Chapter 24: Cross-Cultural Collaborators: Expatriate and Host Country National Inclusive Relationships

Individuals and groups often rely on partnerships with other individuals and/or organizations with different cultural norms and leadership preferences. Leadership is a cultural construct, as such differences in values, norms, and attitudes (culture) may lead members of different cultural groups (i.e., expatriate and host country nationals [HCNs]) to disparate understandings of the nature and purpose of leadership, and divergent expectations (Northouse, 2007). These differences could perpetuate a state of unknown-ness between individuals and groups; reinforcing a sense of threat, thus creating a perceived need to be in competition with others for resources as a means to overcome the perceived threat. This dynamic is experienced by many individuals leading in cross-cultural environments wherein stakeholders engage with a win–lose mindset.