Abstract
This multimethod exploratory study was undertaken to determine the global skills, knowledge, & attitudes that will be required of senior business executives by the year 2005 and to compare and contrast these findings between American, European, and Japanese business executives and academicians. In Phase I, 23 multidisciplinary elite interviews produced 105 global challenges executives will be facing. In Phase II, a delphi panel determined 97 global skills, knowledge, attitudes, and educational background items that executives will need to possess. The panel consisted of U.S. university business faculty members, corporate executives, and government international trade experts. In Phase III, 954 questionnaires were sent to American, European, and Japanese business executives and academicians for the purpose of ascertaining a degree of importance for the items determined in Phase II. The response rate was 19.8%, 6.4%, and 20.1% for Europeans, Japanese, and Americans, respectively. Significant differences between the means of the 6 groups were obtained for 21 of the statements. Significant differences between the means of the academicians were obtained for 11 of the statements and for 14 of the executive responses. In conclusion, by the year 2005 senior business executives will: be facing a variety of internal and external organizational challenges in a rapidly changing global business environment, require a foundation of global business skills and knowledge, need to possess a tolerance for other cultures, be required to be continuous learners, need to be able to conduct business in a second language, need to have gained experience outside their native country, need to be able to develop creative solutions rapidly for situations arising in unfamiliar global business environments, need to possess a global perspective, and need to be able to effectively use the expertise of others.
Murphrey, Kelly Jett (1994). The global skills, knowledge, and attitudes senior business executives will require by the year 2005 ; compared and contrasted by American, European, and Japanese executives and academicians : a multimethod study. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -1548701.