From: Caproni, Paula [mailto:
pcaproni@bus.umich.edu]
I've been in and out of these discussions, but FYI I published a management
skills book with Prentice Hall 2001 ("The Practical Coach: Management Skills
for Everyday Life" by Paula Caproni). It should be useful across cultures
moreso than many textbooks from the US because I assumed globalization,
diversity and technology (e.g., virtual teams) were normal parts of everyday
work life. I'm not trying to promote the book, but you may find it useful
and can get a copy by going to the Prentice hall Website. Even if you don't
plan on using it for a course, you may find it to be a useful reference.
It's both theory based and written in a practical, journalistic style (that
would be relatively easy for people who don't have English as a first
language to read -- again, that's compared to more traditional textbooks).
I've heard that one management program is going to use the text in
Singapore.
In terms of being relevant to China (and other Asian cultures), the chapter
on self-awareness begins with a discussion of the difference between the
independent and interdependent self-concepts, along with implications for
working with others and managing. There's also a chapter on cultural
differences and one on managing diverse and virtual teams. The chapter that
would be most U.S. biased is the chapter on crafting a life because it
assumes that dual career families are common in the U.S., and has more
information in it that's relevant to dual career families. However, this
chapter also has information on happiness and health which is relevant
across cultures.
Note that the chapter on crafting a life begins with demographics from the
U.S. census rather than a global census. I'd be VERY happy if someone would
tell me where to find global statistics and information, especially
information about work/life issues outside of the U.S. (e.g., Great Britain,
Germany, China, Japan, Brazil, etc.). [CW: post to the list].
Thanks much,
Paula Caproni
University of Michigan Business School