CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH RESULTS DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH RESULTS
4.4 KEY FACTORS IMPACTING EXPATRIATE MANAGER SUCCESS
In order to verify which factors were viewed by respondents as affecting the abilities of Japanese expatriate managers to work effectively in automotive industry in Thailand,
Characteristics to Complement Requisite Managerial and Leadership Attributes Duangrat Tandamrong 153
four-factor groupings, identified from the literature, were used: personal characteristics;
other individual related factors; organisational factors, and environmental factors. The questionnaire was designed to elicit the extent to which these groups of factors were perceived by Thai subordinates to be important and this was done by recording their responses using a Likert scale where 1 = strongly disagree through to 5 = strongly agree, as mentioned in Chapter 3, section 3.4.5.
T-tests were conducted on Thai subordinates’ responses to investigate any similarities or dissimilarities between responses, and particularly the strength indicated by score of the need for expatriate managers to possess the characteristic, according to location, gender or level of appointment.
4.4.1 Ranking of Factors Impacting and Employment Location
‘Location of respondent’ is the first variable discussed. T-tests were conducted to identify any difference in the factors viewed as affecting Japanese expatriate manager success in the Thai automotive business according to the location of respondents. These locations are: who worked at head office/assembly plant and their dealer partnership.
The statistical results (means, standard deviations and t values) for all factors and sub- factors are shown in Appendix F.2 in Table F2.1. With regards to the t values of individual related factors (t = -1.982, p = 0.48) and its sub-factors: having experience in facilitating cross-border work (t = .327, p = .744); marital status (t = -1.975, p = .049);
and gender (t = -2.707, p = .007) shown in Table 4.17, the results indicate that significant differences exist between the sub-factors: marital status and gender.
The responses from dealer partnerships record a statistically significant higher mean score on marital status factor (3.07) than head office or assembly plant (2.85) responses, and a higher mean score on gender factor (3.12) than head office or assembly plant (2.80) responses. Statistical tests show that Thai subordinates who hold a position at the dealer partnerships have beliefs that the potential influence of marital status and gender on expatriate manager performance whereas head office/assembly plant staff do not.
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In terms of an overview of personal characteristics factors, organisational factors and environmental factors, the results indicate that the mean of each factor (t = .517, p = .605, t = -.060, p = .952 and t= 228, p = .820 respectively) as shown in Table 4.17, no significant differences were found at the 0.05 significant level between head office or assembly plant and dealer partnerships responses.
The t values of sub-factors of each factor also show no statistically significant differences were discovered (accept Hо: p >0.05). Nevertheless, a significant difference was found on an overview of other individual related factors (t = -1.982, p = .048).
The results show that Thai employees who hold a position at dealer partnerships concern that the other individual related factors, in particular for marital status and gender factor have an impact on the abilities to work in MNCs automotive industry in Thailand whereas head offices/ assembly plants do not concern these sub-factors as important.
Table 4.17: Mean, standard deviation & t-test for factors influencing expatriate manager success in Thai business; comparing head office or assembly plant &
dealer partnership responses.
Factors influencing the success of expatriate managers in Thai business
Head office/
Assembly plant N = 158
Dealer Partnership
N = 164 t-value P
(2-tailed)
Mean SD Mean SD
OTHER INDIVIDUAL RELATED FACTORS
Having experience in facilitating
cross-border work 3.89 .856 3.86 .933 .327 .744
Marital status 2.85 .992 3.07 .998 -1.975 .049**
Gender 2.80 1.075 3.12 1.036 -2.707 .007***
Personal characteristics factors 4.1114 .66753 4.0720 .69913 .517 .605 Other individual related factors 3.1793 .73689 3.3476 .78443 -1.982 .048**
Organisational Factors 4.0332 .69065 4.0381 .75464 -.060 .952 Environmental Factors 4.1055 .73829 4.0874 .68369 .228 .820
*** P< 0.01 level and ** P< 0.05 level
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From the perspective of respondents from respondents who work in different location, it was apparent that personal characteristics factors are the highest factors that they believed have greatest impact on Japanese expatriate abilities to succeed in Thai business; and other individual related factors, such as marital status and gender differences have least impact.
4.4.2 Ranking of Factors Impacting and Gender
The variable ‘gender of respondent’ is second variable to discuss with respect to factors influencing the success of expatriate managers based on the results of tests conducted by T-tests.
The results shown in Table 4.18 were calculated from Thai subordinates’ rating the four factors separately according to gender. The t values for the four factors were personal characteristics factors, t = -.645 (p = .519); other individual related factors, t = .778 (p = .437); organisational factors, t = -1.069 (p = .286); environmental factors, t = -1.677 (p
= .094). These results indicate that no significant differences were found in responses from male or female respondents for all four factors at the 0.05 significant level.
Two sub-factors: having communicative language ability and participating effectively in multicultural teams (t = -.2.305, p = .022 and t= -2.060 p = .040 respectively) show significant differences between male and female respondents. In other words, female respondents viewed having communicative language ability more important (4.12) than did male respondents (3.88), and females also rated higher the sub-factor: participating effectively in multicultural teams to (4.14) than did males (3.96). This is apparently that females are more sensitive to possible cultural causes of conflict and differing national standards on business performance, and also they were more concerned about having communicative language ability than males were. The statistical results (means, standard deviations and t values) for all factors and sub-factors are completely provided in Appendix F.2 in Table F2.2.
