Examine the role of two cultural dimensions on behavior

1. Examine the role of two cultural dimensions on behavior For Example: Individual/Collectivism, Power Distance, uncertainty avoidance, Confucian dynamism, masculinity/femininity Heather Monville

2. Examine • “Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of that issue” – Mr.Weisse

3. Cultural Dimensions • Asides from Cultural Norms, cultural dimensions is another components of Culture • Dimensions-the perspectives of a culture based on values and cultural norms

4. Hoefstede’s Classic Study (1973) • Involved asking the employees of a multinational company to fill our surveys about morale in the workplace • Carried out content analysis on the responses received • Focused on key differences submitted by employees in different countries • His research looked at 40 most represented countries • Hoefstede’s Arguments • Understanding cultural dimensions will help facilitate communication between cultures

5. Different Dimensions • There are four main dimensions (talked about in the book on page 126) • Individualism • Collectivism • Uncertainty • Avoidance

6. Individualism/Collectivism • Individualism • Definition: The habit or principle of being independent and self-reliant. • In an individualist society everyone is expected to look after himself or herself or his/her immediate family • Collectivism • Definition: The practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. • In collectivist societies-from birth and on people are integrated into strong groups (often extended family)

7. Markus and Kitayama (1991) • Characterized a difference between United States and Japanese culture • “In America, the squeaky wheel gets the grease; in Japan, the nail that stands out gets pounded”-Japanese Proverb • They argue that perceiving a boundary between the individual and social environment is distinctly western in cultural orientation

8. Uncertainty/Avoidance • Uncertainty • The state of being uncertain • Avoidance • Keeping away from or preventing from happening • Deals with society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity • Shows to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations • Unstructured situations • Unknown and Surprising

9. Confucian Dynamism • Bond (1988) argues that Chinese culture replaces the uncertainty-avoidance dimension with Confucian Work Dynamism • Confucian Dynamism • Instead of focusing on the truth, some cultures focus on virtue • Example: China and other Asian Countries have a long-term orientation • Value Persistence, Loyalty and Trustworthiness

10. Hoefstede (He’s Back) • Found that Finland, France, Germany and US have short-term orientation • There is a value of personal steadiness and stability • Focus on the future instead of the past • Innovation is highly valued • Warns against Ecological Fallacy • When one looks at two different cultures it should not be assumed that two members from two different cultures MUST be different from one another. Or that a single member of a culture will always demonstrate dimensions of the norm of that culture

11. Edward T. Hall • Proxemic Theory (1966) • Based on a cultures need for “Personal Space” • The Hidden Dimension • Different cultures have different perceptions of the amount of personal space that is required to be comfortable • Time Consciousness • Distinguished between monochronic cultures and polychronic cultures • Monochronic-Cultures focus on one thing at a time • Focus involved high degree of scheduling and punctuality • Polychronic- Cultures where many things happen at once • The focus is more on relationships and interactions