my managers will choose who they like without checking for people who suitable for the job.


7. Notation about perfect communication is gives a necessary data without a whole data to subordinates.


8. My managers will make a quickly decision when they are be pressured. They won’t confer with subordinates for the solution.

Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation


6 5 4 3 2 1

9. My managers like to assign without explanation the detail of the job to subordinates.


10. Everyone knows that assessment from my managers have an effect on promotion and raise the salary.


11. Without asking their preferable job, my managers will let them to do the job that managers assign. Thus, Punishment and Reward is used to persuade subordinates to get the job done.


12. When subordinates do any mistakes, my managers don’t let them give any opinions to fix a problem. My managers always solve that by themselves.



13. Subordinates won’t be able to create new idea freely, my managers block off that creative by keep out information.


14. My managers believe that individual decision is faster and better than group decision.


15. My managers will inform the procedure step by step and set the dateline for finish each project.


16. My managers believe that the best way to control over subordinates is to keep a close watch on work, more than build up an employees’ discipline.


17. My managers believe that the best way for motivation is increasing salary and day off more than increasing level and position.



18. Subordinates will be get an award if they follow the command, and get a punishment if they won’t do.


19. My managers avoid giving whole information to their superior, due to avoid giving wrong information.


20. If my managers accept the assignment from their superior, they will work on that job alone. They won’t assign to anyone.


21. My managers don’t want to coordinate with others they like to work alone; separate definitely who do which part of the job.

Present 6 5 4 3 2 1


Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

22. My managers won’t explain the damage that occurs from the late finishing. My managers will punish, set the dateline for each work, and check along the progress.


23. My managers will transfer only the specific information for each job, won’t let subordinate know information.


24. My managers don’t like to work in team. Managers will let their subordinates work and control over their work again.


25. My managers believe that the best system to control over the subordinates is power centralization.



26. My managers never confer with subordinates for any solution. My managers are only one who can give punishment.


27. If my managers work with inert subordinates, managers will find out how to actuate subordinates by themselves. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

28. My manager will not dismiss the crude subordinates if they still being under control of my managers. Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation 6 5 4 3 2 1

29. My managers always believe what they are doing and full of self-confident.


30. Subordinates cannot work freely. My managers always control over their subordinate and tell what they have to do.

Present 6 5 4 3 2 1 Expectation


6 5 4 3 2 1


dao.anhviet.free.frdao.anhviet.free.fr/cross cultural/vt2008-fek-d-2061.doc · web viewthe idea...

Documents