chapter 11: the cultural environmetns facing business Flashcards
why is the nation a useful definition of society because…
- similarity among people is a cause and an effect of national boundaries
- it is a reference people make to “we” vs “they”
despite using the nation as a cultural reference point
- not everyone therein shares the same values and attitudes
- subcultures exist within nations
- some people have internalized more than on culture
- cultural similarities link groups from different countries
culture collision may cause
- ineffective business practices
- personal distress
buildind cultural awareness
- almost everyone agree that national cultures differ, but they disagree on what the difference are and the importance of them
- cultural research can improve a person’s awareness and sensitivity
shortcomings in cultural assessments
- sometimes differences are attributed only to culture, although other factors may be influential
- shortcomings in cultural research include :
- erroneous responses to questions
- relying on averages when there are variations
- overlooking changes
English has become the international language of business because:
- native english language countires account for so much of world production
- it is the world’s most important second language
the use of english in IB may overvalue people simply because of language competence
Major behavioral practices affecting business
Issues in social stratification
- businesses reward meritocracy more highly in some societies
- group affiliations can be ascribed (gender) or acquired (religion)
- country-by-country attitudes vary toward:
- social connections
- race and ethnicity
- male and female roles
- rules and expectations based on age
- family ties
Major behavioral practices affecting business
Work motivation
- materialism and motivation
- expectatiobs of success and reward
- performance acheivement
- hierarchies of needs
Major behavioral practices affecting business
relationship preferences
- power distance, measurement of employee preferences of interaction between superiors and subordinates
preference for autocratic vs consultative management - individualism versus collectism:
safe work environment motivates collectivists. challenges motivate individualists.
Major behavioral practices affecting business
risk taking behaviour
risk taking behavior differs among nationalities because of their:
- ease of handling uncertainties
- degree of trust among people
- future orientation
- attitudes of sel-determination and fatalism
Major behavioral practices affecting business
information and task processing
- perception of cues
differences in perception of cues may result from genetics and language
-obtaining information
managers are helped by knowing whether cultures favor
- focused or broad information
- a particular way of classifying information
- sequential or simultaneous handling of situations
- handling principles vs small issues first
problems in communicating across cultures
- translation of spoken and written language: cross-border communications do not always translate as intended
- silent language: color associations, sense of apropriate distance in conversations, time and punctuality, body language and prestige cues
5 guidelines for cultural adjustment
- host society acceptance
(host cultures don’t always expect foreigners to adjust to them) - degree of cultural differences
- ability to adjust: cultural shock
- company and management orientations
(polycentrism, ethnocentrism, geocentrism) - strategies for instituting change
