Exploring a Knowledge Based Approach to
Governance: Improving Social Capital and Inclusion
of Multicultural Groups on Corporate Boards

Hispanics and other minority groups are still underrepresented at the highest levels of U.S. corporate organizations. We believe that in order for Hispanics and other minorities to be included in corporate governance systems, it is important for them not only to build social alliances but also to strengthen specific knowledge and skills that will enable them to participate fully and add value to corporate board deliberations. Upon reviewing the literatures on social inclusion, knowledge structures, intellectual and social capital, corporate boards, assessing the content of general management executive education programs, and interviewing a sample of executive recruiters and corporate board members, we propose a framework of eleven domains of knowledge and experience critical to current and potential corporate board members. These knowledge domains include various types of strategic and functional competencies, possession of well-honed areas of expertise, leadership and advocacy experience, industry and organizational knowledge, business cultural fluency, and knowledge about how boards work. In addition, we note that boards also consider personal qualities such as the candidates’ reputation and integrity. Further, we feature the idea that new emerging domains of knowledge, such as business cultural fluency, are important competencies to seek and include as they add value to the deliberations of a board. From this perspective, inclusion is a reciprocal arrangement and is not solely based upon the principles of representation or workplace practices by themselves. Read it FREE >>

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A Cross-Cultural Study of Daily Decision-Making
by Maquiladora Managers

This Cross-Cultural study looks at differences between the way Mexican maquiladora and U.S./Canadian managers make decisions at work. Lifting the veil of national culture, the study focuses on the cultural heuristics underlying the choice between several options for solving management problems. The study relies on Relational Models Theory (RMT) to form a theoretical basis for research. Using the four fundamental building blocks of human social relationships identified by RMT, decisions are compared across seven common domains in business management: Exchange, Distribution & Use, Work, Morals, Decisions, Influence, and Identity. A survey was administered to 135 Mexican maquiladora and 141 U.S./Canadian managers. Comparison of the rank-ordered data revealed highly significant scope and scale differences and some commonalities in how Mexican and U.S./Canadian managers make decisions and set policies in their respective work environments. The implications misunderstanding and conflict in cross-cultural management and collaboration are discussed. Login to read on >>