CULTURE

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 Questions

z Does culture matter?

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 Questions

z Does culture matter?

Business is Business Cultural differences

all over the world explain everything

Computer subculture Cultural differences

is the same all over explain everything

the world

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What is Culture?

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 What is Culture?

z … provides members with images of their

basic concerns, principles, ethics, and
bodies of manners, rituals, ideologies,
strategies, and tactics of self-survival
including certain notions of good deeds
and bad, various forms of folklore and
legends …

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 What is Culture?

z … The way we give logic to the world

begins at birth with the gestures, words,
tone of voice, noises, colors, smells, and
body contact we experience. . . . Our
culture is what is familiar, recognizable,
habitual. It is “what goes without
saying.” Van Maanen & Laurent, The flow of cultures in Organizaition, Theory, and
the multinational croproation, NY, 1993 by Ghoshal and Westney.

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Are there Types of CULTURE?

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Are there Types of CULTURE?

z Within national boundaries

z Cultural attributes which cross boundaries
y Arab
y Latin America
z Some nations have strong internal cultural
differences
y Canada (English and French)
y India (14 official languages in India &
hundreds of dialects) 8
Are there Types of CULTURE?

z Most nations have intra-regional

differences
y United States: Northeast, West, South
y Germany

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Are there Types of CULTURE?

z Corporate culture
y Proctor & Gamble
y Microsoft
y Michelin
y Toyota

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Are there Types of CULTURE?

z Professional culture
y Highly structured formal education
y On-going professional activities
y Cross over national cultures

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Can Culture be Managed?

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 Can Culture be Managed?

z Contrasting views of the World

y Organization HAS culture

y Organization IS culture

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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hofstede’s dimensions
y Revering hierarchy
y Individualism / collectivism
y Taking care of business
y Risk avoidance
y Long term orientation

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 HOFSTEDE’S STUDY

z 1980 model
z 116,000 questionnaires in 50 countries (plus 3
national groups)
z Conducted over time -- 1968 & 1973
z One of the 1st empirical studies of culture in
organizations
z One of the 1st major surveys to substantiate
cultural dimensions
z Defines national culture through 4 (5)
dimensions 15
Revering Hierarchy:
Israel 13 rank and class are less important
Germany 35
Netherlands 38
USA 40
Japan 54
France 68
Hong Kong 68
India 77
West Africa 77
Indonesia 78
China 80
Russia 95 rank and class are very important

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Individualism-Collectivism:
USA 91 Highly individualistic
Netherlands 80
France 71
Germany 67
Israel 54
Russia 50
India 48
Japan 46
Hong Kong 25
China 20
West Africa 20
Indonesia 14 Highly collectivistic

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Taking Care of Business:
Japan 95 Tough values
Germany 66
USA 62
Hong Kong 57
India 56
China 50
Israel 47
West Africa 46
Indonesia 46
France 43
Russia 40
Netherlands 14 Paternalistic values

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Risk Avoidance:
Japan 92 Avoid risk
Russia 90
France 86
Israel 81
Germany 65
China 60
West Africa 54
Netherlands 53
Indonesia 48
USA 46
India 40
Hong Kong 29

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Long-term Orientation:
China 118 future orientation
Hong Kong 96
Japan 80
India 61
Netherlands 44
Germany 31
France 30
USA 29
Indonesia 25
West Africa 16
Russia 10 past and/or present orientation
Israel N/A

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Cultural Difference:
•Pakistan
•Venezuela
•Hong Kong
•China
•Australia
•Japan
•India
•Brazil
•Belgium
•Singapore
•Italy
•Spain
•France

•Canada
•UK
•Sweden
•Germany
•USA
•Netherlands
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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)

y Space

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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)

y Space
y Material Goods

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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)

y Space
y Material Goods
y Friendship

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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)

y Space
y Material Goods
y Friendship
y Time

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 Dimensions of
National Culture

z Hall’s dimensions (1959, 1976)

y Space
y Material Goods
y Friendship
y Time
y Agreement

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 High-context vs. Low
context Communication

High Context Japanese Chinese

(implicit) Arab Mediterranean
Latin Indian

Low Context American German

(explicit) English Scandinavian

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