Cultural DimensionsCultural Dimensions

Levels of CultureLevels of Culture

ManifestExpressed valuesBasic assumptions

FrameworksFrameworks

Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck- Variation in Values Orientation

Bigoness & Blakely’s DimensionsHofstede’s DimensionsHall’s Culture ContextTrompenaars’ Seven Dimensions

Kluckhohn & StrodtbeckKluckhohn & Strodtbeck

Values orientation Variations

Relation to nature Subjugation Harmony MasteryTime orientation Past Present FutureBasic human nature Evil Neutral/MixedGoodActivity orientation Being Containing/ Doing

controllingRelationships among Individualistic Group Hierarchical peopleSpace orientation Private Mixed Public

Bigoness & BlakelyBigoness & BlakelyPleasantness Good Citizen Competent Good Thinker(Cheerful,loving, (Responsible, (Capable, (Imaginative, helpful) polite, obedient) courageous) intellectual)

Australia (n=36) 12.7 10.9 5.6 8.3Brazil (n=30) 11.7 10.1* 4.7* 6.8*Denmark (n=37) 11.9 11.5 5.2 8.6France (n=32) 13.1* 11.3 5.6 7.8Great Britain

(n=89) 12.5 11.7 6.2 7.7Germany (n=106) 13.0* 10.8 5.5 8.0Italy (n=31) 12.2 11.7 5.2 6.7*Japan (n=20) 10.0* 9.8* 6.2 7.5Holland (n=31) 12.2 11.8 5.4 7.5Norway (n=46) 11.5 11.4 5.2 8.0Sweden (n=69) 12.8 12.0 4.5* 8.1USA (n=42) 12.1 11.5 6.7* 7.7

Overall 12.3 11.3 5.6 7.9

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Cultural Differences:

Individualism versus collectivismIndividualism versus collectivism -concern for self vs. others-concern for self vs. others

Power distancePower distance -acceptance of unequal power distribution-acceptance of unequal power distribution

Uncertainty avoidanceUncertainty avoidance -preference for structure-preference for structure

Materialism versus concern for others (Masculinity/Femininity)Materialism versus concern for others (Masculinity/Femininity) -tough vs. tender-tough vs. tender

Long-run versus short-run orientation (Bond)Long-run versus short-run orientation (Bond) -future vs. past/present-future vs. past/present

Power DistanceLow High

IC

Collective

Individual

VENCOLPAK

TAI PER

SINHOK

PHI

INDJAP

GRE

THA

NZL CANNET

USAAUL

GBR

Hofstede Dimension Scores for 10 CountriesHofstede Dimension Scores for 10 Countries

PD IC MF UA LT

USA 40L 91H 62H 46L 29LGermany 35L 67H 66H 65M 31MJapan 54M 46M 95H 92H 80HFrance 68H 71H 43M 86H 30LNetherlands 38L 80H 14L 53M 44MHong Kong 68H 25L 57H 29L 96HIndonesia 78H 14L 46M 48L 25LWest Africa 77H 20L 46M 54M 16LRussia 95H 50M 40L 90H 10LChina 80H 20L 50M 60M 118H

From Hostede, 1993Academy of Management Executive

Hall’s Culture ContextHall’s Culture Context

High-context– China, Egypt, France, Italy

Low-context– Australia, Canada, England, United States

Trompenaar’s Seven Dimensions of CultureTrompenaar’s Seven Dimensions of Culture

Universalism vs. ParticularismIndividualism vs. CollectivismNeutral vs. Affective RelationshipsSpecific vs. Diffuse RelationshipsAchievement vs. AscriptionRelationship to Time

Culturally Based Differences Culturally Based Differences in Management Stylein Management Style

Culture provides values that guide acceptable managerial behavior and leadership styles.

Transplanted managers may need to adopt some of the characteristics of thenational stereotype of an effective leader in the local culture.

Culturally Based Differences in Culturally Based Differences in Management Style: Management Style:

StereotypesStereotypes

GermanyGermanyTechnically expert,Technically expert,authoritarians authoritarians

FranceFranceElitist,Elitist,

authoritarians authoritarians

JapanJapanFormal,Formal,consensus seekersconsensus seekers

ChinaChinaLow-profile,Low-profile,

tough negotiatorstough negotiators

United StatesUnited StatesEmotional,Emotional,egalitariansegalitarians

Multicultural Managers and Multicultural Managers and OrganizationsOrganizations

The Multicultural Manager– Has the skills and attitudes to relate effectively to and motivate

people across race, gender, age, social attitudes, and lifestyles. Respects and values the cultural differences.

– Has the ability (e.g., is bilingual) to conduct business in a diverse, international environment.

