GLOBE Study culture clusters: Can they be found in Importance ratings of managerial competencies?

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore patterns of importance ratings of managerial competencies in 22 countries in different regions around the globe, to guide specificity in assessing and developing managers in multiple geographies. Additionally, this study examined the utility of clustering countries based on shared culture, as defined by House et al. (2004), to determine whether such clustering aids in interpreting and acting on any differences identified. Design/methodology/approach: The PROFILOR^® for Managers contains 135 behavioral items, grouped into 24 competency scales. The instrument was developed from a review of the management and psychology literatures, exhaustive analysis of a large database (Sevy et al., 1985), job analysis questionnaires and interviews of hundreds of managers representing many functional areas and most major industries. Findings: Results suggest that clustering countries together for the purpose of providing prescriptive guidance for the development of individuals planning expatriate assignments does not clarify such guidance; in fact, it masks unique differences in competency priorities as measured on a country-by-country basis. Research limitations/implications: The participants for this study come from mid- to large-size organizations in 22 countries around the world. The organizations represented sought out management consulting services from a large, highly respected private-sector consultancy. As such, these findings are likely to be generalizable to managers from similar organizations. No attempt has been made to generalize these findings to entrepreneurial start-ups, small local organizations or organizations not inclined to seek Western-style management consulting services. Originality/value: This study is one of the first to examine the effectiveness of the GLOBE clusters as they relate to managerial competencies in multicultural workforces.