跨國公司台灣與巴拿馬員工文化差異對管理影響之研究─以巴拿馬台商為例

Growth of international business has provoked the drain of companies venturing into
cross borders. It is vitally decisive to consider facts before encountering any major
problems. Corporations constructed by talented people dedicate the time to study
economic factors such as taxation, government policies, and other investment dimensions.
And nowadays, considered more important, the management of cross culture.
This thesis measured the cultural similarities and differences between Panamanian and
Taiwanese in a Taiwanese company established in Panama. The use of academic journals
and surveys was important for collecting primary and secondary data. Local staff and
Taiwanese managers transferred to Panama were interviewed; using a questionnaire
structured using 5 (five) cultural dimensions discovered by Professor Geert Hofstede
during his study in IBM, and studying the two constructs (communication and
management style).
Research Findings depicted that Taiwanese and Panamanians are more culturally similar
than different; however, there are still challenges to face in this scenario. Some of these
challenges for Taiwanese managers are to broaden their communication with staff, so
local staff can fully enjoyed and receive a coaching style. Also, a challenge for local staff
is their low uncertainty avoidance, which denotes a lack of communication in order to
produce efficiently.
Despite the challenges that have to be faced by the two parties, findings concluded that in
this interaction, there is a positive relationship. Also, conclusion provided some
recommendations for Taiwanese managers and other companies planning to establish in
Panama. Those recommendations were as mentioned before, adapt their Taiwanese
working style into the local staff considering some differences between; and use rewards
for motivating staff.
This study could also be used by Taiwanese Corporations planning to invest in Panama,
and for any other country used as a reference to consider in advance. International
community seeking to nurture knowledge regarding to culture and its consequences in
organizations.

V
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... III
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. V
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... VII
LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... VIII
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Significance of Cross Culture Management ...................................................................................... 2
1.2 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................................ 3
1.3 Significance of Study ........................................................................................................................... 3
1.4 Research Questions .............................................................................................................................. 3
LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 5
2.1 Culture and Cross Cultural management ................................................................................................... 6
2.1.1 Culture .................... 6
2.1.2 Cross Culture Management .................................................................................................................... 7
2.1.3 Cultural Dimensions ............................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Impact of Cross Culture Management in Communication and Management Style ........................ 11
2.2.1 Communication .... 12
2.2.2 Management Style 16
2.3 Summary of Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 21
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 23
3.1 Research Method ... 23
3.2 Structure of Research Framework ....................................................................................................... 24
3.3 Sample Design ........ 26
3.4 Data Collection ...... 27
COUNTRY CASE STUDY IN PANAMA ..................................................................... 29
4.1 The Case Study ............................................................................................................................... 30
4.2 Panamá: Country Background ............................................................................................................ 31
4.2.1 Economic Indicators ............................................................................................................................. 33
4.2.2 Panama Culture in Society ................................................................................................................... 34
4.2.3 Background of the Company in Panama .............................................................................................. 35
4.2.4 Taiwan Culture in Society .................................................................................................................... 36
4.3 Interview Results ... 38
4.4 Summary of the Case Study ................................................................................................................. 47
RESEARCH FINDINGS & DISCUSSION .................................................................. 53
5.1 Issues on Culture Dimensions ............................................................................................................... 53
5.2 Issues on Communication ..................................................................................................................... 59
5.3 Issues on Management Style ................................................................................................................. 61
5.4 Impact of Culture on Communication and Management Style ......................................................... 62
CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS ........................................................................... 67
6.1 Conclusions ............ 68
6.2 Recommendations . 69
6.3 Suggestions ............. 72
REFERENCES ............ 74
APPENDIX .................. 79

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