Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

IBUS1102 Week 2 Cultural Dimensions & Frameworks > Key Cultural Values: 6 Categories > Flashcards

Key Cultural Values: 6 Categories Flashcards

1
Q

Are cultural models used to analyse Workplace culture?

A
  • Yes. Instead of advocating for one model over another, it is best to see how various aspects of these models can be used in work settings.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What should a manager do once they understand the cultural values of its members?

A
  • Once the manager understands the culture of the workplace, managers should tailor their leadership style to fit the situation.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Category 1: Environment

A
  • How individuals view and relate to people, objects, and issues within their sphere of influence (i.e., school, workplace, home)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Environment: Mastery-based culture

A
  • Mastery cultures tend to be more dynamic, competitive, and likely to use technology to manipulate the environment and achieve goals.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Example of mastery culture in the workplace

A

Employees will respond to challenges & personal incentives; they will strive for success.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Environment: Harmony-based culture

A
  • Harmony cultures believe in understanding and integrating with the environment, rather than attempting to change it.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Example of Harmony culture in the workplace

A
  • Employees will more likely focus their attention on building or maintaining group welfare, personal relationships, and environmental sustainability.
  • Tend to be more committed to social progress.
  • More responsive to participative leadership & more skeptical of proposed change.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Environment: Internal Locus of Control

A

Belief that people are in control of their own destiny.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Environment: External Locus of control

A

Belief that people are at the mercy of uncontrollable forces, such as fate or luck.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How does an internal and external locus of control influence workplace behaviours?

A

Influences how proactive people and organisations are in their strategy and planning efforts, and how accountable they are for their actions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Example of internal locus of control in the workplace

A

Employees are more likely to take initiatives to succeed because they believe they control much of their own destiny.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Example of external locus of control in the workplace

A

Employees will likely show less initiative since they believe that achievement is largely beyond their own control.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Locus of Control & Uncertainty Avoidance

A

Locus of control & uncertainty avoidance are closely related.

Locus of control is an important factor in assessing the willingness of various cultures to take risks or initiate change.

Cultures with an external locus of control tend to fear change because of the uncertainty it might bring and, as a result, are often hesitant to take initiatives.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Environment: Trustworthy human nature

A

Belief that human nature is trustworthy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Environment: Untrustworthy human nature

A

Belief that human nature is untrustworthy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How does a view of trustworthy and untrustworthy human nature interpersonal relationships & workplace behaviour?

A
  • influences how long it takes to establish trust.
  • If members of a culture assume untrustworthy human nature, they will approach new business relationships with more caution and employ more control mechanisms to guard against unethical behaviour.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Environment: Mutable Human Nature

A

Belief that people can change.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Environment: Immutable human nature

A

Belief that people cannot change (their behaviours, skills, and abilities are set in stone).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How does a mutable and immutable view of human nature affect workplace behaviour?

A
  • Influences the hiring of employees - people who are fully developed vs. those who simply show potential.
  • Influences how much opportunity employees are given to learn more acceptable workplace behaviours.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Category 2: Power Distribution

A

How individuals view differential power relationships.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Power Distribution: Hierarchical

A
  • In hierarchical cultures, the social fabric is maintained by a hierarchy of ascribed roles.
  • power is distributed unequally (Hofstede calls this high power-distance).
    -those at the top have a greater voice and more freedom to act as they wish.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Power distribution: Egalitarian

A
  • An egalitarian culture assumes that people are equal and that power should be distributed more evenly.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Example of workplace behaviour in egalitarian cultures?

A
  • People are socialised
    to make commitments to bosses on a more voluntary basis, rather than responding to their role in the hierarchy.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is the influence of power distribution in the workplace?

A
  • influences the layers of authority in an organisational structure (i.e. hierarchical vs flat vs networked structure of an organisation)
  • influences who has a voice in decisions, and whether superiors are automatically respected or expected to earn that respect.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Questions regarding power distribution in general

A
  • Should authority ultimately reside in strong centralised governments or in the people themselves?
  • Should organisations be structured vertically (e.g. tall organisational structure) or horizontally (e.g. flat organisational structures)
  • Is decision-making largely autocratic or participatory?
  • Are leaders elected or appointed?
  • Are people willing or reluctant to question authority?
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Countries with a predominantly egalitarian culture

A
  • Finland (“Nordic Tradition”)
  • Most Finnish laws are universalistic and based on the principle of equity if not equality.
  • Finland has progressive taxation and progressive punishment.
    (“Finnish is impossible to live in for certain kinds of people” .i.e. millionaires)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Category 3: Interpersonal relationships

A

How people relate to one another and define their identity and status.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Individualism

A

Extent to which people are responsible for taking care of themselves and giving priority to their own interests.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Key characteristics of Individualistic Cultures

A
  • People in individualistic cultures define themselves as an entity that is largely separate from the group.
  • Emphasis on personal goals
  • Successes are individual successes.
  • Less concern and emotional attachment to groups.
  • Competition is interpersonal.
30
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Collectivism

A

Characterised by individuals who subordinate their personal goals to the interest of some collective.

