University of Twente Student Theses
The Dutch perception of decision-making in the US
Lems, Merte T. (2022) The Dutch perception of decision-making in the US.
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| Abstract: | Previous studies suggests that the US and the Netherlands have the same approach towards authority, an egalitarian attitude. But what is considered egalitarian in one country does not have to be considered egalitarian in another country. In addition, theory suggests that the US and the Netherlands have a contrasting attitude towards decision-making: consensual vs. top-down. However, the theory does not specifically focus on how the Dutch actually experience and cope with this different attitude. Therefore, an inductive qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was carried out on the differences in decision-making Dutchmen experience in American organizations. This study found that the Dutch do not actually perceive the American work culture as egalitarian, but rather use the word hierarchical to describe it. Next to that, interviewees experience many differences between the decision-making process in the US and the Netherlands. Such differences include the importance or non-importance of consensus and communication and the difference in power of the manager. The general advice to cope with the different American work culture that was proposed by the interviewees was to adapt and let go of the Dutch way of working to avoid any problems and potentially lose your job. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 02 science and culture in general, 70 social sciences in general, 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | International Business Administration BSc (50952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/91192 |
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