Stress, Task, and Relationship Orientations: Analysis Across Two Culturally Diverse Countries

Abstract

Stress is a normal part of the workplace and it is perhaps heavily influenced by one’s level of task and relationship orientation. To explore the stress and leadership orientation of people in two different cultures, this study focused on the differences of 64 Australian and 155 Pakistani respondents. It appears that they have similar scores on the task orientation and stress perception, but Australians are more relationship-oriented. Overall, both groups reported a moderate level of stress with no statistically significant differences. In this paper, literature on the two cultures is presented along with practical suggestions and implications for future studies regarding leadership and stress management.

Key words: Relationships; Tasks; Culture; Stress; Australia; Pakistan