Standardization preferences: a function of national culture, work interdependence and local embeddedness

Received: 7 May 2003 Revised: 7 December 2004 Accepted: 22 May 2005 Online publication date: 18 December 2005 Abstract Both theoretical and empirical studies of professional service employee standardization preferences are relatively scarce. Using responses from 398 employees of an international public relations firm, this study finds that employees from high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance and highcontext cultures prefer greater standardization, whereas employees from high individualism cultures prefer less standardization. Additionally, work interdependence is positively associated with standardization preferences, whereas local embeddedness is negatively associated with standardization preferences. Journal of International Business Studies (2006), 37, 44–60. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400179