Cross-cultural Differences and Similarities
Parochialism and Simplification
1 globalization
co-operation
2 MNC (Multinational Company
) :often locate in the
developed country ;
3 many international managers believe that their
state-of-art knowledge is more than adequate to handle
the challenges of doing business in the less developed
country.
跨国公司
Because of their education\belief\experience \the extent of self confidence
and so on, they will drift(倾向，趋势） toward parochialism and
simplification.
 Parochialism： the tendency to view the world through one’s own
eyes and perspectives.


for example:
韩国料理店：经营各种特色的食物；东北盖浇饭：生意火爆
韩店认为应增加盖浇饭，并付出行动（他们认为自己增加盖浇饭也
 会赚，而并没有，可能没有，进行具体的分析）

只看到别人的成功却看不到别人的艰难，便盲目跟随
Advantage : absorb other’s priori , broaden the road to
succeed
disadvantage :lose their own character and cut down the
position in the customer’s heart

Simplification:
the process of exhibiting the same orientation toward
different cultural groups.
for example:
significance of cultural blindness, which ignore all the
difference between cultural . The cultural blindness has its own
advantage and disadvantage.
advantage: if we find out the same context between cultural, we can
simplify the management, then improve efficiency.
disadvantage: the reaction to different behaviors\words is various as
cultural. The trouble would be made when we haven’t treat it in a
right way.
国家
料理特点
体现的性格特点
日本
日本菜的特点是追求“纯正味道”，不同味
道的菜被放在不同的盘子里，即使放在同一
个盘子里时，也要按照味道的不同把菜分开
盛放，尽量不让不同味道的菜“混味”。
从日本料理的特点可
以看出日本人喜欢纯
正，喜欢秩序和统一
的性格 。
中国
中国料理就比较喜欢追求“混杂味道”。饺
子、包子等纯中国的料理就是来自混杂出来
的美味，中国式便当更是直接把菜浇到饭上，
酸甜苦辣一大碗。（学校食堂里的一种砂锅
饭）
从中国料理的特点也
可以看出中国人喜欢
混杂，喜欢自由和散
漫的性格( diffuse 关
系散漫型）
The detial

日式便当更明显反映出这个特征，日式便当盒中划分出很多小格子，米
饭、炒菜、生菜、咸菜，分别放在不同的格子中，防止它们之间“窜味”
。日本料理这样做的目的，是为了让客人品尝到各种不同菜肴的纯正味
道。

日本喜欢纯粹的性格反映在做事上就是喜欢搞“统一”。学校的学生穿统
一的制服上学，公司的职员穿统一的制服上班，商店的售货员穿统一的
制服售货……。日本人出国旅游也搞统一，欧美人对此大为不解。日本
旅行团的旅游者像小学生一样排成一个队伍跟在导游后面，统一去参观
一个风景点，统一去一个商店购物，统一买同样的东西……。这样统一
精神、一致行动的人群，其他地方很难看到。
similarities across
cultules
It would not be possible to do business in
the same way in every corner of the globe
becou-ase of internationalization.
At the same time, some similarities across
cultures have been uncovered.
Russia & the United States
Traditional management, communication,human resources, and networking activities.
The relative attention given to the networking activity increase the managers' opportunities for promotion.
Communication activity was a significant predictor of effective performance in both Russia and the United
states.
O.B.Mod.
Another study tested whether O.B.Mod.
intervention that led to performance improvements in U.S. organizations would do so in Russia.
The reaserchers found that this
O.B.Mod. approach, which had worked
so well in the United States, produced
positive results in the Russia.
Korea &The United States
as organizational size increased,
commitment declined;
as structure became more employee focused, commitment increased;
the more positive the perceptions of
organizational climate, the greater
the employee commitment.
Many Differences Across Culture
Despite similarities between cultures
in some studies ,far more differences
than similarities have been found .In
particular , MNCs are discovering that
they must carefully investigate and
understand the culture where they
intend to do business and modify their
approaches appropriately
The HAIRL system of appraisal
(a) Helicopter - the capacity to take a broad view from
above (统观全局的能力)
(b) Analysis - the ability to evaluate situations logically and
completely （合理而完善的评估状况的能力）
(c) Imagination - the ability to be creative and think outside
the box（跳脱枷锁创造性的思考问题的能力）
(d) Reality - the ability to use information realistically
（将信息很好的运用于实际情况的能力）
(e) Leadership - the ability to effectively galvanize and
inspire personnel （有效的刺激与鼓舞员工的能力）
Netherlands
France
Germany
Leadership
Britain
Reality
Imagination
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Imagination
Helicopter
Leadership
Reality
Reality
Leadership
Helicopter
Imagination
Analysis
Imagination
Reality
Helicopter
Quite obviously ,personnel in different operating
companies were being evaluated differently
Helicopter
Leadership
Other HRM differences can be found in
areas such as wages ,
compensation ,pay equity ,and maternity leave .Here are some representative
examples
1.The concept of an hourly wage plays a minor role in Mexico .Labor law
requires that employees receive full pay 365 days a year .
2. In Austria and Brazil ,employees with one year of service are
automatically given 30 days of paid vacation .
3. Some jurisdictions in Canada have legislated pay equity –known in
the United States as comparable worth –between male-and female –
intensive jobs .
4. In Japan ,compensation levels are determined by using the objective
factors of age ,length of service , and educational background rather than
skill ,ability ,and performance .performance does not count until after an
employee reaches age 45.
5.In the Unite Kingdom ,employee are allowed up to 40 weeks of
maternity leave ,and employers must provide a government –mandated
amount of pay for 18 of those weeks.
6.In 87 percent of large Swedish companies ,the head of human
resources is on the board of directors.
Drawing on the work of Hofstede, it is possible to link
culture clusters and compensation strategies. Table 2-3
shows a host of different cultural groupings ,including some
in Asia, the EU, and Anglo countries and regions. Each
cluster requires a different approach to formulating an
effective compensation strategy.
We suggest :
Suit our measures to differing conditions
in terms of locality, time, issue, and
persons involved。
↓
因地制宜 因时制宜 因事制宜 因人制宜
Additionally ,some MNCs have found that
compensation plans are very attractive to their
local workforce(劳动力) have no value for
members of their international workforce .for
example ,when the Gillette Company decided to
offer stock to its 33000 employees worldwide ,the
firm discover that its plan was not global in terms
of worker interest .other companies have had
similar experiences. Some of the reasons are
provided in Table 2-4 ;others include low
employee disposable income and a feeling that
stocks are risky investments .
Figure 2-2(P49) shows how specific HRM
areas can be analyzed contingently on a
country by country basis. It clearly indicates the
importance of MNCs using a contingency
approach to HRM across cultures.
But the figure should not be interpreted to
mean that one set of HRM practices is superior
to another.
Aside from different approaches used in different countries, it
is becoming clear that common assumptions and
conventional wisdom about HRM practices In certain
countries no longer are valid.
In a word :Managing across cultures requires careful
understanding of the local environment ,because common
assumptions and stereotypes may not be valid .culture
differences must be addressed ,and this is why cross cultural
research will continue to be critical in helping firms learn
how to manage across culture.