We found that both life stage and culture contribute significantly to our understanding of the
relative acceptability of self-indulgent influence strategies. Consistent with life stage theory,
younger Thai and U.S. managers and professionals viewed self-indulgent behaviors as being more
acceptable than did their older counterparts. Contrary to expectations based on Hofstede and
Hofstede’s (2005) values dimensions, the acceptability of these self-interested influence strategies
was significantly higher in a country (Thailand) that has a high power distance, collectivistic, and
feminine values orientation, than in a country (U.S.) with a contrasting values profile.