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Breaking the Silence Culture: Stimulation of Participation andEmployee Opinion Withholding Cross-nationally

Part of: Cross Cultural Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Xu Huang ,
Evert Van de Vliert  and
Gerben Van der Vegt
Xu Huang
Affiliation:
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Horn, Kowloon
Evert Van de Vliert
Affiliation:
University of Groningen
Gerben Van der Vegt
Affiliation:
University of Groningen
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Abstract

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We investigated the relationship between the national cultural value ofpower distance and collective silence as well as the role of voice-inducingmechanisms in breaking the organizational silence. Using data from 421organizational units of a multinational company in 24 countries, we foundthat both formalized employee involvement and a participative climateencouraged employees to voice their opinions in countries with a small powerdistance culture. In large power distance cultures, formalized employeeinvolvement is related to employee voices only under a strong perceivedparticipative climate.

Type
Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 1 , Issue 3 , November 2005 , pp. 459 - 482
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2005

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