The intensification of nearshore operations along the U.S.-Mexico border presents unique management challenges due to significant cultural differences that impact employee outcomes. This paper integrates research on moral actualization with a cross-cultural model of employment relationships. Specifically, we develop a research model linking moral actualization with work relationships with leaders and teams, psychological contract fulfillment, and work performance within collectivism and power distance among employees in nearshore businesses. We develop our hypotheses by drawing on social exchange theory and integrating it with insights from self-morality research and national culture literature. To empirically test our model, we plan to utilize multi-level modeling on longitudinal data collected from over 500 employees and their managers across 75 workgroups in El Paso, U.S., and Juarez, Mexico border region. Our study aims to enhance ethical and cross-cultural management practices, contributing to effective employment in U.S.-Mexico trade and commerce.
