CULTURE
1
Questions
z Does culture matter?
2
Questions
z Does culture matter?
Business is Business
Cultural differences
all over the world
explain everything
Computer subculture
Cultural differences
is the same all over
the world
explain everything
3
What is Culture?
4
What is Culture?
z … provides members with images of their
basic concerns, principles, ethics, and
bodies of manners, rituals, ideologies,
strategies, and tactics of self-survival
including certain notions of good deeds
and bad, various forms of folklore and
legends …
5
What is Culture?
z … The way we give logic to the world
begins at birth with the gestures, words,
tone of voice, noises, colors, smells, and
body contact we experience. . . . Our
culture is what is familiar, recognizable,
habitual. It is “what goes without
saying.” Van Maanen & Laurent, The flow of cultures in Organizaition, Theory, and
the multinational croproation, NY, 1993 by Ghoshal and Westney.
6
Are there Types of CULTURE?
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Are there Types of CULTURE?
z Within national boundaries
z Cultural attributes which cross boundaries
y Arab
y Latin America
z Some nations have strong internal cultural
differences
y Canada (English and French)
y India (14 official languages in India &
hundreds of dialects)
8
Are there Types of CULTURE?
z Most nations have intra-regional
differences
y United States: Northeast, West, South
y Germany
9
Are there Types of CULTURE?
z Corporate culture
y
y
y
y
Proctor & Gamble
Microsoft
Michelin
Toyota
10
Are there Types of CULTURE?
z Professional culture
y Highly structured formal education
y On-going professional activities
y Cross over national cultures
11
Can Culture be Managed?
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Can Culture be Managed?
z Contrasting views of the World
y Organization HAS culture
y Organization IS culture
13
Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hofstede’s dimensions
y
y
y
y
y
Revering hierarchy
Individualism / collectivism
Taking care of business
Risk avoidance
Long term orientation
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HOFSTEDE’S STUDY
z 1980 model
z 116,000 questionnaires in 50 countries (plus 3
national groups)
z Conducted over time -- 1968 & 1973
z One of the 1st empirical studies of culture in
organizations
z One of the 1st major surveys to substantiate
cultural dimensions
z Defines national culture through 4 (5)
dimensions
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Revering Hierarchy:
Israel
13
Germany
35
Netherlands
38
USA
40
Japan
54
France
68
Hong Kong
68
India
77
West Africa
77
Indonesia
78
China
80
Russia
95
rank and class are less important
rank and class are very important
16
Individualism-Collectivism:
USA
91
Netherlands
80
France
71
Germany
67
Israel
54
Russia
50
India
48
Japan
46
Hong Kong
25
China
20
West Africa
20
Indonesia
14
Highly individualistic
Highly collectivistic
17
Taking Care of Business:
Japan
95
Germany
66
USA
62
Hong Kong
57
India
56
China
50
Israel
47
West Africa
46
Indonesia
46
France
43
Russia
40
Netherlands
14
Tough values
Paternalistic values
18
Risk Avoidance:
Japan
92
Russia
90
France
86
Israel
81
Germany
65
China
60
West Africa
54
Netherlands
53
Indonesia
48
USA
46
India
40
Hong Kong
29
Avoid risk
19
Long-term Orientation:
China
118
Hong Kong
96
Japan
80
India
61
Netherlands
44
Germany
31
France
30
USA
29
Indonesia
25
West Africa
16
Russia
10
Israel
N/A
future orientation
past and/or present orientation
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Cultural Difference:
•Pakistan
•Venezuela
•Hong Kong
•China
•Japan
•Brazil
•Singapore
•Spain
•France
•Australia
•India
•Belgium
•Italy
•Canada
•UK
•Sweden
•Germany
•USA
•Netherlands
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Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)
y Space
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Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)
y Space
y Material Goods
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Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)
y Space
y Material Goods
y Friendship
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Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)
y
y
y
y
Space
Material Goods
Friendship
Time
25
Dimensions of
National Culture
z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)
y
y
y
y
y
Space
Material Goods
Friendship
Time
Agreement
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High-context vs. Low
context Communication
High Context
(implicit)
Japanese
Arab
Latin
Chinese
Mediterranean
Indian
Low Context
(explicit)
American
English
German
Scandinavian
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