Cultural diverseness as a shaper of global managers: Evidence from the automotive industry

Emil Velinov; Vincent Montenero; Yadira Ixchel Martínez Pantoja

doi:10.15549/jeecar.v11i2.1543

Authors

Emil Velinov Department of Marketing and Management, Skoda Auto University, Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic Department of Business Studies, RISEBA University of Applied Sciences, Riga, Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6073-1196
Vincent Montenero Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, Czech Technical University, Czech Republic EDHEC Business School, France https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4177-5844
Yadira Ixchel Martínez Pantoja Department of International Business, Faculty of International Relations, Prague University of Economics and Business, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3848-8147

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15549/jeecar.v11i2.1543

Keywords:

global managers, automotive companies, local culture, organizational culture, cultural diversenes, Global Managers, Automotive Companies, Local Culture, Organizational Culture, Cultural Diverseness, Competencies

Abstract

Global managers have become a key element for MNCs to operate successfully because they support headquarters and subsidiary projects responding to global challenges and local demands to accomplish organizational goals. This requires a particular skill set at both levels. Much of the literature argues that global managers are global leaders who must consider their subordinates' cultural differences to lead, motivate, and make appropriate decisions. However, more research about the global manager's cultural diversity needs to be conducted.

By conducting fifteen semi-structured interviews with managers of different nationalities affiliated with the automotive industry, this research seeks to understand better what characterizes global managers. Our findings show that the manager's cultural diverseness includes international experience, type of experience, native language, spoken languages, working languages, and personal sphere, which are essential characteristics of global managers in addition to their managerial skills and demonstrate the importance of the background of the individuals in understanding the day-to-day functioning of managers. It also shows an ability to rise above the problems associated with national cultures, as if this were a prerequisite for functioning correctly in this role. Finally, these findings enable us to recommend how to help the emergence of effective global managers.

Author Biographies

Emil Velinov, Department of Marketing and Management, Skoda Auto University, Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic Department of Business Studies, RISEBA University of Applied Sciences, Riga, Latvia

Dr. Emil Velinov is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management at the Faculty of Business AdministrationSkoda Auto University, Czech Republic, and teaches at the RISEBA University of Applied Sciences, Latvia. He has completed his PhD studies in International Management and Business at the latter institution. His international experience is managing inter-institutional projects in Diversity Management, New Public Management, and International Business. Dr. Velinov has been teaching at several European universities, including the University of Economics and Business, Vienna, the University of Liechtenstein, and the University of Economics-Plekhanov. He speaks English, Czech, and Bulgarian fluently and presents research papers in International Management, Diversity Management, and Corporate Governance at international conferences.

Vincent Montenero, Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies, Czech Technical University, Czech Republic EDHEC Business School, France

Dr. Vincent Montenero is an Assistant Professor at the Czech Technical University and teaches at EDHEC in France. He decided to devote himself to teaching after a long career in the private industry, during which he held several international positions in marketing and sales, as well as managed distribution subsidiaries in the automotive sector. He still works as a multicultural coach for various companies, including AIRBUS. He teaches and facilitates in English, French, Italian, and German. He holds a Master's degree in Intercultural Management and a Ph.D. in Management, both from Dauphine University in France. His research focuses mainly on international managers, their relationships with their teams, their handling of intercultural or diversity issues, and their adaptability to new working methods. He also focuses on the use of languages in a professional context.

Yadira Ixchel Martínez Pantoja , Department of International Business, Faculty of International Relations, Prague University of Economics and Business,

Dr. Yadira Ixchel Martínez Pantoja is an Assistant Professor at the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) since 2022. She holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the University of Auckland, where she was awarded the University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship. She has extensive experience teaching at leading universities in New Zealand and Mexico. Dr. Martínez Pantoja worked as a lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology and as a consultant in New Zealand. Previously, she worked as an analyst for multinational corporations such as The Coca-Cola Company and Kraft Foods in Mexico. Her research focuses on cultural diplomacy, business diplomacy, public diplomacy, strategic communications, corporate social responsibility, and nation branding.

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