Preliminary communication
Managerial Elite and Some Dimensions of the Socioeconomic Culture in Croatia
Drago ČENGIĆ
Snježana ČOLIĆ
Davor TOPOLČIĆ
Abstract
In the text the authors investigate various forms of "encounters"
and confrontations of different socioeconomic cultures of the
"West" and "East", in a very specific area – Croatian companies
with major foreign ownership. The qualitative analysis of
gathered data (based on in-depth interviews) suggests that these
encounters are happening without major cultural shocks, but with
some tensions and misunderstandings that are characteristic of
cultural change. Host and foreign company owners and host and
foreign managers are identified as key-actors in the process of
mutual permeation of socioeconomic cultures in companies.
Foreign managers bring new leadership styles and new
managerial practices to companies. They promote contractual
culture and the culture of effectiveness. While their experiences
with business actors is variable, depending on the economic
sector they are working in, both (host and foreign managers) share the opinion about the inefficiency of state administration.
The requests of foreign managers towards the host management
arise from the desirable role that Croatian managers have in the
context of the entrepreneurial capitalist organizational model.
However, the spread of this model as the source of new
regulations of basic values of companies, is also dependent upon
other organizational and environmental actors. It is left to be
seen in the future to which extent this model will be widely
accepted, beyond the sphere of companies in major foreign
ownership.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
16092
URI
Publication date:
30.4.2004.
Visits: 2.318 *