Do national management models really exist ?

We talk about American styles of management, Japanese methods, the “Swedish model”, and of gallic spirit... should we also be talking about national models of management ? In one sense, yes, says Philippe d’Iribarne, who maintains that the best way to get people working together depends largely on the norms and customs that they share. Certainly not, according to Erhard Friedberg. Talking of national management models can hide cultural differences that exist between different companies. Understanding national management traits can help us to avoid making mistakes, says Jean-Louis Beffa, we should bring traditions closer together without melting them all together in a single mould.