National Homogeneity vs. Regional Specificity: An Examination of the Canadian Cultural Mosaic and Whistle-Blowing */L'homogeneite Nationale versus la Specificite Regionale : L'exemple Du Mosaique Culturel Canadien et le Whistle-Blowing

Abstracts Cross-cultural management research often assumes cultural homogeneity when investigating nations which potentially hold important regional distinctions. Examining four provinces in Canada, evidence for unique, regional-cultural patterns were identified in British Columbia (for lower uncertainty avoidance) and Quebec (for collectivism). Cultural dimensions were also related to the propensity for whistle-blowing with consistent findings particularly associated with uncertainty avoidance. Results demonstrate: 1) the relevance of intra-cultural examination in management research, particularly in culturally complex nations like Canada; 2) evidence for the importance of a lower uncertainty avoidance cultural pattern in British Columbia compared to other sampled regions; 3) evidence for the importance of a higher collectivism cultural pattern in Quebec compared to other sampled regions; and 4) support for theoretical platforms linking uncertainty avoidance to the propensity for whistle-blowing. Resumes >. La recherche en gestion qui traite des comparaisons inter culturelles ont souvent postule une homogeneite culturelle dans leurs explorations de nations qui contiennent potentiellement des distinctions regionales importantes. Quatre provinces canadiennes furent examinees. Les resultats demontrent des patrons culturels uniques pour la Colombie-Britannique (en termes de l'aversion a prendre des risques) et le Quebec (pour le collectivisme). Des dimensions culturelles furent aussi reliees a la propension pour le whistle-blowing avec des resultats consistants associes particulierement avec une aversion pour prendre des risques. Les resultats demontrent : 1) la pertinence d'une exploration intra-culturelle dans la recherche sur la gestion, particulierement dans des nations culturellement complexes telle que la Canada ; 2) un appui pour l'importance d'un patron culturel pour un niveau d'aversion de risque plus bas en Colombie-Britannique en comparaison avec les autres regions etudiees ; 3) un appui pour l'importance d'un patron culturel mettant plus d'accent sur le collectivisme au Quebec en comparaison avec les autres regions etudiees; et 4) un appui pour des seuils theoriques qui lient l'aversion de risques a la propension pour le whistle-blowing. Introduction Contrary to a majority of research which has focused on ethics management in the United States, this study investigates select intra-cultural nuances within Canada and relates this to the ethics management topic of whistle-blowing. While there is ample research on inter- and cross-cultural examinations of management and ethics management topics, there has been a void for the intra-cultural level of examination (Huo and Randall 1991) and a tendency for management research to minimize the cultural complexity found within Canada. With the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico (NAFTA) over a decade ago, there has been an augmentation of trade between these countries. Consequently, it bas become increasingly important that American and Mexican managers better understand potential cultural nuances within Canada. A greater comprehension of Canadian culture, its potential complexity within the nation, and how cultural dimensions relate to aspects of management will enhance the accuracy of management research and effectiveness of practice. Intra-cultural examination of Canada may serve as an example for better understanding of other culturally complex nations which the U.S. is developing trade agreements with, including other Anglo culture types. (1) There is a void in the literature for understanding the potentially important aspect of intra-cultural dynamics related to management topics (McSweeney 2002). Specifically, there has been a tendency to examine whistle-blowing from a culturally-bound perspective (Tavakoli et al 2003) while intra-cultural examination is even less available. …

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