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Table 4.18: Mean, standard deviation & t-test for factors influencing success of expatriate managers in Thai business: Comparing male & female responses
***P<0.01 level, **P<0.05 level and *P<0.1 level
From the perspective of respondents from both males and females, it was apparent that personal characteristics factors are the highest factors that they believed have greatest impact on Japanese expatriate abilities to succeed in Thai business; and other individual related factors have least impact.
4.4.3 Ranking of Factors Impacting and Level of Appointment of Respondents:
Management and Operative Level
The next variable addressed is ‘level of appointment of respondent’. T-tests were conducted on whether any dissimilarity appeared between the points of view on factors
Factors influencing the success of expatriate managers in Thai
business
Male N = 166
Female
N = 156 t-value
P (2- tailed)
Mean SD Mean SD
ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS
Having cross-cultural knowledge management
3.92 .966 3.97 .929 -.498 .619
Having a strategic awareness and providing support
4.17 .794 4.12 .811 .663 .508
Having communicative language ability
3.88 .983 4.12 .897 -2.305 .022**
Facilitating organisational change and creating learning systems
4.00 .794 4.11 .767 -1.251 .212
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Adaptability in new environmental situations
4.07
.795 4.17 .788 -1.210 .227
Participating effectively in multicultural teams
3.96 .773 4.14 .823 -2.060 .040**
Sensitivity and openness to other cultures
4.07 .775 4.18 .799 -1.222 .223
Personal characteristics factors 4.0675 .70550 4.1167 .65960 -.645 .519 Other individual related factors 3.2972 .77331 3.2308 .75692 .778 .437 Organisational Factors 3.9940 .73079 4.0801 .71391 -1.069 .286 Environmental Factors 4.0321 .69653 4.1645 .71991 -1.677 .094*
Characteristics to Complement Requisite Managerial and Leadership Attributes Duangrat Tandamrong 157
affecting on Japanese expatriate manager’s success in relation to management and operative level responses.
The results shown in Table 4.19 were calculated among Thai subordinates’ who work for management and operative level.
Table 4.19: Mean, standard deviation and t-test for factors influencing success of expatriate managers in Thai business: Comparing management and operative level responses
*** P< 0.01 level, ** P< 0.05 level and * P< 0.1 level Factors influencing the success of
expatriate managers in Thai business
Management N = 139
Operative
N = 183 t-value P
(2-tailed)
Mean SD Mean SD
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS FACTORS
Sociability, activity, assertiveness
and positive attitude 4.14 .870 3.96 .876 1.836 .067*
Good natured, co-operative and
trusting 4.22 .805 4.01 .889 2.132 .034**
Responsible, prioritising tasks, thinking before acting, following norms and rules, planning,
budgeting and organising 4.42 .712 4.29 .831 1.533 .126
Emotional stability 4.06 .926 4.02 .940 .460 .646
Imaginative, independent minded
and having divergent thinking 4.06 .814 3.85 .831 2.271 .024**
ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS Having cross-cultural knowledge
management 4.07 .960 3.85 .929 2.070 .039**
Having a strategic awareness and
providing support 4.34 .728 4.00 .825 3.829 .000***
Having communicative language
ability 4.14 .945 3.89 .939 2.441 .015**
Facilitating organisational change;
providing pre-departure training 4.17 .701 3.96 .828 2.416 .016**
Personal characteristics factors 4.1799 .64169 4.0240 .70716 2.037 .042**
Other individual related factors 3.2542 .74057 3.2732 .78487 -.221 .825 Organisational Factors 4.1817 .68088 3.9249 .73578 3.203 .001***
Environmental Factors 4.1343 .69588 4.0674 .72101 .837 .403
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The results indicate that there is a statistically significant difference between the mean personal characteristics factors (t = 2.037, p = .042) and organisational factors (t = 3.203, p = .001). In other words, management level or managers responses have a statistically significantly higher mean score on personal characteristics factors (4.1799) than do operative level employees (4.0240) and on organisational factors (4.1817) than do operative level employees (3.9249). This indicates that management staff were more aware than were operative staff about the effect of personal characteristics factors, especially the sub-factors ‘good natured, co-operative and trusting’ (t = 2.132, p = .034) and ‘imaginative, independent minded and having divergent thinking’ (t = 2.271, p = .024), and organisational factors, particularly including all sub-factors (t = 2.070, p = .039; t= 3.829, p < 0.01; t=2.441, p = .015 and t =2.416, p = .016 respectively) than were operative respondents. Appendix F.2 in Table F2.3 is provided completely the statistical results (means, standard deviations and t values) for all factors and sub- factors.
From the perspective of respondents from both management and operative level, it was apparent that personal characteristics factors are the highest factors that they believed have greatest impact on Japanese expatriate abilities to succeed in Thai business; and other individual related factors have least impact.
SECTION THREE: