Managers' belief in employees' job and psychological readiness and employees' participation in decision making: A comparison between American and Jordanian managers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of US and Jordanian managers about trust and belief in employees' job and psychological readiness, as well as their perception of the participation of employees in decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

A comparative research methodology was utilized to compare the attitudes of 129 Jordanian managers and 103 American managers obtained through a survey questionnaire. A one‐way (multivariate analysis of variance) was conducted.

Findings

The results indicate that while there are significant differences between US and Jordanian managers on levels of belief in employees' job and psychological readiness and sharing information, managers from both countries display similar perceptions toward employees' participation in decision making.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of management; it may be of potential value of management practices cross‐culturally. It examines fundamental managerial issues such as trust and participation between superiors and subordinates. This study attempts to fill gaps in the literature and to extend the existing research on Arabian management styles.

Citation

Aboyassin, N.A. (2008), "Managers' belief in employees' job and psychological readiness and employees' participation in decision making: A comparison between American and Jordanian managers", International Journal of Commerce and Management, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 252-266. https://doi.org/10.1108/10569210810907164