2.
National cultures and
management – the etic
approach
Learning objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
define the concept of culture
distinguish between culture and stereotypes
understand different views on the origins of national culture
evaluate the usefulness of the emic and etic approaches to cultural analysis
understand methodological difficulties in national culture research
understand and appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of Hofstede’s work,
Schwarz’s work, and the World Values Survey
relate the three main etic studies of national culture to one another
recognize the implications of the cultural differences identified by etic studies for
management and organization
understand the differences between culture at the national and at the
organizational level
recognize the implications of cultural differences at the national level for
international negotiations.
Chapter Outline (1)
2.1
Introduction
2.2
What culture is and is not
Defining culture
Culture and stereotypes
Where does culture come from?
2.3
Methodological dilemmas
Etic versus emic
Research methods
Boundaries of cultures
Levels of analysis
Dimensions and typologies
Chapter Outline (2)
2.4
2.6
2.7
2.8
Examples of etic research
Geert Hofstede: Five dimensions of work-related values
Shalom Schwartz: Seven cultural orientations
World Values Survey: national cultures over time
Integration
National culture and organizational culture
Implications for management and organization
National cultures and cross-cultural negotiations
Study questions
Further reading
Case: Leading across cultures at Michelin
Case: The Alcatel-Lucent merger
Notes
References
Figure 2.1: Levels of culture
Figure 2.2: Theoretical structure of
Schwartz‘s cultural value orientations
Figure 2.3: Culture clusters in the World
Values Survey data
(source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Koyos, retrieved 28 March, 2014.
Figure 2.4: Culture change in countries on
two dimensions
(Source: Inglehart and Baker, 2000: 40)
Figure 2.5: Fourteen dimensions of national
cultures
(Sources: Hofstede [2001]; Schwartz [private correspondence]; World Values Survey website [http://www.worldvalues
survey.org/wvs.jsp])
Figure 2.6: Hofstede‘s onion diagram
(Source: Adapted from Hofstede, 1991)
Figure 2.7: Influences of culture on
negotiations
(Source: adapted from Gelfand and Dyer, 2000)
Study questions
Explain the differences and similarities between the concepts of culture and stereotypes.
2 Discuss how culture may influence the chances of survival of groups of people in a particular
natural environment.
3 Describe the differences between etic and emic culture research.
4 Give an account of possible issues of level of analysis in culture research.
5 Describe and critically discuss Hofstede’s model of culture dimensions.
6 Describe and critically discuss Schwartz’s model of culture orientations.
7 Describe and critically discuss the approach of Inglehart and the World Values Survey.
8 Discuss the relative strong and weak points of the work of Hofstede, Schwartz and Inglehart.
9 Compare the concepts of national culture and organizational culture, and explain the differences
and similarities.
10 Give examples of how national culture may influence management and organization.
11 Explain how cultural differences may influence negotiation processes and outcomes.
1