Asian Multinationals, Cultural Discontinuities and Employment Practices in Nigeria

Asian multinational companies (MNCs) have an emerging history of operations in Nigeria, presenting dilemmas in the development process. Specifically, MNCs have continued their cultural, economic and political hegemony in less developed countries (LDCs). This paper examines the prospects of transfer and crosstransfer of selected managerial philosophies and the enabled employment practices between Asian MNCs and their host environment. It was found that the managerial philosophies of backward sloping curve of labour, status discrimination, and separation of social and work lives were all transferred, and are currently continued by both Asian and Nigerian managers. A given number of Nigerian work values were noted (but rejected) by Asian managers and continued rejected. These findings summarily demonstrate that Asian MNCs leave significant marks behind in every aspect of the life of developing countries including employment philosophies, policies and practices. It is recommended that cultural and ethnic differences should continue to be codified and diffused among international managers for the desirable purpose of optimising understanding and exploiting the gains of cultural diversity and a global world.