GLOBAL CULTURE

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GLOBAL CULTURE

• Chapter 7
• Lecture 1

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ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

• THE MAJOR ADVANCES IN CIVILIZATION ARE
  PROCESSES THAT ALL BUT WRECK THE SOCIETIES IN
  WHICH THEY OCCUR.

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CULTURE DEFINED

• The learned, shared, interrelated set of symbols
  and patterns of basic assumptions
• That are invented, discovered, or developed by a
  given group (nation, affiliative group, business
  or other organization)
• To help the group cope with problems it faces
• external adaptation
• internal integration

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MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

• People face needs in their lives
• According to Maslow, lower level needs generally
  must be satisfied before higher ones

Self- actualization
Esteem
Social
Safety
Physical
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HOW DOES CULTURE EMERGE?

• People have common needs and face similar
  challenges, and form societies to address these
  challenges
• organizing as families and extended families then
  as
• communities and extended communities then as
• rural and urban groups
• national societies or nation-states
• global society?

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NATIONAL CULTURE ANSWERS IINTERNAL CHALLENGES

• Division of labor
• Social controls
• Motivate group members
• Legitimize and distribute power
• Create sense of belonging

Us
Them
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NATIONAL CULTURE ANSWERS IINTERNAL CHALLENGES

• Protect the group from outsiders and natural
  forces
• Protect resources
• Present an image to others
• Attract (or repel) new members

Us
Them
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NATIONAL CULTURE

• Forms a boundary to define the group
• geographic and psychological
• Makes us different from everyone else
• all other people all other nations
• Defines us as different from them
• they tend to be those least like us
• Survival value (for the nation and person)

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When describing national culture, most people are
talking about dominant culture

• But bear in mind
• there will be variations
• there are subcultures within every nation
• almost everyone knows the norms of the dominant
  culture
• typically only members of subcultures know the
  norms of their own group

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THE NINE NATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA

• EcotopiaNorthwest Corridor
• MexAmerica, Texas, Southern Calif., Arizona
• Dixiesouthern states
• The Islands, S. Florida and the Caribbean

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NATIONS TRADITIONALLY SHAPE ORGANIZATIONS
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BUT INFLUENCES COME FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES

• Professional training/groups
• Family
• Subgroups, e.g., RD or accounting
• Individuals

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INCREASINGLY WE ALSO SEE

• Business influences come not from domestic
  influences alone but also from international and
  global business activities, e.g.,
• subsidiaries
• joint ventures and other strategic alliances

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OFTEN CREATING CULTURE CLASH

• between parent and subsidiary
• among managers
• in practices considered unnatural to the
  subsidiary

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CULTURAL QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER ANSWERING

• What cultural norms do you see in yourself? In
  the people who surround you on a daily basis?
  
• Give an example of when you have experienced a
  different culture. What was it like?
• What is it that other cultures have to offer to
  the global environment?
• What is the public opinion about foreign cultures
  and international business operations? How might
  these opinions be skewed?
•  Is it possible to see different cultures close
  to home (i.e. in the same city, state, country)?
• What are the benefits and/or consequences of
  integrating/not integrating global cultures?

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HOW IS CULTUE EMBEDDED IN PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS?

• THINK OF CULTURE AS AN ICEBERG
• you see it, but perhaps not the important parts

Symbols language Behaviors Practices Customs
Norms
beliefs, traditions, priorities, assumptions,
values
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CULTURE

• Values
• Deep seated, lasting, dont change much
• Stable over time
• Norms
• Social rules and guidelines
• Moresthings central to the smooth operation of
  society
• Folkwaysroutine patterns

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NATIONAL CULTURE SHAPES VALUES

• Cultural contrasts
• Tradition versus change
• Past versus future
• Purpose of life
• Nurture the human spirit versus create wealth
• Modesty versus boasting
• Doing versus being

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NATIONAL CULTURE HAS DIMENSIONS

• Hofstedes view of national culture reflected in
  organizations
• POWER DISTANCEextent to which society accepts
  that power is distributed unequally in
  institutions and organizations
• UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCElikes formal rules
  absolute truths
• MASCULINITY/FEMININITYmasculine is assertive,
  acquisitive, values money and things and not
  caring for others, quality of life or people
  whereas, femininity is nurturing and valuing
  quality of life
• INDIVIDUALISM/COLLECTIVISMindividual takes care
  of self and family and is low on organizational
  loyalty collectivism is in-group or clan
  responsibility loyalty is owed to the group
• LONG TERM vs SHORT TERM ORIENTATION

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FONS TROMPENAARS (1994)

• Universalismbelief that ideas and concepts can
  be applied anywhere versus particularismbelief
  that circumstances dictate rules and
  relationships
• Individualism (self) or collectivism (group)
• Achievement (made) or ascription (born)
• Neutralmask feelings or affectivefeelings are a
  normal part of communication
• Sequential approach to time or synchronous

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AND NATIONAL CULTURE SHAPES BEHAVIORS

• how people look
• how people act
• how people speak
• the symbols that surround them
• how people interact

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CULTURE CREATES EXPECTATIONS

• What happens when people do not behave as you
  expect?

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BUT HOW PEOPLE ACT DOESNT EXPLAIN WHY

• Because specific actions, behaviors, symbols, and
  meanings are intended to resolve problems for a
  specific society
• And societies
• face different challenges
• respond to the same challenges with different
  solutions

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THIS EXERCISE DEMONSTRATES HOW

• Each person in the group should describe their
  views on attitudes listed on the left hand side
  according to their own country/culture. How are
  those attitudes reflected in behaviors at work?
  For example, in the U.S., how is an emphasis on
  wealth/materialism reflected in work rewards? You
  are encouraged to distinguish between what we
  have called the dominant culture and any
  subcultures in which you live so that people in
  your group develop a better understanding of the
  wide range of culture found within nations as
  well as between nations.  

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NATIONAL CULTURE SHAPES VALUES

• ROLE OF WEALTH IN LIFE
• IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL SPACE
• ATTITUDE TOWARD TIME
• ROLE OF FAMILY
• ROLE OF WORK
• ROLE OF FRIENDS IN LIFE
• WHAT ARE LIFES PRIORITIES?

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NATIONAL CULTURES COMPARED

• Describe what you learned about another culture
  that you did not know before talking with others
• What can we learn from the exercise?
• What are the things you value and find important
  in terms of work?

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10 TEN FIRST LANGUAGES

• 1 in 6 people speak Mandarin (1 billion)
• English 380 million
• Spanish 266 million
• Bengali 189 million
• Hindi 182 million
• Portuguese 170
• Russian 170
• Japanese 125
• German 98
• Chinese (Wu) 77