Recent editions of Engineering Management Journal have included several articles which have made reference to the influence of national culture. In these, it has been explained that organisations will struggle to do well where their national culture is badly matched to their current environment. In particular, it has been argued that national culture can affect organisations' abilities to formulate effective strategies, develop successful innovations, and design world class products. This article describes how national cultures develop; explains why the slow evolution of national culture leads to difficulties for organisations all over the world; and provides an example of what can be done to overcome this universal problem. Further, it is proposed that organisations need to develop methods which can help them to match national cultures with the pressures experienced in rapidly changing environments. The article concludes with a brief survey.
展开▼
