Cultural Differences in Managerial Aspirations of ICT Professionals

In this research paper a qualitative approach is used to assess differences in managerial aspirations of UAS students taking a Master`s degree in computer sciences. By drawing on the extensive framework of the GLOBE study (House et al,1999, 2004) potential Finnish and Austrian executives were interviewed in line with the lingua-cultural dimensions and standards identified in the literature. Initial findings suggest that Austrians tend to display a more masculine (Hofstede, 1991, 1998, Schroll-Machl, 2003)orientation towards their professional self-perceptions, seeing themselves more frequently in C-level positions assuming much responsibilty and receiving high incomes while their Finnish counterparts appear to strive for health-related quality of life where leisure time activities take a predominant place.