A survey instrument was utilized to collect the data applied in our study, a questionnaire, which was composed of two parts: basic data and
management activities and required skills. Data were collected using a five point Likert-type scale, where 1 = strongly disagree; 2 = disagree to some extent; 3 = uncertain; 4 = agree to some extent; 5 = strongly agree. The basic data portion only asked managers to provide their industry’s type and their current management level. In the management activity and skill section, managers were asked to evaluate the perceived importance of each activity based on their positions (management level). If the degree of importance for the activity ranked 3 or above in importance, they were asked to choose all the related skills which are crucial to accomplish the activity effectively.
As a whole, we try to survey the critical managerial activities and skills required by MNC managers. All the efforts were focusing on examining the important managerial roles or skills for different levels of management, after
developing a questionnaire, sending it to concerned managers, and then analyze it. The three levels of MNC managers were classified as follows: top management (e.g, General Manager, CEO), middle management (e.g., Department manager, Director), and supervisory management (e.g., Superintendent, Assistant manager, Chief, Head).
It was decided, in this study, to use multiple item measures to construct the roles and functions discovered by researchers and adapts them to be
implemented in this survey. This involved a survey of practitioners and to ensure that a comprehensive set of scales was included in this survey questionnaire, the work of above mentioned researchers was reviewed, filtered and summarized to be an initial questionnaire. To accomplish a pilot study, this initial questionnaire was sent to concerned 18 people who are currently working under cross culture environment in variety of country mainly in Middle Eastern area, few in Far Eastern region including three different levels of managers. After collecting responses and comments from them, the questionnaire was refined and further modified to be a valid one.
Finally 20 management activities and 11 managerial skills were emerged.
These are listed in Table 1 and 2. Among them,S1,S2,S3,S6,S8 are relevant to the MNC management skill which were suggested by Carmeli ; where S7,S9,S10,S11 are relevant to the skill required for the global manager which were provided by Ali and Camp , other skills were recommended by participator of the pilot study.
Table 1 Managerial activity
NO Activity Description
A1 Strategy setting Formulating organization objectives, defining strategies and polices to achieve them, and developing detailed plans to achieve the objective A2 Seeking and assessing new
business opportunities globally
To pursue an aggressive competitive strategy pioneering products and markets, to understand the changes and innovations in the industry and uncertainty of actions of competitors and customers
A3 Long-term planning To align the organization’s long-range plan with its strategic business plan.
Rapidly changing business environments, increased involvement by end users, and accelerated technological changes underscore the need to continue improving strategic planning skills
A4 Distribution available resources Selecting, accepting and/or negotiating with internal and external resources to satisfy project needs and constraints in a timely manner Serving as a liaison between the company and the external resource monitoring, evaluation and/or influencing the performance of the provider A5 Design of standard operation
procedure
Setting standards for elementary operations and updating timely based on local government's law and regulation
A6 Participating international conference or meeting
Representing company to participate international conference, or any event
A7 Budget planning and execution
Prepare budget for routine activity or future improvement for organization
A8 Organization design To identify and update the major function categories used within an enterprise and their relationships to business processes
A9 Human resource allocation To assign interesting tasks, make sure that employees’ work with competent colleagues and work on professionally important projects, and to provide jobs for employee
A10 Conflict resolution and motivation of employees
To resolve the conflicts between subordinates and peers; to motivate them
A11 Multi-culture recruiting To make up for the current and future shortages of qualified employee worldwide
A12 Planning and implementation for training
Conducting knowledge/skills needs assessments, determining requisite areas of significant deficiencies and appropriate education/training programs for the staff Being a role of coach, keeping track of subordinate training and special skills as they relate to job assignments to facilitate their personal growth and development
A13 International affairs involvement Legal, joint venture, licensing, commercial documents review and execution
A14 Personnel performance evaluation
Evaluating the quality of subordinate job performance
A15 Cost–benefit analysis Installing new cost metrics to purchase low cost and distribution cost analysis of department
A16 Monitoring work schedule Keeping up with information on the progress of operations in the company
A17 Analysis and review of work status
Gathering the pertinent information needed to evaluate proposed and/or current project work
A18 Local relationship building Establishing good business relationship with local government, industry efficiently
A19 Negotiation on behalf of organization
To take charge when organization must engage in important negotiation within or outside the department
A20 Boundary spanning Acting as interpreter between homes and host countries across technical and social-culture issues
Table2 managerial skill
NO Skill Description
S1 Conceptual skill Ability to analyze events, perceive trends, anticipate change and recognize opportunities and threats
S2 Creativity (innovation) skill Perceiving and responding to the direction in which the business should grow, company objectives and policies and stockholders' and employees' interests
S3 Planning and organizing skill
Setting targets or goals; detailing the steps and then allocating resources, arranging or forming these actions into a coherent unity or functioning whole to accomplish those plans
S4 Leadership skill Identifying the relationship with subordinates, defining the milieu in which they work, motivating them, probing into their activities to keep them alert, and taking responsibility for hiring, training and promoting them
S5 Self-Monitoring Personal flexibility, adjusting to social demands of different culture S6 Communication,
persuasiveness and coordination skill
Having a strong vocabulary for effectively translating ideas into words fluidly to adapt the message to fit the audience and situation. To bridge two ideas, and create a total meaning having far greater impact that logical, discursive explanation
S7 Learning and adapting skill Understanding and appreciating different and opposing perspectives on an issue. Having the perspective on an issue adapting to changing situations;
accepting change in the organization or work requirements
S8 Multi-lingual skill Proficiently listening, speaking, reading and writing with official languages S9 Cognitive complexity Intuitive perceptual sensitivity to different cultures, thought and behavior
patterns
S10 Multi culture sensitivity Comfort ability in dealing with staff from different cultures
S11 Flexible problem solving skill
Maintaining a flexible attitude to create acceptable solution
3.2 Sampling
The targeted MNC managers in this study are mostly working for international enterprises in Middle Eastern country, most countries are muslin country, their culture is quite different from others, and meanwhile, those enterprises have most diversity nationality of employee due to higher salary package which attracts most skillful and capable employee from worldwide. Main industry in this area is manufacturing related to
petrochemical or oil; gas company. Therefore more samples came from manufacturing industry, while others are from service industry such as bank, engineering service company.
4. Data analysis