En appliquant des règles apprises, les humains sont capables de résoudre avec précision de nombreux problèmes avec un minimum d'effort cognitif. Pourtant, ce genre de résolution de problèmes basé sur les habitudes peut favoriser un type d'inflexibilité cognitive appelé « set cognitif ». Le set cognitif se produit lorsqu'une stratégie alternative plus efficace est masquée par une solution connue et familière. Dans cette recherche, j’ai testé si le set cognitif diffère entre espèces de primates et entre cultures humaines, en utilisant une tâche LS-DS informatisée non verbale, qui mesure la capacité des sujets à s'écarter d'une stratégie apprise (LS) pour adopter une stratégie directe (DS) plus efficace. Premièrement, j'ai comparé la capacité de babouins, de chimpanzés et d’humains à briser le set cognitif pour constater que seuls les babouins et les chimpanzés utilisaient le raccourci DS quand il devenait disponible. Dans une étude complémentaire, j’ai analysé les mouvements oculaires de sujets humains pour déterminer si la solution DS est soit visuellement négligées, soit vues mais négligées. Les sujets humains ont regardé le raccourci, mais ils ne l'ont pas utilisé jusqu'à ce que leur conceptualisation des contraintes du problème ait été altérée. Enfin, j'ai comparé le set cognitif entre les occidentaux et les Himba semi-nomades du nord de la Namibie. Cette étude a révélé que la susceptibilité au set cognitif variait selon les cultures humaines. Je discute en conclusion les origines des variations stratégiques constatées entre espèces et entre cultures humaines. / By applying learned rules, humans are able to accurately solve many problems with minimal cognitive effort; yet, this sort of habit-based problem solving may readily foster a type of cognitive inflexibility termed ‘cognitive set’. Cognitive set occurs when an alternative – even more efficient – strategy is masked by a known, familiar solution. In this research, I explored how cognitive set differs between primate species and across human cultures, using a nonverbal computerized ‘LS-DS’ task, which measures subjects’ ability to depart from a learned strategy (LS) in order to adopt a more efficient, direct strategy (DS or ‘the shortcut’). I compared baboons’, chimpanzees’, and humans’ abilities to break cognitive set and found that all baboon and chimpanzee subjects used the DS shortcut when it became available; yet, humans exhibited a remarkable preference for the LS. Next, in an effort to elucidate how cognitive set occludes alternative strategies, I tracked human participants’ eye movements to identify whether better solutions were a) visually overlooked or b) seen but disregarded. Although human subjects saw the shortcut, they did not use it until their conceptualization of the problem constraints were altered. Lastly, I compared shortcut-use between Westerners and the semi-nomadic Himba of northern Namibia. This study found that susceptibility to cognitive set varied across human cultures and presented further evidence that problem conceptualization, not perceptual processing, influences individuals’ ability to use the alternative. Overall, this research provides a novel comparison of cognitive flexibility within the primate lineage and across human cultures.

‘The commons’ is a concept originating from the traditional shared use of land, but which now often refers to any social asset, physical or abstract, that is shared. This research concerns one aspect of the commons, namely the knowledge commons. The thesis explores community roles in developing and sustaining cultural institutions as key components of the knowledge commons. It focuses particularly on processes of participatory design, and on the capacity of digital technologies to support community engagement. The study takes place across the cultural contexts of the State of Victoria (Australia) and Singapore. The three key aims of the thesis are to explore in what ways and to what extent: I. The emerging concept of the knowledge commons relates to the role of cultural institutions as systems for the creation and sharing of sustainable knowledge resources by their communities. II. The notion of participative design may be applicable to the ongoing development of such systems as multi-stakeholder partnerships to meet community needs. III. Differences in national culture may affect the generality of such an analysis. The research design employs literature analysis and multiple case studies as a basis for proposing new theorisations and an analytical tool to assist future action by cultural institutions and relevant communities. The main perspective used in framing the literature analysis and case studies is Giddens’ structuration theory. Structuration sees the continuing interplay between social action and social structure as the means by which the cultural patternings known as institutions are recursively produced. A complementary perspective used is Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions. Other theorists from a range of disciplines provide perspectives on particular concepts or aspects, such as the commons and participatory design. Five chapters are headed ‘Foundations’. These seek to explicate key dimensions of the research, namely the knowledge commons, community knowledge, cultural institutions, participatory design, and the cultural contexts of Victoria and Singapore. Four chapters are headed ‘Case Study’ and deal with individual cultural institutions, or clusters of institutions, which were the sites of exploratory enquiry (generally consisting of interviews and observation, but in the case of Museum Victoria also elements of action research). The cultural institutions covered by these chapters are Museum Victoria/Women on Farms Gathering, the Asian Civilisations Museum, Public Libraries in Victoria and Public Libraries in Singapore. These insights are analysed to propose a series of related typologies. The coverage of these typologies includes resource characteristics, collective processes, and cultural dimensions. The typologies come together as components of an integrated, explanatory conceptual model concerning the relationships between the commons, cultural institutions, communities, collective processes (including the role of information and communication technologies) and participatory design within cultural institutions. In the final chapter answers are formulated for the initiating research questions. Also the integrated model developed by the thesis is used as the basis for a proposed analytical tool to assist action towards enhanced community engagement in the development of cultural institutions. Use of the tool is illustrated by application to several examples of collective action encountered during the research.

