Managing across cultures : the experiences of three Hong Kong academic library directors
Document Type
Journal article
Source Publication
Library Management
Publication Date
1-1-2007
Volume
28
Issue
4/5
First Page
213
Last Page
223
Keywords
China, Hong Kong, Librarians, Library management, Management styles, National cultures
Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present the experiences of three western librarians in adapting their management styles for working and living in a new culture.
Design/methodology/approach - Three university library directors who have been working as expatriates in Hong Kong for 2 to 18 years were asked to comment on their own personal experiences in moving to a new culture, a new language environment, and new management challenges.
Findings - Moving to a new culture can be difficult for the expatriate and his family but work environments have many similarities. Developing an understanding of the local professional culture and working within is vital to success.
Practical implications - The paper presents some guidelines for librarians who may be seeking a career abroad.
Originality/value - There is very little literature on librarians, particularly those in management, who have chosen to continue their careers abroad. This paper provides first-hand experiences and demonstrates that librarianship shares a certain commonality and that management skills can be adapted to new cultures.
DOI
10.1108/01435120710744164
Print ISSN
01435124
Publisher Statement
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.
Full-text Version
Publisher’s Version
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Ferguson, A., Nesta, F., & Storey, C. (2007). Managing across cultures: The experiences of three Hong Kong academic library directors. Library Management, 28(4/5), 213-223, doi: 10.1108/01435120710744164