外籍經理在台灣環境下的權力運用

Abstract

Every position within a company has power, it is essential to the dynamics of any organization. The rationale of how managers have harnessed power has been well studied, however most of the concepts tested have been developed in a Western context and then exported to the rest of the world. Less research has been done on concepts originating from areas outside of North America and Europe. The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively examine the methods, rationale and strategies applied by foreign managers operating in a Taiwanese workplace. Specifically, this paper addresses the traditional bases of power; personal and positional, while adding the distinctly Chinese concept of guanxi as a separate power base. How the managers earned, applied and leveraged these bases of power in Taiwan with limited exposure to Taiwanese workplace norms prior to immigrating is examined. The manager's interviewed all displayed a surprising inclination towards to the usage of guanxi in their current organizations. Research into how foreigners have adapted to the Taiwanese workforce has not been extensively studied. As the Taiwanese government is in the process of drafting and adopting legislation that could make it easier for firms to hire foreign professionals examining the challenges faced by those individuals and their experiences is both timely and relevant.