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

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 high-context 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