Senior Management Aspirations in China and the U.S.: Effects of Gender and Cultural Values

U.S. business students were more likely to aspire to senior management positions than were Chinese students. While males exceeded females in such aspirations in both countries, the gender difference was greater in the U.S. than in China. Others focus (concern for what others think) had a negative association with senior management aspirations in the U.S., but not in China. Desire to help others and individualism both were positively associated with senior management aspirations, with the latter being more so in China than in the U.S. In China the traditions of collectivism and high power distance, may suppress both the motivation to attain such positions and the expectancy of being able to do so. Female professionals in both countries are often an undervalued and underutilized resource. Therefore, organizations would be well-served to accommodate the special needs of female employees. The educational preparation of students for the global economy should go beyond exposure to a few general national cultural values, as it is important to understand how individuals’ personal characteristics interact with the cultural values of their native countries to influence career aspirations.