NATIONAL CULTURE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE EXPERIENCE OF KAZAKHSTAN AND CHINA

Owing to its favorable business climate, and productive bilateral relations with China, Kazakhstan is attracting increasing Chinese entrepreneurship to emerge in this country, hence Chinese managers are facing the challenges of cross-cultural management and looking for solutions to them.
The purpose of this study. Is to identify similarities and differences between Kazakh and Chinese culture, and provide implications to enhance managerial practices where two cultures collide.
Methodology. We built up an integrative framework of national culture, and conducted the comparative analysis with an analytical approach.
Originality / value of the research. We attempted to fill the void since there has been very little previous work on comparative study of the two cultures. Our integrative model, and analytical method also offered originality. The results and implications will guide the cross-cultural managers working in these two cultures, especially Chinese managers in Kazakhstan.
Findings. Similarities of the two cultures are hierarchy, collectivism, harmony, polychronism, particularism, diffuse, and human nature. Differences are mainly found in physical space dimension, and neutral-affective dimension; and reflected in other aspects of uncertainty avoidance, gender egalitarianism, long-term orientation, masculinity, assertiveness, and punctuality.

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