31
Q

Countries with Collectivist cultures

A
  • Asian countries (China, Korea, Japan)
  • Africa (Sudan)
  • South America (Spain)
  • the Pacific (Fiji)
32
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Achievement as Status

A

People gain status with achievements and are expected to accomplish things to earn status (e.g. working hard, becoming successful).

33
Q

Questions asked in Achievement cultures

A
  • What do you do?
34
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Ascription

A

People gain status based on their family, age, class, gender, or education.

35
Q

Questions asked in Ascription cultures

A
  • Where are you from?
  • Are you related to so-and-so?
  • Where did you go to school?
36
Q

How does context play a role in categorising an achievement culture and an Ascription culture?

A
  • The context determines which cultural values are more prominent in a specific circumstance.
  • A culture may give greater importance to one end of this value dimension than another (on a spectrum).
  • When asked about successes, a person is likely to give an explanation more in keeping with the dominant cultural belief.
  • Though American culture tends to value achievement; nevertheless, some people benefit greatly from ascribed status (e.g. Ivy League education, Networking, Family Name & Wealth).
37
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Universalistic cultures

A

Rules apply equally to everyone, resulting in the same treatment.

38
Q

Key characteristics of a universalistic culture?

A
  • social values & standards take precedence over individual needs or claims by friends and relations
  • Exceptions serve only to weaken the rule o law.
  • Universalistic cultures see particular ties, yet applying the rule of law equally (e.g. applying universal truth through bearing truthful witness in a court of law) is believed to be more important than these relationships).
39
Q

Noted in universalistic cultures

A
  • Goal: Creating a society with no surprises.
  • Tendency to promulgate a multitude of laws, rules, regulations, bureaucratic procedures, and strict social norms to control as many unanticipated events or behaviours as possible.
  • Pepel conform to officially sanctioned constrains because of a moral belief in the virtue of the rule of law - obey directives even if they know violations will not be detected.
  • Rules & laws universally applied (at least in theory)
  • There is a strong belief in the use of contracts & rigorous record-keeping in business dealings (Things are typically “done by the book”)
  • Infractions often bring immediate sanctions or consequences.
  • Decisions tend to be made on the basis of objective criteria to the extent possible.
40
Q

Interpersonal relationships: Particularistic cultures (or relationship-based cultures)

A

Expect one’s relationship to influence the treatment that one receives, and ,therefore, exceptions for friends or important people are normal.

41
Q

Key characteristics of particularistic cultures

A
  • Particularistic cultures see the ideal culture in terms of human friendship, extraordinary achievement, unique situations, and close personal relationships.
  • The spirit o the law is deemed to be more important than the letter of the law.
  • The rules & laws in particularistic culture are designed simply to codify how people relate to one another’s.
  • Rules are needed but people need to be able to count on their friends.
42
Q

Noted in Particularistic cultures

A
  • Tend to used influential people more than abstract or objective rules and regulations as a mean of social control.
  • This personal control can come from parents, peers, superiors, supervisors, government officials, and anyone with influence over the individual.
  • Circumstances often influence the manner in which formal rules are applied to individuals of groups.
  • Emphasis is placed on developing mutually beneficial interpersonal relationships and trust as a substitute for strict rules and procedures.
  • Generally less record-keeping, and things tend to be done on an informal basis.
  • Greater tolerance for noncompliance with bureaucratic rules, in the belief that forms rules cannot cover all contingencies and that some flexibility is often required.
  • Decisions tend to be made on the basis of a combination of objective and subjective criteria, and with less formality.
43
Q

How would a universalistic or particularistic culture affect workplace behaviours?

A
  • Influences personnel decisions at work
  • Influences ethical practices in the form or either similar or different rules for different people.
  • Influences managerial’s approach ti the means of social control.
44
Q

Category 4: Time orientation

A

How individuals perceive the nature of time and its use.

45
Q

Time Orientation: Synchronic (also called Polychronic)

A

A synchronic approach to time means that people do several things at the same time.

