From the ethnic psychology of Letourneau to the intercultural Management of Hofstede (1901–1980)
Although it has been the subject of numerous criticisms, intercultural management continues to be disseminated mainly in its canonical version. This resistance to change has its origins in the very construction of the field. A historical analysis is therefore useful.The article highlights the roots: “ethnic psychology” (taking as a starting point the work of Ch. Letourneau 1901), “psychology of peoples” and North American cultural anthropology, to arrive at what has been considered as “normal” intercultural science (taking as a basis the work of G. Hofstede 1980). The article raises the questions posed by this heritage in relation to an expected renewal: numerous forgotten differences (power, gender, race) and western centering.