Understanding Other Cultures

What is Culture?

 Culture    Scholars have defined culture in more than 160 ways. Culture is learned, shared and transmitted from one generation to the next.

Culture is the ‘collective programming of the mind’.

What is Culture?

 Most anthropologists agree     Culture is learned, not innate.

The various aspects of culture are interrelated.

Culture is shared.

Culture defines the boundaries of different groups.

Hofstede Dimensions

     Power Distance Individualism-Collectivism Masculinity-Femininity Uncertainty Avoidance Long-term-Short-term Orientation

Large versus Small Power Distance

  Large Power Distance   Employees believe their supervisors are right even when they are wrong.

Employees do not take any initiative in making non-routine decisions.

Small Power Distance  A participative management style of leadership is likely to be productive for this types of organization.

Power Distance

Position

1 15/16 38 42/44 51 53

Country or Region

Malaysia France USA Germany Denmark Austria

Points

104 68 40 35 18 11

Individualism versus Collectivism

  Individualism  People are only supposed to look after themselves and their immediate family.

 Organizations emphasize individual decision making.

Collectivism  People belong to groups that are supposed to look after them in exchange for loyalty.

 Organizations are likely to rely on group decision making.

Individualism-Collectivism

Position

1 2 3 15 50 53

Country or Region

USA Australia Great Britain Germany Venezuela Guatemala

Points

91 90 89 67 12 6

Masculinity versus Femininity

  Masculinity  The degree to which dominant values in a society emphasize assertiveness, acquisition of money and status, and achievement.

Femininity  The degree to which dominant values in a society emphasize people relationships, concern for others, and the overall quality of life.

Masculinity-Femininity

Position

1 2 3 9/10 15 53

Country or Region

Japan Austria Venezuela Germany USA Sweden

Points

95 93 73 66 62 5

Strong versus Weak Uncertainty Avoidance

  Strong Uncertainty Avoidance   Employees tend to stay with their organizations for a long time.

High resistance to organizational change is expected among these employees.

Weak Uncertainty Avoidance  Employees tend to change jobs more frequently.

Uncertainty Avoidance

Position

1 10/15 29 43 47/48 53

Country or Region

Greece France Germany USA Great Britain Singapore

Points

112 86 65 46 35 8

Long-term/Short-term Orientation

Position

1 2 3 14 17 23

Country or Region

China Hong Kong Taiwan Germany USA Pakistan

Points

118 96 87 31 29 00

HOFSTEDE Country Comparisons Country Germany USA Sweden France Power Distance 35 40 31 68 Individualism 67 91 71 71 Masculinity Uncertainty Avoidance 66 65 62 5 43 46 29 86

Matrix: Power Distance/Individualism Individualism

•

Great Britain

•

USA

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Canada

•

Germany

•

Austria

•

Sweden

•

Spain

•

France

•

Italy

•

China

•

Japan

•

Mexico Power Distance

Matrix: Power Distance/Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty Avoidance

•

Germany

•

Austria

•

Sweden

•

France

•

Belgium

•

Great Britain

•

USA

•

Canada

•

Italy

•

Spain

•

Greece Power Distance

Cultural Analysis of the UK

Cultural Dimension

Power Distance

LOW

Uncertainty Avoidance

LOW

Individualism

HIGH

Masculinity

HIGH Management Issues

Organizational Structure Status Symbols Role of Manager Corporate Plans Competition Control Systems Risk Decision-Making Reward Systems Ethics/Values Organizational Concern Valued Rewards Networking Interpersonal Focus Basis fro Motivation

UK Culture

Relatively Flat Relatively Unimportant Facilitator Seen as Guidelines Seen as Advantageous Loose Take Individual Merit-Based Universalism Employee Looks After Self Money, Rewards Important for Performance Task-Oriented Ambition – Getting Ahead

The Role of Time

      Every culture has their ‘Time Language’ Life Rhythm: slow or fast?

Punctuality: valued or not?

Lead Time: long or short?

Time Perspective: Past or Future? Daily Time: cultural norms?

Life Rhythm: Examples of Fast and Slow Communication

    

Fast

Magazines Memos/Emails Videos TV Use of First Names in the USA     

Slow

Books Letters Art/Theatre Print Media Use of Formality in other Cultures

Monochronic/Polychronic Cultures

Orientation Towards Past, Present & Future

High and Low Context Cultures High/Low Context

How much of the entire array of communication stimuli is meaningful for the conversation:  

Cultural Scale:

 Japanese...Arab...Mexican...Italian...French...English...

American...German

Professional Scale:

 HR…Marketing...R&D...Technical...Engineers...Finance

Regional or Cultural Differences

      Child Labor – Good or Bad? Religious Beliefs – Business Impact? Expatriates – Trials and Tribulations Women – Glass Ceiling Compensation & Benefits – Leveling the Playing Field Foreign Corrupt Practices Act – Where do you Draw the Line?

Child Labor Still Exists

    Who? – Walmart, Nike, Disney, Gap, McDonalds.

Where? –

61% in Asia, 32% in Africa, 7% in Latin America.

How Many? ~250 million children between 5 and 14 work in developing countries; 120 million of them full-time. How Much? – On average, these children are paid about 30 cents an hour.

Major Religions of the World

    Hinduism   Caste System Sacred Cow Confucianism  Guides Personal and Social Behavior, Jen and Li Buddhism   Breaking the Laws of Karma Samsura – Endless Cycle of Rebirth Islam    No separation of Church and State Five Pillars of Faith Sunnis/Shiites Split