Communication and “the Mexican way”: Stability and trust as core symbols in maquiladoras

Core cultural symbols are clusters of symbolic systems with a central and unifying force which reveal the way people construct meaning and enact identity through communication processes. This study examined the core symbols of “stability” and “trust” in Mexican communication in U.S. American‐owned assembly plants in Mexico (maquiladoras) and found that while Mexicans perceive “stability” and “trust” as organizing constructs contributing to satisfying relationships, they evaluate U.S. American communicative behaviors as eroding these core ideals. This study reveals that analysis of core cultural symbols is a powerful framework for understanding the ways both structural conditions and dyadic behaviors influence satisfaction and effectiveness in organizational relationships.