Building influence as an outsider: A theoretical approach to cross-cultural impression management

This paper explores the process by which an international newcomer may increase her influence in workgroup decisions. We present a theoretical approach to cross-cultural impression management to describe how the link between cultural differences and workplace influence may be effectively enhanced, specifically by focusing on proactive behaviors shaping self, target, and contextual perceptions. This perspective makes conceptual additions to the human resources, impression management, and cross-cultural management literatures and provides a foundation for increasing the benefits of diversity in organizations.