chapter 4 Flashcards
The meanings and dimensions of Culture
what is culture?
a set of values, beliefs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people
what is a subculture?
people who share a unique way of life within a larger, dominant culture (language, race, lifestyles, etc.) ex. goth, punk, emo, china’s dialects
what are the characteristics of culture?
learned, shared, transgenerational, symbolic, patterned, adaptive
what are the components of culture?
aesthetics, values, attitudes, manners, and customs
aesthetics:
music, painting, dance, drama, architecture
values:
- basic convictions that people have read about right and wrong, good and bad, important and unimportant
- learned from culture in which the individual is reared
- ideas, beliefs, and customs to which people are emotionally attached
attitudes:
positive or negative evaluations, feelings, and tendencies people should hold towards objects or concepts: ex. time, work, cultural exchange
manners:
appropriate behaviors, speech, and dressing in general
customs:
traditional ways or behavior in specific circumstances
what are the 3 forms of social structure? list and define
social group: two or more people who identify and interact with each other
social stratification: process of ranking people into social layers
social mobility: ease of moving up or down a culture’s “social ladder”
centralized vs. decentralized decision making
centralized: in some societies, top managers make all important decisions
decentralized: in others, these decisions are diffused throughout the enterprise, and middle and lower-level managers actively participate in, and make key decisions
safety vs. risk
- safety: in some societies, organizational decision makers are risk-averse and have great difficulty with conditions of uncertainty
- risk: in others, risk taking is encouraged, and decision making under uncertainty is common
individual vs. group rewards
- individual: in some societies, personnel who do outstanding work are given individual rewards in the form of bonuses and commissions
- group rewards: in others, cultural norms require group rewards, and individual rewards are frowned upon
informal vs. formal procedures
- informal: in some societies, much is accomplished through informal means
- formal: in others, formal procedures are set forth and followed rigidly
high vs. low organizational loyalty
- high: in some societies, people identify very strongly with their organization or employer
- low: in others, people identify with their occupational group, such as engineer or mechanic
cooperation vs. competition
- cooperation: some societies encourage cooperation between their people
- competition: others encourage competition between their people
short-term vs. long term horizons
- short-term: some cultures focus most heavily on short-term horizons, such as short-range goals of profit and efficiency
- long-term: other are more interested in long-range goals, such as market share and technological developments
stability vs. innovation
- stability: the culture of some countries encourages stability and resistance to change
- innovation: the culture of others put high values on innovation and change
what is the culture model circle?
explicit artifacts -> norms and values that guide the society (formal and informal) -> implicit values/ behaviors that guide people’s behavior
universalism vs. particularism
- universalism: belief that ideas/practices can be applied everywhere
- particularism: belief that circumstances dictate how ideas/practices apply
individualism vs. communitarianism
- individualism: people regard themselves as individuals
- commutarianism: people regard themselves as a part of a group
neutral vs. emotional
- neutral: culture in which emotions are held in check
- emotional: emotions are expressed openly and naturally
specific vs. diffuse
- specific: large public space shared with others and small private space guarded closely
- diffuse: public and private spaces have similar size, public space guarded because shared with private space
achievement vs. ascription
- achievement: people accorded status based on how well they perform functions
- ascription: status based on age, gender, social connections
environment
- inner-directed: people believe in controlling outcomes
- outer-directed: people believe in letting things take their course “go with the flow”
