Concept 3.1
Western Culture Clusters
Europe’s culture clusters
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European Union
• Origin: a common
economic market to fair
trade amongst European
countries (West).
• A body with common
institutions at economic,
social and political levels
• Historically- 2nd WW.
• To Bring peace &
prosperity amongst
continents at war
• To establish & promote
human rights, rule of law
& democracy, eliminate
all forms of discrimination
• See Exhibit 3.1 p 41 on
values among EU citizens
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Latin Europe
• Strong Catholic churches, Roman languages
• Roman Empire influences
• More personal approach to managing &
organising but in a highly bureaucracy
• Formalization of hierarchy and proceduresmore efficient.
• Reliance on family & personal relationships &
connections to get things done
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• Italian management: Dual
leadership, a couple
• The leader assumes
external roles as well
keeping an eye on
internal matters . Both
complement each other
• In France, 1 leader as top
management, fulfilling
contractual obligations &
preserving
status/position. Must be
seen as big boss.
• Cultural dimensions of
Latin Europe: low in
humane orientation
practices (degree of
concern, tolerance,
support)
• Self interest is high but
lack of consideration for
others
• Collective family
consideration-greater
loyalty & cohesiveness to
their family.
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Nordic Europe
•Vikings culture and ruling
systems
•Reinforced cultural contrasting
between Northerners & those of
the Roman Empire
• No over-riding hierarchy, no
elaborate systems of control.
Large independent communities,
own laws & governing bodies
•Scandinavians: self-sufficiency,
fairness, egalitarianism &
democracy.
•Business management: boss as
team leader & facilitator. Free
expressions of opinions on the
part of employees & voices are
considered in making decisions.
• Leader still makes final decision
• Distinct Nordic features: authority is
not remote, can question their
decisions, managers are not expected
have all the answers but make effective
use of expertise among workers
Germanic Europe
• Quite similar with Nordic Europe
• Lower power distance
• Germany, Austria-adopt longer-term
perspective in strategic decisions
• More concerned with getting jobs done
than with work environment & family
• Masculine dimensions: ind initiative,
assertive behaviour, explicit
communication, results oriented
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The Anglos
• Anglo-Sexon: Citizens of British Isles & immigrants of N
America & Asustralasia
• Anglo-Sexon groups-the Angles, Saxons & Jutes. Settled in
Britannia that Romans established & abandoned later. Now,
England, a part of UK of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
consisting of Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland
• Culturally (Hofstede’s), British are of less power distance,
lower uncertainty avoidance but more individualistic,
ambitious/aggressive than their counterparts
• Relaxed management approach contrasting Latin & Nordic
• Bureaucratic but pragmatic: job separate from personal life
• Emphasis on the extent individual concerned contributes to
the task.
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Selection and Recruitment
Latin countries-applicants must fit in the group norms.
Interpersonal skills, personality and communicative
competence. Eg French uses one-to one interview & less
references. Particularist approach-skills and knowing how
to operate within a web of relationships and hierarchies
British: Universalist approach-objective criteria such as
intellect and technical skills.
Germanic cultures-equal concern with technical and
candidate long-term career perspectives, involving further
mobility.
British: short-term career perspectives, job hopping
tendency
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Anglos outside Europe
Anglo-Americans
• US culture shaped by values
of White Anglo-Sexon
Protestants
• Protestant work ethics
(Max Weber)-the
psychological conditions
leading to capitalist
civilization-hard work
• Current business drivers are
influenced by the intent to
achieve & improve personal
& societal standards
*The rights of the citizens,
equality as well as
individual work ethics on
achievement (masculinity),
assertiveness, competition.
*Strict rules, procedures, yet
share commitment
among company
employees allows
considerable delegation
and decentralisation.
*Bottom line in the shortWestern Bu Culture_Week 3_3640
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term as success indicator
• British & Americans businesses differ in looking
at the future. Americans more optimism. Read
Article in Exhibit 3.2
Anglo-Canadians
Origin: Indians and Inuit territory
French colonization-Quebec
British took control
Canada became independent in 1867 with clear
borders of French-Canadian & Anglo-Canadian
French & English: official languages
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Anglo-Canadians
Anglo-Canadian society
• Dealing with French
Non-French speaking, of British,
Canadians – Latin
continental Europeans and
attitudes to
Asians (Chinese)-charcterised
management. Memos ,
by the way they manage.
schedules are not the
More British in a sense less
norms
formalised, less driven by
• Dealing with Americans:
individual goals but
concern/aware of society as a
the need and awareness
whole.
to stand their own
Canadian different cultural groups
ground
– socially intact and preserving
their cultural identitiee
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Anglo-Australians
*Australia & NZ_ UK
Colonization. Australian
Aborigines & NZ Maoristheir lives changed by the
European settlers
*Retained Anglo-Sexon identity
after independence.
*Australia the 1st to welcome the
increased ethnic diversity from
immigration of other nonEuropean countries-South-East
Asia
*“ Accepts and respects the right
of all Australians to express &
share their individual cultural
heritage…”
• NZ: largely British ethnicity
Anglo-Sexon in nature but
more collaborative than in UK
or US. Implications; slow
decision making. Hierarchical
but modest egalitarian
approach when dealing witn
colleagues.
• More direct & critical than
their British counterparts.
Humour is away of life
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Latin Americans
• Devised by the French in the 19th C to
differentiate Anglo-Saxon North America and
Spanish/Portuguese South America
• Shared cultural values despite differences bet
Central & South American countries
• Strong belief in the Catholic religion of South
Americans-importance of family & the distinct
gender roles.
• Socially & economically, the gap bet the rich &
poor is considerable. Lack of education amongst
the poor inhibits progress
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Latin Americans
• Power with the patrons-daily life
•
Collectivist
culture-pride,
in politics, the church, business
loyalty, interdepence in
• Benevolent Authoritarian
families but less value on
approach-command & need
institutional collectivism
respect.
(collective distribution of
• With growing middle class,
resources & collective
industrialization, authoritarian is
less prevalent. Mexico
actions.
undergoing significant social
• Read article of Exhibit
changes-the assertion, inclusion
3.4
in decision making causes
cultural clashes
• Warm, person oriented in
dealing with others-strong Latin
American way of doing business.
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