– Has a cultural sensitivity in being aware and interested in why people of other culture act as they do.

– Is not parochial in assuming that the ways of one’s culture are the only ways things should be done.

– Is not ethnocentric in assuming that the superiority of one’s culture over that of another culture.

Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several CountriesProtocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries

Great Britain DO say please and thank you often. DO arrive promptly. DON’T ask personal questions because the British protect their privacy. DON’T gossip about British royalty

France DO shake hands when greeting. Only close friends give light, brushing kisses on cheeks. DO dress more formally than in the United States. Elegant dress is highly valued. DON’T expect to complete any work during the French two hour lunch

- DON’T chew gum in a work setting.

Italy DO write business correspondence in Italian for priority attention. DO make appointments between 10:00 and 11:00 or after 3:00. DON’T eat too much pasta, as it is not the main course. DON’T hand out business cards too freely. Italians use them infrequently.

Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several CountriesProtocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries

Greece

DO distribute business cards freely so people will know how to spell your name. DO be prompt even if your hosts are not. DON’T expect to meet deadlines. A project takes as long as the Greeks think is necessary. DON’T address people by formal or professional titles. The Greeks want more informality.

Japan DO present your business cards with both hands and a slight bow as a gesture of respect. DO present gifts, American-made and wrapped. DON’T knock competitors. DON’T present the same gift to everyone, unless all members are the same organizational rank.

Multicultural Managers and OrganizationsMulticultural Managers and Organizations

The Multicultural Organization– Values cultural diversity and is willing to

encourage and even capitalize on such diversity.

Benefits of a Multicultural Organization– Achieves the benefits of valuing diversity.– Avoids the problems of not managing

for diversity: increased turnover interpersonal conflict communication breakdowns

Developmental Stages for theDevelopmental Stages for theMulticultural OrganizationMulticultural Organization

MonoculturalExclusion of minorities and women from power

NondiscriminationUnfair advantage of majority groupremoved, but no culture change

MulticulturalShares power and influence with all; major culture change

Barriers to Good Cross-Cultural RelationsBarriers to Good Cross-Cultural Relations

Perceptual expectations– Predispositions about the appropriate appearance and physical

characteristics of individuals. Ethnocentrism

– A belief that one’s culture is the best and judging other cultures by how closely they resemble one’s own culture.

Intergroup rather than interpersonal relations– Stereotyping individuals based on their group membership

Stereotypes in intergroup relations– Assuming an individual’s personal characteristics based on

their group membership.

Cross-Cultural Processes: Cross-Cultural Processes: MotivationMotivation

In order to use motivational concepts across cultures, managers must know two key factors:– Which needs the people are seeking to satisfy.– Which rewards will satisfy those needs.

Research findings:– A motivational concept that

has a good cultural fit with a culture can be successfully applied to that culture.

Cross-Cultural Processes: Cross-Cultural Processes: EthicsEthics

Global business practices and behaviors create ethical and legal dilemmas for managers:– The choice of which culture’s code of ethics to follow.– Conflicts between individual and organizational

responsibilities for ethical behavior.– The ethics of outsourcing when

doing so may create a human health or environmental safety hazard in another culture.

Cross-Cultural Processes: Cross-Cultural Processes: NegotiationsNegotiations

Suggestions for negotiating abroad: Use a team approach. Do not push for informality. Be patient. Learn to tolerate less than full

disclosure of information. Accept silence as part of

negotiating. Take no for an answer

sometimes. Be adaptable.

Cross-Cultural Processes: Cross-Cultural Processes: Conflict Resolution Conflict Resolution

National cultures influence which method of conflict resolution a manager will choose.Tinsley’s models of conflict resolution:Conflict Resolution Model Cultural Group

MembershipDeferring to status power JapaneseApplying regulations GermansIntegrating interests Americans

Diversity Training and Cultural Diversity Training and Cultural TrainingTraining

Diversity Training– Attempts to bring about workplace harmony by teaching

people how to get along better with diverse coworkers.– Objectives of diversity training:

Fostering awareness and acceptance of individual differences. Helping participants understand their own feelings

and attitudes about people who are different. Exploring how differences might be tapped as assets

in the workplace. Enhancing work relations between people who are different

from each other.

Diversity Training and Cultural Diversity Training and Cultural TrainingTraining

Training in Cross-Cultural Relations– Cultural training

A set of learning experiences (e.g., mastering a foreign language) designed to help employees understand the customs, traditions, and beliefs of another culture.

– Culture shock The physical and psychological symptoms that can develop

when a person is abruptly placed in another culture. Cultural training is designed to help expatriates avoid culture

shock, which is a major contributor to the high failure rate of overseas assignments.