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The Concept and Dynamics of Face: Implications for Organizational Behavior in Asia

Author

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  • Joo Yup Kim

    (College of Commerce and Business, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Korea)

  • Sang Hoon Nam

    (Faculty of Business, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3015, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 3P1)

Abstract

Research on cross-cultural psychology, sociology, and anthropology suggests that the influence of face on social interactions is both pervasive and powerful in Asia. Face, however, has not gained general acceptance as an important theoretical concept in the literature on Asian organizational behavior and management. In this paper, we propose face as a key variable that can explain much of the complexity of social interactions in Asian organizations. We attempted to elaborate on the concept and dynamics of face in Asia in such a way as to capture its pervasive, significant but often subtle influences on organizational behavior. We also examined conditions, functions, and consequences of face dynamics to generate testable propositions for future research. We argue that scholars have to go beyond the individualistic assumptions about human behavior implicit in theories of organizational behavior in the West to better understand the richness of organizational behavior in Asia. In Asia, organizational behavior is better predicted by an individual's external attributes such as face than internal attributes such as desires, emotions, and cognition.

Suggested Citation

  • Joo Yup Kim & Sang Hoon Nam, 1998. "The Concept and Dynamics of Face: Implications for Organizational Behavior in Asia," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(4), pages 522-534, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:9:y:1998:i:4:p:522-534
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.9.4.522
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Reeder, John A., 1987. "When west meets east: Cultural aspects of doing business in Asia," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 69-74.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tran Tran & Wilfried Admiraal & Nadira Saab, 2017. "Cultural Distance in the Workplace: Differences in Work-Related Attitudes between Vietnamese Employees and Western Employers," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(10), pages 1-91, September.
    2. Xiaoyong Wei & Sojin Jung, 2017. "Understanding Chinese Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Sustainable Fashion Products: The Moderating Role of Face-Saving Orientation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-15, September.
    3. De Silva, Muthu & Wang, Pengji & Kuah, Adrian T.H., 2021. "Why wouldn’t green appeal drive purchase intention? Moderation effects of consumption values in the UK and China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 713-724.
    4. Xin Liu, 2020. "Impression management against early dismissal? CEO succession and corporate social responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(2), pages 999-1016, March.
    5. Harri T. Luomala & Rajesh Kumar & J. D. Singh & Matti Jaakkola, 2015. "When an Intercultural Business Negotiation Fails: Comparing the Emotions and Behavioural Tendencies of Individualistic and Collectivistic Negotiators," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 537-561, May.
    6. Yunyue YANG & Jie LI & Tomoki SEKIGUCHI, 2018. "Supervisors’Responses to Employee Voice Behavior: An Experimental Study in China and Japan," Discussion papers e-18-006, Graduate School of Economics , Kyoto University.
    7. Hooghiemstra, Reggy, 2010. "Letters to the shareholders: A content analysis comparison of letters written by CEOs in the United States and Japan," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 275-300, September.
    8. Habel, Johannes & Alavi, Sascha & Pick, Doreén, 2017. "When serving customers includes correcting them: Understanding the ambivalent effects of enforcing service rules," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 919-941.
    9. Morash, Merry & Kwak, Dae-Hoon & Hoffman, Vincent & Lee, Chang Hun & Cho, Sun Ho & Moon, Byongook, 2008. "Stressors, coping resources and strategies, and police stress in South Korea," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 231-239, July.
    10. Tuncel, Ece & Kong, Dejun Tony & McLean Parks, Judi & van Kleef, Gerben A., 2020. "Face threat sensitivity in distributive negotiations: Effects on negotiator self-esteem and demands," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 255-273.
    11. Horak, Sven, 2013. "Cross-cultural experimental economics and indigenous management research: Issues and contributions," Working Papers on East Asian Studies 92/2013, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of East Asian Studies IN-EAST.
    12. Jin Han & Yong Sohn & Kun Yoo, 2015. "The Korean language and the effects of its honorifics system in advertising: deferential vs. informal speech as regulatory prime on persuasive impact," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 321-333, September.
    13. Ronald S. Burt & Robin M. Hogarth & Claude Michaud, 2000. "The Social Capital of French and American Managers," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 123-147, April.
    14. Moon, Yun Ji & Choi, Myeonggil & Armstrong, Deborah J., 2018. "The impact of relational leadership and social alignment on information security system effectiveness in Korean governmental organizations," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 54-66.
    15. He, Yi & You, Ya & Chen, Qimei, 2020. "Our conditional love for the underdog: The effect of brand positioning and the lay theory of achievement on WOM," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 210-222.
    16. Lisa-Marie Schröder & Vito Bobek & Tatjana Horvat, 2021. "Determinants of Success of Businesses of Female Entrepreneurs in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-23, April.
    17. Huigang Liang & Yajiong Xue, 2022. "Save Face or Save Life: Physicians’ Dilemma in Using Clinical Decision Support Systems," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 737-758, June.
    18. Shan, Juan & Jiang, Ling & Cui, Annie Peng, 2021. "A double-edged sword: How the dual characteristics of face motivate and prevent counterfeit luxury consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 59-69.

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