In order to successfully implement service internationalisation, a detailed knowledge of the target foreign culture is required (e.g., beliefs, values, lifestyles, symbols, psycholinguistics, and attitudes). This information may be used to manage the alignment of service offerings with local tastes, and create perceptual stimuli to foster trust and encourage consumption (Fugate 1996). Credible tools are therefore required to provide the market intelligence required to understand the cultural context and inform adaptation to local preferences. Service quality modelling and measurement perform such a role in reporting customer perceptions of the effectiveness of service marketing effort. However consideration of culture�s influence upon service quality evaluation has hitherto received only periphery attention within the literature. While numerous researchers have examined the role that values play as an antecedent of the service quality construct (e.g., Donthu and Yoo 1998; Furrer et al. 2000; Mattila 1999; Winsted 1997) there are no published studies adopting a more comprehensive view of culture�s role. The widespread adoption of values as a proxy for understanding culture�s influence upon the service quality construct appears flawed as there is no theoretical justification to isolate values from the rest of the cultural field (Bourdieu 1990; Radcliffe-Brown 1949). Values alone, such as Hofstede (1984a) and Schwartz and Bilsky�s (1987) schemas, cannot fully explain how individual consumers reconcile their individual preferences with broader cultural influences (e.g., institutions, beliefs, regulations, and artefacts). In this study Bourdieu�s (1986) structuralist perspective of culture is utilised as a framework to explore how culture influences service quality. In this perspective the social world is viewed as being comprised of rules and systems that guide/inform an individual�s behaviour. Values are only one element of this social system. In this study a case approach is adopted to map the role of culture in constructing service quality preferences. While the breadth of the research agenda means there is a large population of possible cases, Taiwan is selected as the case boundary principally due its logistical accessibility. Case selection in this study can therefore be classified as a convenience sample. However, to facilitate intensive study (Stake 2005) complexity is added to the case design through purposeful sampling (Patton 1990). In addition to seeking the perspectives of local Taiwanese outside perspectives are sought from expatriate New Zealanders and Taiwanese who have lived in New Zealand. Through purposive triangulation (Patton 1990) of both the sample underpinning the case and an interpretive multi-discipline analysis the researcher constructs a model of culture�s influence upon service quality evaluation within this case boundary. No evidence is found within either the primary data or critical literature review that Taiwanese culture has any impact upon the evaluation of service quality at the primary dimensional level (i.e., �Process/Outcome Quality�, and the �Personal Interaction Quality�). Indeed apriori modelling of the construct has similarly modelled how consumers separately evaluate interpersonal aspects from other key evaluative criteria (e.g., Dabholkar et al. 1996; Gronroos 1984). This level of the dimensional hierarchy is therefore tentatively determined to be etic (Pike 1967), subject to further cross-cultural studies. A moderate level of cultural influence was however noted amongst the second-order dimensions. Finally, the third and subsequent level indicators were widely found to display extensive cultural influence and require significant adaptation efforts for local cultural preferences.

