Meaning and Dimensions of Culture
Chapter 4
The nature of culture The nature of culture Values and folkways Comparing cultural values Sub-cultures and cultural change How culture affects management – see page
95 How cultures view each other
Chapter Outline
Cultural dimensions – how people look at life Hofstede's dimensions Trompenaars’ dimensions
Chapter Outline (2)
The Nature of Culture
Culture is the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret experience and generate social behavior
Cultural knowledge forms values, creates attitudes, and influences behavior
Not everyone in a culture has exactly the same values.
Values and Folkways
Culture sets norms (expectations) for behavior Values are cultural beliefs about right and
wrong. Values have moral significance and are often included in law.
Folkways are customary ways of behaving, with little or no moral significance.Examples: wedding customs, what to wear to a funeral
Table 4-1: Cultural Values
1. Freedom2. Independence3. Self-reliance4. Equality5. Individualism6. Competition7. Efficiency8. Time9. Directness10.Openness
United States 1. Belonging
2. Group harmony
3. Collectiveness
4. Age/seniority5. Group
consensus6. Cooperation7. Quality8. Patience9. Indirectness10. Go-between
Japan1. Family
security2. Family
harmony3. Parental
guidance4. Age5. Authority6. Compromise7. Devotion8. Patience9. Indirectness10. Hospitality
Arab Countries
Sub-cultures and Cultural Change
Groups within a culture may be part of a sub-culture that varies in some ways from the national culture.
Cultures can change gradually over time.
People who have worked outside their own country or have friends from other cultures may pick up some attitudes or behaviors from the other culture.
How Cultures View Each Other
Stereotyping: assumes that all people within one culture or group behave, believe, feel, and act the same.
Ethnocentrism: occurs when people from one culture believe that theirs are the only correct norms, values, and beliefs.
Self-reference criterion: the assumption that people in another culture will behave like people in your culture
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions
Power Distance
Power distance: The extent to which less powerful members of institutions and organizations accept that power is distributed unequally High power distance countries: people may blindly obey
the orders of their superiors and are less likely to question authority. Companies tend to use centralized decision-making and tall organization structures (many levels of management)
Low power distance countries: flatter and decentralized organization structures, smaller ratio of supervisors. Employees are more likely to question their bosses. Participative management may be used.
Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsIndividualism and Collectivism
Individualism: Tendency of people to look after themselves and their immediate family only Countries high in individualism: High individual
initiative. Promotions are based on achievement. Salaries are based on market value.
Collectivism: Tendency of people to belong to groups or collectives and to look after each other in exchange for loyalty Countries high in collectivism: Low individual
initiative. Salaries and promotions may be based on seniority
Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsUncertainty Avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance: Extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid such situations High uncertainty avoidance countries: people have high
need for security, strong belief in experts and their knowledge, more written rules and procedures, less risk taking by managers
Low uncertainty avoidance countries: people are more willing to accept risks associated with the unknown, fewer written rules and procedures, more risk taking by managers, higher employee turnover, more ambitious employees
Hofstede’s Cultural DimensionsMasculinity and Femininity
Masculinity: the dominant social values are success, money and things Countries high in masculinity: People place great
importance on earnings, recognition, advancement, challenge, and wealth. High job stress.
Femininity: the dominant social values are caring for others and the quality of life Countries high in femininity: great importance on
cooperation, friendly atmosphere, employment security, and the natural environment. Low job stress.
Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions
Universalism vs. particularism Universalism – the belief that ideas and
practices can be applied everywhere in the world without modification. People tend to focus on formal rules and expect business partners to do the same.
Particularism – the belief that circumstances dictate how ideas and practices should be applied and some things cannot be done the same way everywhere. People tend to focus on relationships, working things out to suit those involved.
Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions (2)
Neutral vs. Emotional Cultures Neutral culture – a culture in which
emotions are held in check. People try not to show their feelings
Emotional culture – a culture in which emotions are expressed openly and naturally. People smile, may talk loudly, greet each other with enthusiasm, show happiness or unhappiness.
Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions (3)
Achievement vs. Ascription n Achievement culture - culture in which
people are accorded status based on how well they perform their work and what they have accomplished
Job, work performance, education, etc. Ascription culture - culture in which status is
attributed based on who or what a person is For example, status may be accorded on
the basis of age, gender, family, tribe, ethnic group, etc.
Trompenaars’ Cultural Dimensions (4)
Use of time Sequential use of time - people do one thing
at a time, keep appointments strictly, follow plans to the letter
Synchronous use of time - people do more than one thing at a time, appointments are approximate
Trompenaars' Research onPeople and the External
Environment
Inner-directed: People believe in controlling environmental outcomes and think that they can control what happens to them
Outer-directed: People believe in allowing things to take their natural course and living in harmony with nature. People are less likely to believe that they can control what happens to them.