Cultural barriers in the transferability of Japanese and American human resources practices to developing countries: the Turkish case

Multinational enterprises can be expected to increase their chances of success by understanding the socio-cultural systems of the regions in which they operate. This paper examines the applicability of Japanese and American human resources management practices in Turkey within a socio-cultural perspective. Emphasizing the contextual differences between developing and industrialized countries and comparing work-related values of the three countries, the paper argues that Japanese human resources practices are more compatible with Turkish societal characteristics than are their American or Western counterparts.