46
Q

How does a synchronic approach to time affect workplace behaviour?

A
  • Employees may easily work on a variety of projects at once while receiving different individuals or groups in their office whom they deal with simultaneously.
47
Q

Time Orientation: Sequential (also called monochronic)

A

People tend to divide activities in sequences, focusing more on one aspect at a time.

48
Q

How would a sequential approach to time affect workplace behaviours?

A

Employees carve out blocks of uninterrupted time to dedicate to only one activity.

(More likely to expect “first come, first served” norms when dealing with projects).

49
Q

Time Orientation: Past

A

People take their cues in everyday life from the past.

50
Q

How does a past time orientation affect workplace behaviours?

A
  • People make decisions by giving more attention to following precedents and tradition.
  • draw on past examples of company or country greatness.
51
Q

Time orientation: Present

A
  • People take cues in their everyday life from the present.
52
Q

How does a present time orientation affect workplace behaviours?

A
  • A person makes a decision that leads to more immediate, short-term considerations.
53
Q

Time orientation: Future

A

People take their cues for everyday life from the future.

54
Q

How would a future time orientation affect workplace relationships?

A
  • A person will make a decision with more consideration of the long-term consequences of decisions.
  • focus more on future company challenges and change.
55
Q

Category 5: Action

A

How individuals conceptualise actions and interactions.

56
Q

Action: Being cultures

A

Emphasises is on enjoying life in the moment and nurturing others (Hofstede calls feminine culture).
- working to live

57
Q

Action: Doing cultures

A

Emphasis achievement, assertiveness, and materialism (Hofstede calls masculine cultures).
- living to work

58
Q

Action: Task-based cultures

A

Task is the primary focus and people quickly get down to business.
- you shot one bird, now there are three left (British boy focused on answering the question given by the teacher)

59
Q

Countries with a task-based culture

A
  • UK
  • US
  • AUS
60
Q

Action: Relationship-based cultures

A

People expect to establish a relationship first so they can trust one another enough to do business with them.
- zero birds, because if you shoot one, the other birds will fly away (Italian boy focused on the relationship among the birds and the predictable behaviour that would result from a shot (relationship).

61
Q

Countries with a relationship-based culture

A
  • Italy
  • Senegal
  • Ecuador
62
Q

Category 6: Sources of truth

A

How do people determine what is right or wrong.

63
Q

Truth: Culture which value experts as sources of truth

A

People believe that truth comes primarily from scientific research, legal precedent, the opinion of expert.

64
Q

Truth: Cultures which value experience as sources of truth.

A

People in these cultures trust their own traditions, personal experience, and trial-and- experimentation.

65
Q

How can we get to the heart of cultural differences & normative behaviour in regard to sources of truth?

A

Ask the question: What is truth?
- includes societal norms in general about right and wrong
- religious beliefs about what people “should” or “must” do.

66
Q

How can managers do business ethically if there is no agreement on fundamental truths across cultures? (There’s no agreement amongst philosophers, religious groups - but the BIBLE is the TRUTH).

A
  • Use the BIBLE
  • Understandably, social norms and ethical values are different in different countries, but the moral law of God is the truth.
    -I believe there is universal truth - the BIBLE gives us the Ten Commandments - we can be absolutely sure that there is a moral standard. Nobody can meet this standard. Our conscience lets us know when we have broken God’s law.
67
Q

What do you need to keep in mind when using these cultural values to analyse cultures & cultural behaviours?

A
  • One orientation is not better than the other; they are simply different and must be taken into consideration when working across cultures.
68
Q

Culture’s influences vary by context.

A
  • For many managers, context, not culture, represents their biggest challenge in succeeding in global transactions.
  • Conflict can be not just cross-cultural but also multicultural within one “culture”
  • example: US Delta Airlines: New York to Tel Aviv: Haredi Men (Haredi Judaism) vs. Women who paid for their seats).
69
Q

Challenges of Biculturalism and Multiculturalism

A
  1. There is often more than one culture involved in an interaction and it is not always clear how each one plays out or is dominant in a particular situation.
  2. People often behave differently in cross-cultural situations than they do in intra-cultural situations.
  3. Cultures are fragmented, and even within a particular cultural environment different behaviours can be often observed in different subgroups.
70
Q

Healthy multicultural societies strive for the mutual benefit for all.

A

Question: Is this possible/ Achievable? I don’t think so. There is always going to be certain group in society who is dissatisfied with their experience, opportunities, treatment, and status in society.

IBUS1102 Week 2 Cultural Dimensions & Frameworks (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions