making a statement about these values. We agree with them and uphold them. But you can't have a high-powered induction with really overt cultural signs. So I suppose IP gets the managers it deserves.' (British production manager)Evidently, the IP culture has been largely accepted as the 'correct way to perceive, think and feel' (Schein 1985) in relation to international management. However, the critical views and resentment are indicative of hidden multiple and possibly divergent interests. Subtle Appeal To Managerial Self-InterestThis section considers the functionalist reasons why managers subscribe to the IP ideology. We argue here that although they may well have a genuine sympathy with the ideology, the functionalist analysis suggests that their own self-interest plays a central role. It would seem reasonable to assume that an obvious incentive is remuneration. Indeed, Ackers and Preston (1997) have noted the capacity of culturally sanctioned management development activities to elicit the acceptance and compliance of managers where tangible incentives are offered. This can ultimately lead to a 'culture trap' (Kunda 1992) which combines normative pressure with seductiveness and coercion, with the potential for 'totalitarian control' (Willmott 1993). Normative control and seductiveness would seem to have resonances with the experience of managers at IP. The remuneration policy was described as 'internationally competitive', but confidential. In international assignments, careful assessment is carried out to ensure that the manager is not worse off. However, seductiveness did not appear to arise from financial reward. An alternative explanation was suggested by frequent claims that managers who anticipated going to IPI did not expect to learn much on the IPI courses; IPI graduates also reported that they had acquired little new knowledge.'I can't say I learned anything new on the course. The real training takes place at work -- thro...
