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Effects of cultural ethnicity, firm size, and firm age on senior executives’ trust in their overseas business partners: Evidence from China

Author

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  • Crystal X Jiang

    (Bryant University, Smithfield, USA)

  • Roy YJ Chua

    (Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Boston, USA)

  • Masaaki Kotabe

    (The Fox School of Business, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA)

  • Janet Y Murray

    (Department of Marketing, University of Missouri-St Louis, St Louis, USA)

Abstract

We investigate trust relationships between senior business executives and their overseas partners. Drawing on the similarity-attraction paradigm, social categorization theory, and the distinction between cognition- and affect-based trust, we argue that executives trust their overseas partners differently, depending on the partners’ cultural ethnicity. In a field survey of 108 Chinese senior executives, we found that these executives have higher affect-based trust in overseas partners of the same cultural ethnicity as themselves; cognition-based trust is associated with affect-based trust differently when overseas partners are of the same or different cultural ethnicity. We also examine the role of relative firm size and age in shaping intra- and intercultural trust. Relative firm size has a stronger negative effect on executives’ cognition-based trust if their partners are of a different cultural ethnicity. Although firm age does not have a negative effect on executives’ affect-based trust as hypothesized, we found firm age to be positively associated with affect-based trust for partners of the same cultural ethnicity. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this pattern of inter- and intra-cultural trust on international business and networking (guanxi) dynamics in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Crystal X Jiang & Roy YJ Chua & Masaaki Kotabe & Janet Y Murray, 2011. "Effects of cultural ethnicity, firm size, and firm age on senior executives’ trust in their overseas business partners: Evidence from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(9), pages 1150-1173, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:42:y:2011:i:9:p:1150-1173
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    Cited by:

    1. Chua, Roy Y.J. & Morris, Michael W. & Mor, Shira, 2012. "Collaborating across cultures: Cultural metacognition and affect-based trust in creative collaboration," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 116-131.
    2. Fregidou-Malama, Maria & Hyder, Akmal S., 2015. "Impact of culture on marketing of health services – Elekta in Brazil," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 530-540.
    3. M. Kamil Kozan & Levent Akdeniz, 2014. "Role of Strong versus Weak Networks in Small Business Growth in an Emerging Economy," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-16, February.
    4. Alyson C. Ma & Ari Van Assche, 2016. "Spatial Linkages and Export Processing Location in China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 316-338, March.
    5. Musarra, Giuseppe & Kadile, Vita & Zaefarian, Ghasem & Oghazi, Pejvak & Najafi-Tavani, Zhaleh, 2022. "Emotions, culture intelligence, and mutual trust in technology business relationships," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    6. Amalya L. Oliver & Kathleen Montgomery & Shimrit Barda, 2020. "The multi-level process of trust and learning in university–industry innovation collaborations," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 758-779, June.
    7. Tengjian Zou & Gokhan Ertug & Ilya R. P. Cuypers & Donald L. Ferrin, 2023. "Trust across borders: a review of the research on interorganizational trust in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(8), pages 1379-1401, October.
    8. Du, Juana & Williams, Christopher, 2017. "Innovative Projects Between MNE Subsidiaries and Local Partners in China: Exploring Locations and Inter-organizational Trust," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 16-31.
    9. Li, Chun-Sheng Joseph & Lee, Po-Yen & Liou, James J.H., 2018. "Exploring the staff localization of Taiwanese MNC subsidiaries in China: Effects of size, operation time, location, and local-market focus," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 20-27.
    10. Eunbi Kim, 2023. "Top management staffing and subsidiary performance under home-country uncertainty," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1513-1543, September.
    11. Nikolaos SKLAVOUNOS & Konstantinos ROTSIOS & Yannis HAJIDIMITRIOU, 2020. "Managers’ perceptions on trust and knowledge transfer: evidence from Greek ISAs in South East Europe Abstract: Nowadays, cooperation through the formation of International Strategic Alliances (ISAs) h," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 11, pages 164-185, June.
    12. Sofik Handoyo & Sri Mulyani & Erlane K. Ghani & Slamet Soedarsono, 2023. "Firm Characteristics, Business Environment, Strategic Orientation, and Performance," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, March.
    13. Diana W.P. Kwok, 2018. "Boundary spanning and subordinate—leader trust: A tale of two acquisitions in a multicultural emerging economy," Post-Print hal-01744451, HAL.
    14. Liu, Yihui & Wu, Aiqi & Song, Di, 2022. "Exploring the Impact of Cross-side Network Interaction on Digital Platforms on Internationalization of Manufacturing Firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    15. Faisal Khan & Saif-Ur-Rehman Khan & Hashim Khan, 2016. "Pricing of Risk, Various Volatility Dynamics and Macroeconomic Exposure of Firm Returns: New Evidence on Age Effect," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 6(2), pages 551-561.
    16. Carole Couper & A. Rebecca Reuber & Shameen Prashantham, 2020. "Lost that lovin’ feeling: The erosion of trust between small, high-distance partners," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(3), pages 326-352, April.
    17. Sharif Ullah Jan & Hashim Khan, 2018. "Return Volatility and Macroeconomic Factors: A Comparison of US and Pakistani Firms," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 10(2), pages 1-28, June.
    18. En Xie & Yuanyuan Huang & Hao Shen & Yu Li, 2017. "Performance implications of ties to large-scale state-owned enterprises and banks in an emerging economy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 97-121, March.
    19. Lai, Christine & Singh, Barjinder & Alshwer, Abdullah A. & Shaffer, Margaret A., 2014. "Building and Leveraging Interpersonal Trust Within and Across MNE Subsidiaries: A Social Exchange Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 312-326.
    20. Moreno-Menéndez, Ana M. & Casillas, José C., 2021. "How do family businesses grow? Differences in growth patterns between family and non-family firms," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(3).
    21. Xincheng Wang & Jide Sun & Longwei Tian & Wenjia Guo & Tianyu Gu, 2021. "Environmental dynamism and cooperative innovation: the moderating role of state ownership and institutional development," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1344-1375, October.
    22. Downar, Benedikt & Ernstberger, Jürgen & Koch, Christopher, 2021. "Determinants and consequences of auditor dyad formation at the top level of audit teams," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    23. Kwok, Diana W.P. & Meschi, Pierre-Xavier & Bertrand, Olivier, 2020. "In CEOs we trust: When religion matters in cross-border acquisitions. The case of a multifaith country," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(4).
    24. Khadija Straaten & Niccolò Pisani & Ans Kolk, 2020. "Unraveling the MNE wage premium," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1355-1390, December.

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