Power Distance And Uncertainty Avoidance Cultural Perspective Of Chinese High-performance Work Systems Research

The research of High Performance Work System (HPWS) originated in the United States. Numerous studies prove that the High Performance Work System contributes to the efficiency improvement of companies in Western countries. However, there is no consensus among scholars on whether the model for High Performance Work System can apply to other regions in the world.This dissertation examines whether the western High Performance Work System can apply in China, through the perspectives of two cultural dimensions of Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance. We conduct theoretical study of western theories of High Performance Work System, empirical study of the impact of Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance differences on High Performance Work System, as well as the case studies of Human Resource Management in Chinese companies. We suggest that Chinese companies should not copy the western type of High Performance Work System, but should build the High Performance Work System adapted to the Chinese cultural context. This dissertation concludes that cultural differences in terms of Power Distance and Uncertainty Avoidance affect the applicability of the High Performance Work System. Significant differences exist between China and western countries in terms of the two cultural dimensions. Firstly, high power distance culture in China creates high social hierarchy, high dependence of employees on their leaders and relatively high power concentration. Secondly, low uncertainty avoidance culture in China leads to the lack of rules and regulations aimed at reducing uncertainties in the future, as a result, enterprises need to rely on the control of employees through strict rules and management. With China’s economic and democratic development, the practices of role authorization, employees’participation in the management and long-term investment in human capital, should be introduced gradually. Consequently, Chinese enterprises should build High Performance Work Systems that creates balance between centralization and decentralization, control and commitment.