Chapter
15
Cultural Diversity and
International Organizational
Behavior
Fundamentals of
Organizational Behavior 2e
Andrew J. DuBrin
PowerPoint Presentation
by Charlie Cook
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the scope, competitive advantages, and
success factors associated with cultural diversity.
2. Identify and explain key dimensions of cultural
differences.
3. Describe what is required for managers and
organizations to become multicultural.
4. Be more aware of barriers to good cross-cultural
relations.
5. Explain how motivation, ethics, conflict resolution,
and skills needed for negotiation can vary across
cultures.
6. Appreciate the nature of diversity training and
cultural training.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
15–2
Cultural Diversity: Scope
The Scope of Cultural Diversity
 Valuing diversity means to respect and enjoy a wide range
of cultural and individual differences.
 Scientifically measuring diversity is fairly easy; in practice,
diversity may not be visible or manifest itself readily.
 The goal of a diverse organization is for persons of all
cultural backgrounds to achieve their full potential.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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The Diversity Umbrella (condensed)
Race
Sex or gender
Religion
Age (young, middleaged, and old)
Generation
differences
Ethnicity
Education
Abilities
Mental disabilities
Physical disabilities
Values and motivation
Sexual orientation
Marital status
Family status
Personality traits
Functional
background
Technology
interest
Weight status
Hair status
Style of clothing
and appearance
Tobacco status
EXHIBIT
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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The Competitive Advantage of Diversity
1. Managing diversity well offers a marketing advantage,
including increased sales and profits.
2. Effective management of diversity reduces costs of
absenteeism and turnover through increased job
satisfaction and helps avoid age, race, and
discrimination lawsuits.
3. Companies with a favorable diversity reputation will
attract more diversity applicants.
4. Workforce diversity can provide a company with useful
ideas for favorable publicity and advertising.
5. Workforce heterogeneity may also offer a company a
creativity advantage.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Factors Associated with Diversity Success
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CEO Initiation and Support
Human Resources Initiatives
Organizational Communication
Corporate Philosophy
Measures of Company
Success
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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The Diversity Index at Allstate
1. To what extent does our company deliver quality services to customers?
2. To what extent are you treated with respect and dignity at work?
3. To what extent does your immediate manager/team leader seek out and
utilize diverse backgrounds and perspectives?
4. How often do you observe insensitive behaviors at work, for example:
inappropriate comments or jokes?
5. To what extent do you work in a n environment of trust?
Source: Courtesy of Alls tate Insurance Co.
EXHIBIT
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Cross-Cultural Values
Key Dimensions of Differences in Cultural Values:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Individualism versus collectivism
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Materialism versus concern for others
Long-run versus short-run orientation
Formality versus informality
Urgent time orientation versus
casual time orientation
8. High context versus low
context cultures
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Culturally Based Differences in
Management Style
Culture provides values that guide
acceptable managerial behavior
and leadership styles.
Transplanted managers
may need to adopt some
of the characteristics of the
national stereotype of an
effective leader in the local
culture.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Culturally Based Differences in
Management Style: Stereotypes
United States
Emotional,
egalitarians
China
Low-profile,
tough negotiators
Japan
Formal,
consensus seekers
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
Germany
Technically expert,
authoritarians
France
Elitist,
authoritarians
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Multicultural Managers and Organizations
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
15–11
Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries
Great Britain
DO say please and thank you often.
DO arrive prom ptly.
DON’T ask personal questions because the Briti sh 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 form ally 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 m ake appointments between 10:00 A.M. and 11:00 or after 3:00 P.M.
DON’T eat too much pasta, as it is not the m ain course.
DON’T hand out business cards too freely. Italians use them infrequently.
EXHIBIT
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries
Greece
DO distribute business cards freely so people will know how to spell your nam e.
DO be prompt even i f your hosts are not.
DON’T expect to meet deadlines. A project takes as long as the Greeks thi nk is
necessary.
DON’T address people by formal or professional titles. The Greeks want m ore informality.
Japan
DO present your business cards with both hands and a slight bow as a gesture of
respect.
DO present gifts, American-m ade and wrapped.
DON’T knock competitors.
DON’T present the same gift to everyone, unless all mem bers are the same organizational
rank.
EXHIBIT
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Multicultural 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
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Developmental Stages for the
Multicultural Organization
Monocultural
Nondiscrimination
Multicultural
Exclusion of
minorities and
women from power
Unfair advantage
of majority group
removed, but no
culture change
Shares power
and influence
with all; major
culture change
EXHIBIT
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Barriers 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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Cross-Cultural Processes: Motivation
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Cross-Cultural Processes: Ethics
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Cross-Cultural Processes: Negotiations
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Cross-Cultural Processes: Conflict Resolution
National cultures influence which method of
conflict resolution a manager will choose.
Tinsley’s models of conflict resolution:
Conflict Resolution Model
Deferring to status power
Applying regulations
Integrating interests
Cultural Group Membership
Japanese
Germans
Americans
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Diversity Training and Cultural Training
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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Diversity Training and Cultural Training
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.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.
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