Cultural, social and organizational transitions: the consequences for the Hungarian manager

Provides an interpretation of some of the consequences of recent transitions in Hungary and how these consequences have affected managerial behaviour in that country. Using a qualitative methodology argues that the powerful effect of the transition at a societal and an individual level must be placed in the context of the recent past in Hungary. The explanations of managers′ perceived behaviour in Hungary are inconclusive when using inferences based on frequently and commonly applied research assumptions explaining the behaviour by reference to experiences of state‐socialism alone. Numerous behavioural phenomena, albeit not independent from the past, can be explained equally well by the effect of transition on people. The effects of transition will be interpreted as a form of societal acculturation experienced as acculturative stress at the individual level. Submits that these interpretations have validity when explaining people in international organizational settings which themselves can further exacerbate acculturative stress.