Syllabus and schedule highlights
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Set 4 Culture, Diversity, Communication
What are some indicators of a country’s culture?
All roads lead to Rome. (Rome)
All roads do not lead to Rome. (Slovenia)
An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. (Arab)
Below the navel there is neither religion nor truth. (Italy)
Be prepared. (Boy Scouts)
Some proverbs—what can we learn?
The big thieves hang the little ones. (Czech)
The church is near, but the way is icy. The tavern is far, but I will walk carefully. (Ukraine)
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. (Arab)
Fish or cut bait. (U.S.)
The hammer shatters glass but forges steel. (Russia)
Some proverbs
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. (U.S.)
The hand that gives gathers. (Sweden)
A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood. (China)
After victory, tighten your helmet strap. (Japan)
Act and you shall have dinner, think and you shall be dinner. (Klingon)
Some proverbs
Some highlights about culture and IB
Cultural values
Hofstede
GLOBE project
Cultural values about management vary…
Centralized (top-down) vs. decentralized decision-making:
Safety vs. risk: comfort with uncertainty and risk
Individual vs. group rewards
Informal methods vs. formal procedures/rules
Loyalty to organization vs. loyalty to profession
Cooperation vs. competition—employees, companies
Short-term profits vs. long-term growth/innovation
Valuing stability vs. valuing change
Priorities of Cultural ValuesExample: US, Japan, Arab countries
Values in CultureImpact of values on management…
1. Power distance2. Uncertainty avoidance3. Individualism/collectivism4. Masculinity/femininity
Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture
Power distance: Less powerful members accept that power is distributed unequally
[but do they really?]
High: obey superiors; centralized, tall structures (e.g., Mexico, South Korea, India)
Low: flatter, decentralized structures, fewer supervisors (e.g., Austria, Finland, Ireland)
Uncertainty avoidance: create beliefs/institutions the threat of ambiguous situations
High: more focus on expert knowledge, structure, rules, less risk-taking (e.g., Germany, Japan, Spain)
Low: less structure in activities, fewer rules, more employee turnover (e.g., Denmark, Great Britain)
Individualism/collectivism: look after self and immediate family only, or broader group
High individualism: focus on work, individual initiative, promotions based on accomplishment/value (e.g., U.S., Canada, Sweden)
High collectivism: less focus on work, less individual initiative, promotions based on seniority (e.g., Indonesia, Pakistan)
Masculinity/feminity: which social values appear primary?High masculinity: emphasize earnings, recognition,
advancement, challenge, wealth. Job stress is high (e.g., Germanic countries)
High feminine countries: emphasize caring for others, quality of life, cooperation, friendly atmosphere., employment security, group decision making. Job stress is low (e.g., Norway)
GLOBE project: Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness
Org. culture and diversity
interaction of national and MNC culturemulti-culturalism and diversity in MNCsproblems/advantages of diversity
Interaction betweenNational and Organizational Culture
National cultural values affect employee’s behavior/performance
Cultural values employees bring to workplace are not easily changed
Dimensions of Organizational Culture
European View of U.S. Operations of one MNC
National Patterns of Corporate Culture
Diversity/Multiculturalism
An MNC’s mix at home and abroad may includemen, womenyoung, oldblack, white, yellow, brown, red, etc. multiple religions
What else??
Disadvantages of Diversity
Perceptual problemsPreconceived, erroneous stereotypes of others
Inaccurate biases
Inaccurate communication
Attitudinal problemsMay lead to lack of cohesion, inability to act, poor
performance
Advantages of Diversity
More creativity
Better decisions
More effective/productive results
Less groupthink
Better teams
Communication
contextsuggestions and barriersnegotiation
Verbal Communication
Context:
Information that surrounds a communication and helps convey the message
Explains many communication differences
Verbal Communication
High-context culture: messages coded, implicit and indirect; voice intonation, timing, facial expressions play important roles in conveying information
(e.g., Japan, Arab countries, Latin America)
Low-context culture: people often meet only to accomplish objectives; tend to be direct and focused in communications
(e.g., Germany, Scandinavia, US, Canada)
Suggestions for CommunicationUse common words
Words with few alternative meanings
Follow grammar rules
Speak clearly
Avoid slang, unusual, or culturally biased words
Avoid words that require mental images (“off the charts”)
Clarify/repeat basic ideas
Test understanding—ask him/her to paraphrase
Communication Barriers
Language, body language barriersPractical barriers
Differences in approaches to benefits, compensation, pay cycles, holidays,
Metric system popular—include conversions in all communications
Calendars, ways of displaying dates, paper sizes, measuresBe sure that even in English-speaking countries, words don’t
have different meanings—e.g., dollar
Cultural Differences and Negotiation
Don’t assume you can identify someone’s culture, or that it fits.
Western bias toward “doing”. Being, feeling, thinking, talking may shape relationship more than doing.
Norms for outsiders may be different than for compatriots.
Don’t overestimate familiarity with someone’s culture.