Section C Culture

Question 1

Reasons of emergence of dog-walking as a new business

Answer 1

Social/cultural change, which implies working women and no time for dog-owners

Question 2

Is `good working conditions’ a universal value?

Answer 2

What is considered `good’ is already controversial and different theories explain it differently. The difference becomes even more wide-ranging for different places/regions/nations/cultures and times/eras.

Question 3

What is social sustainability?

Answer 3

The need to take human factors into account internally (workers) or externally (local communities) for a business to survive long-term

Question 4

Culture vs Innovation vs leadership style?

Answer 4

Innovative culture of a company directly depends on the leadership style, on the values and image that are promoted (by the decision of leaders) within the company and externally.

Question 5

What effect of a blaming culture may have on a company?

Answer 5

Lack of trust among workers and management will have its consequences in many aspects. e.g. Employees may hesitate to make suggestions not to attract blames on themselves or on co-workers

Question 6

How can be cultural differences measured?

Answer 6

Hofstede indexes are useful , such as:
● Power distance
● Masculinity
● Individualism
● Uncertainty avoidance
● Long term orientation
● Indulgence

Question 7

What cultural differences may be important for HR?

Answer 7

● Hofstede indexes
As well as:
● Humour
● Body language
● Dress-code
etc

Question 8

Culture vs Leadership style?

Answer 8

Different culture will respond to leadership styles (from leaders perspective or from workers perspective) differently, depending e.i. these indexes:

● power distance
● individualism
● uncertainty avoidance
● masculinity
● long-term orientation.

Question 9

Motivation, financial & non-financial rewords and culture?

Answer 9

In developing countries, people may be expected just to perform a series of simple, uninteresting tasks, which would be hard to link to intrinsic motivation. They may be as well unaccustomed to high enough salaries, so the financial rewards may be motivating.
in developed countries, where economies have largely shifted to the tertiary and quaternary sectors, where work tasks tend to be more complex and require cognitive processes. Thus more need of intrinsic/non-financial motivation.

Question 10

Market research vs culture

Answer 10

● Different populations may be more or less inclined to cooperate. They may lack trust in the aims of a survey, how their answers will affect their lives etc. I an authoritarian country people tend to be less open.
● Education levels, access to internet and related general skills have affect on the success of online surveys.

Question 11

Marketing and cultural differences

Answer 11

Marketer have to be aware of cultural differences in order to avoid costly mistakes and target effectively. E.g. ADs in the west are changed to meet expectations or ethical norms of muslim world.
Different media may be differently effective with different segments, e.g. SMM being targeted on younger generations.

Question 12

Cultural issues when offshoring?

Answer 12

● Hofstede indexes (different levels of individualism, tolerance etc)

● language barriers

Question 13

Disadvantage of globalization for local communities

Answer 13

1. Profits are repatriated - foreign companies pay taxes and salaries, but the profits may be totally taken out from the host country
2. Local culture or products may suffer or change through the appeal of globally advertised values
3. Brain drain - to other countries
4. Loss of market share of local businesses

Question 14

Handy, 4 types of culture in companies (HL but useful for SL as well)

Answer 14

Power
Task
Role
Person

Question 15

3 levels of organizational culture (Shain)

Answer 15

1. Organizational attributes (being the top, clearly visible part)
2. Professed culture
3. Organizational assumptions (being the root)