The Confucian Asian Cluster? Cultural, economic and institutional explanations of leadership challenges of Japanese managers in China

Little cross-cultural leadership research has been conducted on East Asian managers working in other East Asian contexts. In this two-study research, we assess comparative leadership preferences in China and Japan through survey data as a basis for examining leadership challenges of Japanese expatriates in China through in-depth interview data. The two studies suggest that while China and Japan share similar cultural roots, there remain cultural, economic and institutional differences that create a unique set of leadership challenges for Japanese managers in China. The research findings invite debate on the value of the Confucian Asian Cluster.