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This quantitative study examined the relationship between globalization and assimilation to determine whether managers in Trinidad and Tobago devalue their own culture to assimilate into a global culture. Global and culture assimilation as described by Hofstede (1980), Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1993), and Schein (1996a, 1996b) provided theoretical grounding for the study. The results were (a) demographic factors impacted culture, (b) global factors had no impact on culture, (c) the Trinidad and Tobago manager assimilated during international business meetings, (d) there was an impact of assimilation on culture, and (e) there was no change in management behavior during international business meetings.
INTRODUCTION
Globalization is used to describe increasing integration, interaction, and interdependence among countries resulting from the modern flow of people, trade, finance and ideas from one nation to another (Bishop, Reinke, & Adams, 2011). Globalization has affected how business has been conducted throughout the world. According to Bishop et al. (2011), economies and societies around the world are becoming integrated. The authors pointed out that improved technology, enhanced telecommunications, and the Internet have changed the way business is conducted. Banking and other business arrangements are accomplished from homes, business meetings take place with others throughout the world via video conferencing, and email and other web-based channels allow for seamless professional communication. Due to globalization the cultures of island nations have changed, and the way that island nation organizations conduct business has also changed (Burton, 2009; Punnett 2012).
Organizations conducting business on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago have been impacted by globalization and rapid changes in technology. Due to these changes, the cultures of island nations have changed (Burton, 2009). According to Burton, the preservation of the national identities of these island nations has been at risk. The language, political system, legal system, the military, methods of production, education, architecture, customs, values, family structure, entertainment, clothing styles, and cuisine have undergone changes due to globalization (Steger, 2003). Globalization is shifting cultural norms through the influx of foreign goods, services, entertainment, and media (Burton, 2009). The problem is that organizations that provide goods and services worldwide are part of a broader culture that may ignore the richness offered by island nations. What has remained unstudied is whether globalization and assimilation influence change in management behavior,...