Change management and cultural factors: A study of German and Chinese middle-managers’ behaviour in Sino-German automobile joint ventures.

Abstract

Purpose and objective: The study sought to establish a conceptual framework model (Figure 12, p. 104) for, and to make recommendations for automobile producing companies involved in a Sino-German joint venture based in China. The objective of this thesis was to understand the perspectives of German and Chinese middle managers working in a cross-cultural environment to enhance their collaborative work. My aim was to add to knowledge of decision-making processes in this context and to assist middle managers with understanding cultural differences in order to reduce staff resistance to change. Design and methodology: The study follows a constructivist philosophy and was conducted according to a descriptive qualitative method, using semi-structured interviews with German and Chinese middle managers working together in the same department in Beijing. The key literature that underpinned the study was based on Albach et al. (2015), Wooldridge et al. (2008) and Ghemawat and Reiche’s (2011) research and concepts. The data obtained were clustered using the Zwicky Box method (Table 5, p. 87; Zwicky, 1969) and a decision matrix (Table 4, p. 86; Lorenz, 2010) to discover the main topics to process as the findings and recommendations. The interview method assisted with the ethical obligation to maintain anonymity, which was essential as the interview partners were sources of in-depth information required to develop the practice-based framework for middle managers. Findings: My findings concern matters such as cultural differences, language issues, hierarchical structures, compliance, relationship-building, technical improvements, good management skills, and corporate culture in joint ventures. The need to improve communication and information flow for middle managers by means of a communication model (Figure 12, p. 104) is a significant finding, as are improving cross-cultural qualifications and instituting appropriate hiring practices. Contribution to knowledge and practice: My findings make a significant contribution to the topic of complex cross-cultural collaboration in joint ventures. The research presents an appropriate communication model and establishes a conceptual framework. Research limitations and implications: The implementation of the model in other industries should be the subject of further research, as it has not yet been implemented.