This thesis explores cultural specificity and universality in maternal metacognitive guidance of preschoolers’ puzzle-solving. Anglo-Australian and immigrant Indian mothers’ interactions with their 4-year-old children on a puzzle-solving task were videotaped, and the mothers were interviewed about their views on child development, adult guidance and interpretations of puzzle-solving. The nature of the metcognitive guidance was analysed with respect to task initiation, task regulation, metcognitive guidance, strategic assistance, speech styles, and forms of sustaining the child’s mindfulness. The results generally supported the notions of cultural universality and specificity in maternal metcognitive guidance. While similarities were noted in mothers’ collaboration, supportive intent and verbal strategic guidance, differences were revealed in task initiation, linguistic mediation, non-verbal strategic guidance and metacognitive modeling. The findings on metcognitive guidance as a function of gender of the child indicated similarities, suggesting that differential guidance of male and female children’s metacognitive learning may be less pronounced in the preschool years compared with later childhood years. Indian mothers guided and supported their male children’s metcognitive/strategic learning more frequently than did Australian mothers. The findings are discussed in the light of notions of socio-cultural and activity theories. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Education)

National cultures play a critical role in effective leadership and organisational success in international businesses. Contemporary organisations are therefore challenged by cross-cultural leadership needs to address increasing diversity. In the past decades, there has been a growing interest in studies of non-Western leadership. Recent papers have focused particularly on leadership in the Asia-Pacific region. This paper compares leadership in China and New Zealand, based on the data collected by using the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organisational Behaviour Effectiveness) project leadership questionnaire. In addition, the paper reviews the main findings of previous research in order to investigate the similarities and differences in preferred leadership behaviours/characteristics in both cultures, while attempting to examine the consistency of current findings against the previous GLOBE studies. Significant differences of leadership behaviours between China and New Zealand have been identified. This paper generally supports the findings of previous GLOBE studies that charismatic/value-based leadership is the universally contributing factor towards outstanding leadership and self-protective leadership is the universally negative factor against leadership excellence. Findings in this paper may contribute to further understanding of leadership practice in these two countries. Future research should be undertaken to examine the effects of cultural differences on organisational practice by a more comprehensive research method.

Exploring the leadership of New Zealand’s diverse cultural groups is of great importance in providing effective leadership. New Zealand’s population is diverse and rapidly changing (Statistics New Zealand, 2004b), resulting in leader-follower relationships increasingly being enacted in the cross-cultural context. As research suggests, cultural variations of leadership exist (Brodbeck et al., 2000; House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004), and inappropriate leadership could stifle the leadership process (Lord & Maher, 1993), it may be especially important to recognise cultural difference in leadership. Well-respected leadership theorists suggest that leadership behaviour is both culturally similar and different (Brodbeck et al., 2000; House et al., 2004), with distinct prototypes of leadership existing in each culture. Followers will only be influenced by leaders’ behaviour which they recognise from that prototype (Lord & Maher, 1993). To be effective, leaders’ behaviour must match followers’ culturally contingent leadership expectation (Popper & Druyan, 2001). New Zealand research supports this theory, confirming the existence of culturally unique leadership behaviour domestically (Ah Chong & Thomas, 1997; Love, 1991a). If the leadership expectations of New Zealand’s diverse cultural groups are not recognised, the result will be ineffective leadership for significant groups. This study investigates perceptions of outstanding Maori and Pakeha leaders by culturally similar followers. In doing so, it examines the unique Maori and Pakeha leadership prototypes, exploring their similarities and differences. In addition, it considers ways in which this course of research could impact on effective leadership in New Zealand. A multi-method approach was taken by this study in exploring perceived Maori and Pakeha leadership. The GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) survey was employed as this study’s quantitative component. The GLOBE is currently cross-cultural leadership’s fore-running research programme, investigating culture’s impact on leadership processes in 62 cultures, with the aim of developing a truly cross-cultural leadership theory. Close iwi consultation with Te Atiawa and Maori academics was employed as this study’s qualitative component. This study’s findings suggest similarities and differences in how Maori and Pakeha followers perceived the outstanding leadership behaviour of culturally similar leaders. Broadly, they suggest that outstanding Maori leaders were perceived as exhibiting a greater degree of humane-orientated and self-protective behaviour. In some instances, outstanding Maori leaders were also perceived as exhibiting a greater degree of charismatic/value-based and team-orientated behaviour, although in some cases this was perceived as similar for outstanding Maori and Pakeha leaders. Participative and autonomous leadership behaviour was perceived as making a similar contribution to outstanding Maori and Pakeha leadership. This study’s findings support previous research which suggests culturally unique leadership prototypes. It offers insight into Maori leadership (as perceived by Maori followers) and provides a rough sketch-map of homogeneous and heterogeneous aspects of Maori and Pakeha leaders’ perceived behaviour.

It is now well recognised that an effective service recovery program is an essential part of firms??? service quality programs and critical to generating customer satisfaction and loyalty. A number of studies have investigated the impact of service recovery efforts (compensation, speed of response, etc.) on post-recovery satisfaction, mostly in Western countries. However, despite the importance of global markets, very few have examined how Eastern consumers react to service recovery efforts. Furthermore, none have examined the impact of cultural value orientation (cultural values measured at the individual level) in implementing effective service recovery programs. This is one of the few studies that have attempted to avoid the ecological fallacy, i.e., assume all consumers within a country are culturally homogeneous. Based on Justice Theory, this research conducted in Thailand, employed an experimental design to investigate how customer evaluations of service recovery efforts are influenced by interplay of the consumer???s cultural value orientation and service recovery attributes (apology, compensation, cognitive control, recovery initiation, and formality). The results reveal that cultural values of power distance, uncertainty avoidance and collectivism do indeed interact with a firm???s recovery tactics to influence perceptions of justice. In other words, the impact of a firm???s tactics is culturally dependent, and consumer expectations and perceptions of service recovery efforts vary, depending on customers??? cultural value orientation. Finally, all three forms of justice (distributive, procedural, interactional) along with disconfirmation of expectations, positively impact on overall service recovery satisfaction. Unlike previous studies, we found evidence to indicate that there is a temporal sequence associated with the three justice dimensions i.e., interactional and procedural justice precede and thus impact perception of distributive (outcome) justice. The results have implication for marketing theory as well as managerial action.

This thesis uses an action research methodology to develop a framework for improving independent scholarly reporting about interventions addressing social or environmental conflict. As there are often contradictory interpretations about the causes and strategic responses to conflict, the problem confronting scholar-reporters is how to address perceptions of bias and reflexively specify the purpose of reporting. It is proposed that scholar-reporters require grounding in conventional realist-based social theory but equally ability to incorporate theoretical ideas generated in more idealist-based peace research and applied conflict resolution studies. To do this scholar-reporters can take a comparative approach systematically developed through an integrated framework as described in this thesis. Conceptual and theoretical considerations that support both conventional and more radical constructions are comparatively analysed and then tested in relation to a case study. In 2000 Aboriginal people throughout South Australia deliberated whether their native title claims could be better accorded recognition through conservative court processes or a negotiation process to allay deep-seated conflict. The author, in a scholar-reporter capacity, formulated a report attributing meaning to this consultative process. As such a report could have been formulated according to alternative paradigms, methodological approaches and theoretical frameworks, the analysis of the adopted framework highlights how different approaches can bias the interpretation of the process and prospects for change. Realist-based conservative interpretations emphasise 'official' decision-making processes where legitimacy is expressed through political and legal frameworks based on precedent. Idealist-based interpretations emphasise that circumstances entailing significant conflict warrant equal consideration being given to 'non-official' 'resolutionary' problem-solving processes where conflict is treated as a catalyst for learning and outcomes are articulated as understanding generated about conflict and how different strategies can transform it. The developed integrated framework approach establishes the independence of scholarly reporting. Its purpose goes beyond perpetuating scholarly debate about alternative 'objective' understandings of conflict; it focuses primarily on communicating a more inclusive understanding of the contradictions inherent in a particular conflict. It increases the capacity to understand when, where, why and how conflict precipitates social change, and articulates possibilities for reconceptualising what might be the more sustainable direction of change.

My thesis explores the social construction of identity of 50 second generation migrant-Australian women aged 17 to 28 years using a qualitative methodology. I conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 25 women from Latin American backgrounds and 25 women from Turkish backgrounds. My study investigated the intersections of ethnicity, gender, sexuality and nationality. I found that the Latin women constructed their ethnic culture in reference to their country-of-origin traditions, and that they also identified with a pan-ethnic Latin culture that included migrants from other South and Central America countries. I found that the Turkish women constructed Turkish culture in reference to their religious practices, and they saw themselves as �Muslim-Turks� who identified with an Islamic pan-ethnic culture that included Muslim migrants from different national backgrounds. The women in both groups drew upon Anglo-Australian culture when it came to their gender and sexuality constructions. The Latin and Turkish women did not see themselves as �typical� women from their migrant communities. Instead, their sense of femininity was informed by what they saw as Australian egalitarianism. The women in both groups saw Anglo-Australians� gender relationships as an ideal, and as one woman said of Anglo-Australians, �how much more equal can you can get?� The women�s social construction of the nation was equally influenced by multiculturalism and an Anglo-Australian identity. They highly valued their Australian citizenship and felt positive about their lives in Australia. At the same time, they had faced ongoing racism and they reported that other people judged their Australian identities through racial characteristics. One woman said that in order for people to be accepted as Australian, �you have to be Anglo and not look like me�. Despite this sense of social exclusion, the majority of my sample held hybrid migrant-Australian identities. I develop a threefold typology of the women�s identities, and I found that 13 women did not see themselves as Australian, 36 women saw themselves as partly-Australian, and one woman held an exclusively Australian identity. I argue that narratives of multiculturalism and Anglo-Australian identity influenced the women�s social construction of identity. Their belief that Australian identity was multicultural was at odds with their experiences of racism and their own self identities, and so I examine the women�s beliefs in reference to an �ideology of multiculturalism�. This ideology supported the women�s contribution to the nation as second generation migrants, and ultimately, they expressed an unwavering support for Australian multiculturalism.

As multinational corporations (MNCs) are extending their international operations they need to examine issues such as the localisation of human resource policies and management, and the effective use of local and expatriate managers. Examination of expatriate studies indicates a lack of attention given to the relationships between expatriate managers and local managers or the perspectives of local managers working in MNCs. This thesis attempts to fill these gaps by focusing on the cross-cultural interactions between expatriate and local managers. This thesis addresses the importance of positive cross-cultural understanding between Japanese expatriate managers and local managers in Japanese subsidiaries in Australia, and its effect on work-related outcomes such as job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation. It identifies macro and micro factors which are associated with levels of job satisfaction and commitment of Japanese expatriate managers and Australian managers with special focus on economic functions of industry, communication, and mutual perceptions. Conceptual models for predicting organisational commitment for Japanese expatriate and Australian managers are developed, and the validity of the models is empirically tested. ¶ Australian managers and Japanese expatriate managers working for Australian subsidiaries of twelve Japanese-owned firms completed self-report questionnaires anonymously. A unique paired data set is used for particular analyses such as measuring communication and perceptions of each other. This thesis examines differences in work values and beliefs between Japanese expatriates and Australian managers on issues derived from structural and cultural features of Japanese MNCs; for example, the type of subsidiary-head office management (eg. strategic planning), integration of local managers, group-oriented decision making, and work ethic. It is found that there is a significant gap in perceptions between Japanese and Australian managers with regard to corporate membership, but no significant differences are found in their opinions towards the strategic planning style of management. Contrary to our expectations, Australian managers are found to be more group-oriented than Japanese managers. ¶ The characteristics of two industries, general trading firms (the sogo shosha) and manufacturing firms, are discussed and their impacts upon cross-cultural relationships and work attitudes of managers are examined. Findings indicate that Australian managers in manufacturing firms have more positive perceptions of work relations with Japanese managers and positive work attitudes than Australian managers in the sogo shosha. This suggests that manufacturing firms provide a more positive work environment to Australian managers than the sogo shosha, whereas cross-cultural interactions in the sogo shosha are not very effective, which may cause misunderstanding and mistrust between managers, and lower levels of job satisfaction and organisational commitment of local managers. The type of industry does not affect the work attitudes of Japanese managers or their perceptions of Australian counterparts. ¶ A conceptual model for predicting the organisational commitment of Japanese and Australian managers are developed and tested empirically. Independent variables included in the model are: individual characteristics, type of industry, psychological integration of local managers into the Japanese organisation, work relations between Japanese and local managers and job satisfaction. Results indicate that job satisfaction, work relations and tenure have significant impacts upon organisational commitment of Australian managers. As for the Japanese managers, job satisfaction and tenure have significant impacts upon organisational commitment, but no association between work relations and organisational commitment is found. In addition, the relationship between work relations and organisational commitment for the Australian managers is partially mediated by job satisfaction, however, this is not the case with the Japanese managers. ¶ The findings of this thesis will improve our understanding of cross-cultural interactions between expatriates and local managers, increasing overall firm performance and improving the quality of cross-cultural relationships within contemporary society. Moreover, these findings will provide a wider perspective on understanding how organisations can implement localisation of management and integrate local managers into the organisation.