Understanding Cultural Differences
Understanding Cultural Differences & How it May Affect Behaviour
What We Cover
• Meaning of Culture & Why it matters
• How Culture Varies – The Dimensions
The Meaning of Culture
• “Culture is one of the two most misunderstood words in English”.
– Raymond Williams
• He never said which is the other one.
Definition of Culture
The collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of
one group or category of people from another.
– Geert Hofstede
Human Nature
Culture
Personality
Inherited
Learned
Inherited & Learned
Universal
Group Specific
Person Specific
Source : Hofstede (1991)
Components of Culture
Values
Rituals
Heroes
Symbols
Practises
Understanding Cultural Differences
• Models:– Edward Hall’s Approach (1976)– Hofstede’s Five Dimensions (1980)– Schwartz’s Seven Value Types (1994)
Edward Hall’s Approach
• Contrasted cultures on the basis of Context, attitude towards Time, Space and Information Flow.
• Key Idea: High Context/ Low Context communication.
• Key Idea: Monochronic / Polychronic Time
Context in Communication
• High Context: Where a lot of information is coded and not spoken. ‘Not what is said, but what is meant’. Example: Arabs, Indians, East Asians, Southern Europeans.
• Low Context: Where the information is contained in communication. ‘What you hear is what I mean’. Example: North Europeans, Americans.
The Question of Time
• Monochronic:Where time is treated as an object, which can be saved, wasted, used or spent. It is treated linearly, like a road, and the past is treated as lost. This is the North American/ European view of time.
• Polychronic: Where one lives within time, and therefore can not save or waste it. More like air, you take it for granted. The Asian/ Indian view, perhaps.
Hofstede’s Dimensions
• Contrasted cultures on five dimensions:– Power Distance (PDI)
– Individualism/ Collectivism (IDV)
– Masculinity/ Femininity (MAS)
– Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
– Long Term Orientation (LTO)
Power Distance (PDI)
• Definition: The extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.
• High Power Distance: Malaysia, Philippines, India, Brazil, France.
• Low Power Distance: USA, Canada, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Austria.
Individualism/ Collectivism (IDV)
• Definition: People look after themselves and their immediate family only or people belong to in-groups who look after them in exchange for loyalty.
• High Individualism: USA, UK, Canada, France, Spain, India.
• High Collectivism: South Korea, Taiwan, Peru, Indonesia, Venezuela.
Masculinity/ Femininity (MAS)
• Definition: The dominant values in a masculine society are achievement and success, the dominant values in a feminine society are caring for others and quality of life.
• Masculine: Japan, Italy, UK, USA, Australia, India.
• Feminine: Iran, spain, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden.
Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)
• Definition: The extent to which people feel threatened by uncertainty and ambiguity and try to avoid these situations.
• High Avoidance: Greece, Portugal, Japan, France, Spain.
• Low Avoidance: Canada, USA, India, Britain.
Long Term Orientation (LTO)
• Definition: The acceptance of change, perserverance, thrift and pursuit of peace of mind, as against here-and-now consumption and making the best of present opportunity.
• Long Term: China, Most Asian cultures, Paddy farming cultures.
• Short Term: United States, Britain, most hunter-gatherer cultures.
Schwartz’s Seven Value Types
• Recent research defining seven value types which differentiates cultures.
• In Schwartz’s model, these seven values are: Conservatism, Intellectual and Affective Autonomy, Hierarchy, Mastery, Egalitarian Commitment & Harmony.
Conclusion: Understanding Differences
• National cultures vary significantly.
• They affect our work behaviour and decide what works and what does not.
• We need to learn actively about other cultures to be effective at work.