A Profile of

Philippine
Management
Submitted by:

Felipe, Emmyrose N.

Letran, Cristine Joy R

Submitted to:

Prof. Blas Trinidad

Mgt4 Business Policy and Strategy MW 4:00-5:30pm

CHAPTER 8 : A Profile of Philippine Management

The origins of Filipino Managers

Filipino managers are predominantly of indigenous Philippine racial

stock although a significant number are of foreign origin, primarily
Chinese, Spanish, and American. Filipino managers have come mostly
from the higher socio-economic strata of Philippine society. Thus,
Filipino managers are strongly oriented to their families of origin. The
breadwinner in their family (usually the father has an occupation that
is either of the independent, upper white-collar or professional
category and whose position carries great responsibility.

The number of Filipino managers coming from the lower income

bracket, however, has steadily increased through the years. This is a
consequence of the growth of the Philippine economy. For now, it is
accurate to say that there is a shortage of competent managers in the
Philippines.

The Training of Philippine Managerial Power

It is said that Filipino managers have been trained for their

responsibilities as managers through one of these three modes, or any
combination of them;

1. Training through Actual Experience

Many managers still take pride in claiming that they gained their
managerial experience through actual experience. These individuals
have never been through any formal training in management. They
are those who started their own businesses and somehow managed
to survive through a process of trial and error.

2. Training through the Management Education System

Many Filipino managers have undergraduate degrees in business. All

the programs offered by different schools are design for professionals
who holds job in various companies or different agencies.

3.Some managers are exposed to training programs which industry or

firm itself conducts for its managerial personnel. This type is used
quite extensively as a supplementary effort by foreign-owned
establishments.

The Pattern of Upward Mobility in the Managerial Hierarchy

Filipino managers achieve upward mobility in the Philippine

managerial hierarchy by recognizing the opportunities offered by
geographic mobility, education and work experience.

The geographical transfer enabled Filipino managers to get exposed to

the opportunities for advancement offered by various organizations.
Education has also proven to be another route up. Whatever
education or training they had received was adequate to start them
off and move them up the corporate ladder once they are admitted
into various business organizations. Work experience has provided
another route up the managerial hierarchy. Initial work experience
plus the added push from at least some minimal higher education has
proven to be an adequate combination to get one started up the
managerial hierarchy.

Values and Behavior

According to Frank Lynch, three basic aims that motivate and control an immense amount of
Filipino behavior are social acceptance, economic security and social mobility. Four concepts, on the
other hand, are very helpful in trying to understand Filipino behavioral patterns. These four concepts are
amor propio or self esteem, hiya or sense of embarassment, utang na loob or deep-seated sense of
obligation or gratitude, and pakikisama which is something like joining the bandwagon in order to
maintain group's unity or camaraderie.

1. Amor Propio

There is a tendency to equate amor propio with either self confidence, loss of
face, social security, indolence, arrogance and irritability because it dies, on occasion, take on one or a
combination of these forms. It is a deep sense of individual or personal dignity, the violation of which he
is most sensitive to.

2. Hiya

Hiya is closely related to amor propio. Hiya is a combination of feelings of

inferiority, embarassment, shyness and alienation. Developing the awareness for hiya is encouraged by
the family because the very threat of experiencing it has proven to be an effective controlling behavior
according to what is socially responsible.

3. Utang na Loob

It refers to that feeling which develops which one has received or obtained a favor
from another. Such favor becomes some kind of a debt of honor, such debts are not, and cannot be
repaid by money.

4. Pakikisama

It expresses Filipino desire for smooth interpersonal relations, in pursuitof which

Filipinos can place a very high value on creating or maintaning good feelings with others to the extent of
sacrificing efficiency just to avoid painful confrontations.
Some Styles of Management

The vey delicate nature of basic Filipino values and behavior compels the Filipino managers to
assure that his management style meets the needs of both personal and professional relationships in the
firm. However, an insight on Philippine management style may be gained from the ideas of two highly-
respected management practitioners in the Philippines the late Andres Soriano, Sr., founder of San
Miguel Corporation, the biggest Philippine food and beverage manufacturer and Washington SyCip,
founder of SyCip, Gorres, Velayo & Co., the biggest Philippine auditing and management consultancy
firm.

In 1968, an article in Manila Chronicle paid tribute to Soriano. Thr praises offered reflect a
very paternalistic management style by Soriano:

He used to say that if we don't help them(the workers), who would?

He always found time to look after the welfare of his workers and their families.

He used to spend thousands of pesos for toys for his employee's children. He loved to play
Santa Claus.

He had a big heart for the poor.

He believed that worker needed the company most in time of sickness, hence the worker
should not be denied assitance.

In the same year, SyCip was given the award of "Management Man of the Year" by the
Management of the Philippines. SyCip advocated the more professional form of management developed
abroad for application in Philippine context. He expressed his observations and beliefs regarding
Philippine business organizations and management.

Emerging Patterns in Philippine Management