week one - culture and cultural differences Flashcards
what is culture
A set of beliefs, values and norms embedded in a human group that provides the group with a common identity
what are values
they are abstract ideas about what a group believes to be good, right and desirable
what are norms
social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behaviour in particular situations.
characteristics of culture
- it is not innate, it is learned
- serves as a guide for people
- shared by a collective but cannot be identified with the individual personalities
determinants of culture
- climate
- religion
- education
- social
what is ethnocentrism
analysing any problem or situation through the lens of one’s own culture without bearing in mind that our decisions, actions and behaviour may have a very different impact on other people than they would have in our own culture
what is a stereotype
a fixed, unvarying idea about something or someone
what is a generalisation
a principle, statement or an idea hhaving general application
model of cultural behaviour
lecture one, slide seven
what are the dimensions of the hofstede model
- power distance
- uncertainty avoidance
- individualism/collectivism
- masculinity/femininity
- long/short-term orientation
- indulgence/restriction
what is power distance
the extent to which less powerful members of organisations accept an unequal distribution of power
what does high power distance in a company imply
- managers make decisions in a autocratic way, subordinates accept orders without questioning them
- privileges and status symbols are expected for managers
- high organisation pyramids with many management levels
- wide salary range between top and bottom of organisation
what does a low power distance in a company imply
- managers usually consult subordinates before making decisions, subordinates may question orders
- experience and talent are more important than formal status
- formal titles and positions are not so important for negotiations
- decentralised and flatter structures, few management levels
- openness and multi-directional information flows
- narrow salary range, managers feel adequately paid
what is uncertainty avoidance
the extent to which people in a society feel threatened by ambiguity
what does high uncertainty avoidance imply
- strong loyalty to the employer, long length of employment in the same company
- highly formalised conception of management: key role of rules and procedures
- preference for tradition, resistance to change and innovation
what does low uncertainty avoidance imply
- weak loyalty to the employer, high mobility across companies
- low formalisation and structuring of activities: key role of common sense
- risk-taking and innovation are encouraged
what is individualism (hofstede)
- people define themselves as independent individuals and make their primary commitments just to themselves
- emphasis on personal initiative and achievement, efficiency, and financial autonomy
- hiring is based on skills and performance
- poor performance is the main reason for dismissal
- treating friends or family better than others is considered unethical
- greater social mobility across occupations
what is collectivism (hofstede)
- relatives and friends of the employer are preferred in hiring and promotion decisions
- personal relationships prevail over efficiency in tasks and company goals
- treating friends better than others is normal and ethical
- organisational success attributed to sharing information with the group
- belief in collective decisions
- low social mobility across occupations
pros of individualism
- employees develop a stronger self-concept and self-confidence
- is consistent with achievement motivation
- competition encourages innovation
- links between personal effort and greater sense of equity
cons of individualism
- emphasis of personal gain at the expense of others
- interpersonal conflicts are encouraged
- personal stress
- more feelings of loneliness and alienation
- greater incentive for unethical behaviour
pros of collectivism
- individuals are treated as equals
- greater synergies
- greater concern for the welfare of others
- relationships are more personalised
- credit for failure is shared
- teamwork
cons of collectivism
- loss of personal self to the group
- individuals have a greater emotional reliance on the group
- less personal responsibility for outcomes
- tendency towards ‘group think’
- collectives can take longer to reach a consensus
- ‘free ride’ effect
what is masculinity
- emphasis on income, mutual competition and performance
- managers are expected to be decisive, firm, assertive, aggressive, competitive and fair
- career ambitions are compulsory for men and optional for women
- managers are generally ready to prioritise their careers over family
- sickness leave is not popular
- preference for larger companies and higher pay
what is femininity
- emphasis on quality of life, relationships among people and concern for wellbeing of others
- high job satisfaction, freedom, flexibility and low stress
what is long-term orientation and what is it also known as
flexhumility, how every society has to maintain links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future, and how society priorities these two goals differently
what is short-term orientation called
monumentalism
what dimensions does the globe model consider
- power distance
- uncertainty avoidance
- gender egalitarianism
- assertiveness
- institutional collectivism
- group collectivism
- future orientation
- performance orientation
- humane orientation