Conceptualizing and Perceiving Culture

1. Conceptualizing and Perceiving Culture January 24, 2010 Group 1 MGT 4375-BOAL

2. Introduction • “Soft” field • No “hard and bottom line” • Concept • Various definitions and types • Perception • Individual view

3. 2.1: Why are there so many definitions of culture? • Personal definitions • Expert definitions • Wide variations

4. Culture Definitions • Culture... • “consists of patterns, explicit, and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols...” Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn (1952) • Mental programming” Geert Hofstede (2001)

5. Culture Definitions cont. • Is “communication” Edward and Mildred Hall (1990) • Is “a shared meaning system found among those who speak a particular language dialect, during a specific historical period, and in a definable geographical region.” Harry Triandis (2002)

6. Definition of Culture • General terms: encompassing values and practices • Specific definition: tailored to task at hand

7. 2.2: Can there be a very large and a very small number of cultures? • Travelers’ experience with various cultures • Harry Triandis’ 32-item scale • Four cell typology • Dimensions: • Individualism-Collectivism • Power Distance

8. Triandis’ Four Generic Types of Culture • HC, horizontal collectivism • Community sharing cultures • Communist societies • VC, vertical collectivism • Authority-Ranking cultures • 70% of the world’s culture • Africa • Latin America • Asia

9. Triandis’ Four Generic Types of Culture cont. • HI, horizontal individualism • Equality-Matching cultures • Balance market pricing with equal emphasis on a very generous welfare system • Countries: • Sweden • Denmark • VI, vertical individualism • Market-Pricing cultures • United States of America

10. The challenges of the 4 generic types • Four generic types, also known as meta-categories • Problems: • Fusions • Sweden • Task of globalization

11. 2.3: Can collectivists be self-centered and selfish? • Individualism: individuals make decisions and pursue courses of actions that benefit them and possible the small number of others, such as the nuclear family they consider important • Collectivism: the fact that individual subordinates personal desires when they conflict with the larger group or culture in which activities occur • Individualists=Collectivists

12. 2.4: Value paradoxes exist in all cultures. For example, how can a national culture value freedom and dependence simultaneously? • A study was done by Marieke de Mooij about cross-cultural paradoxes to show why advertisements were more successful in one nation or a group of nations but not in others • The study starts of with value paradox -“statements that seem contradictory but are actually true”

13. Value Paradoxes • Germans value individual freedom but stress that when there's too much freedom then that can lead to disorder (freedom-affiliation paradox). • Dutch and Scandinavians cherish individual freedom, but at times feel that relationship needs are much more powerful (freedom-affiliation paradox). • French think that individual freedom goes together with dependence on power holders (freedom-dependence paradox).

14. Individualism vs. a group setting • Advertisements targeted toward the group-oriented Japanese tend to focus on one celebrity compared to Americans take notice to more group activities in social settings or at home • Mooji feels that value paradoxes reflect the difference between the desired and the desirable in life • Since the Japanese are so group oriented they feel that the group rubs off to much on them and they prefer to be more individualistic compared to Americans who feel isolated and alone at times and find comfort within groups

15. Understanding value paradoxes • Culture is so complex because value paradoxes are so important • Understanding the value paradoxes in culture enhances our understanding of it • Values are perceived so differently in every culture that’s why it makes it so difficult to understand the relationship between cultural values and cultural practices

16. 2.5: How are cultural values and cultural practices related? • Cultural values are consistently and negatively associated with cultural practices. • Cultural practices are the way things are (practices and the actual operations of institutions). • Ex: the law, religious systems, and the education system • Cultural Values are different. They are the ways things should be. • Ex: power-distance, humane orientation, and uncertainty avoidance

17. Influence of cultural values on cultural practices • Religion in the hospitals conflicting with abortion • In Scandinavia, although egalitarian, often distributes fines according to total income. • Ex: speeding ticket • Strong evidence supporting that practices can influence value over time • Ex: Equal employment opportunity which has positively affected women, racial and ethnic minorities, and older workers.

18. Power Distance • Power distance is important when analyzing the negative correlation between values and practices • Power distance is the degree to which a culture accepts wide differences in authority, power differences, and status privileges. • Ex: Sweden is an equality matching nation and they often follow this pattern ( repatriate story – consensus based mgmt) • Power distance is measured as one of the biggest gaps • Hard to globalize; “everybody fit” • Ex: $3 Million Scenario; only yes, no and why • In sum, relationship between values and practices is significantly negative., and the gap wide, especially with power distance.

19. 2.6: Does Culture Matter? • Where do our values come from? • Hofstede’s Study • Points of Crisis

20. 2.7: Are demographics more important than culture? • Demographic groups vs. Cultural groups • Which has more groups? Why? • When is culture more important?

21. 2.8: Should we advocate only one perspective on culture? • Two approaches to cross-cultural studies • Etic (culture-general) • Emic (culture-specific) • Etic • Based on dimensions such as power distance and individualism-collectivism • Questionnaire survey • Emic • “Thick” description of culture • Emphasises distinctive and unique features

22. Should we advocate only one perspective on culture? cont. • Three specific approaches to study of culture developed: • Cross-cultural comparison • Etic approach • Stresses the rating and rankings of cultures through use of survey 2. Intercultural interaction • Emic approach • Reality is socially constructed • Each culture distinctive with unique values

23. Should we advocate only one perspective on culture? cont. • Multiple cultures perspective • Profiles contrasting perspectives of cultures and what happens when interactions occur • Uses both etic and emic approaches • Example: BrainLAB company • Less than 10% of the 220 national cultures in the World are monocultural • Imperative to analyze ethnic, religious, and geographical aspects of each national culture

24. Should we advocate only one perspective on culture? cont. • Researches tend to analyze cultures with an approach they are most comfortable with • Cross-cultural differences and globalization • Understanding etic and emic differences is crucial in business and non business activities

25. Perceiving Culture

26. 2.9: Do proper introductions and greetings simultaneously require kissing, bowing, and shaking hands? • The book “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands” features the four generic types of cultures • Community sharing • Authority ranking • Equality matching • Market pricing

27. Do proper introductions and greetings simultaneously require kissing, bowing, and shaking hands? cont. • Community sharing = Kissing and/or hugging • Authority ranking = Bowing • Equality matching and market pricing = Shaking hands

28. How do people in these countries greet one another? • Japan • U.S. • Sweden

29. Answer to Paradox 2.9 • Do proper introductions and greetings simultaneously require kissing, bowing, and shaking hands? • Answer: Sometimes all three are very acceptable, depending on the degree of cultural sophistication of those interacting with one another.

30. 2.10: Are cultural stereotypes valid? • Definition: a stereotype represents a distorted view or mental picture of groups and their supposed characteristics

31. Examples of Cultural Stereotypes • Sweden • China • U.S

32. Answer to Paradox 2.10 • Everyone stereotypes, and sometimes they are valid • However, always try to move beyond stereotyping to obtain a better understanding of the culture

33. 2.11: Are the distinctions between levels of culture relevant in a globalizing world? Different levels of culture • Deepest level • Norms and values • Superficial level • Ways of acting and dressing

34. Are the distinctions between levels of culture relevant in a globalizing world? cont. • Fortune Magazine- Superficial Level • MTV example- Deepest Level • Level of culture will matter, but deepest level will become more transparent

35. 2.12: Do insiders understand their own cultures better than outsiders do? • Insiders • Depth of understanding • Outsiders • Objective • Detached

36. Do insiders understand their own cultures better than outsiders do? cont. • The author believe both, insiders and outsiders, have great point of views. • Differential understanding • Reinforce

37. 2.13: Can global citizenship and the effects of root cultures exist simultaneously? • The first six years of life are known to determine our personalities and the manner in which we interact with one another. According to Sigmund Freud • More and more people today have lived at least 3 months or more in their nonnative culture. The book refers to these people as citizens of the world.

38. Transpatriates & Expatriates • Also known as “global nomads” which is business professionals frequently or constantly traveling the globe in search of business opportunities. • Expatriates-an individual sent by a business firm to work abroad for a relatively short time, such as 1-5 years.

39. Can culture change quickly? • Do you think culture can change slowly or quickly? • The book references China’s cultural change from 1988-1999.

40. China • Visible & invisible aspects of culture • Visible changes have dramatically changed • Invisible changes are more difficult to point out • China is becoming a consumer oriented society, which is emphasizing on education and hard work.

41. Robert Putman (1993)Southern Italy • 12th century Sicily was conquered by Fredrick, a German who became the first king. • Established a fair and equitable system of governance. • After his death his successor subverted it to create a corrupt and harsh environment. • Putman demonstrates that cultural patterns, set in motion by King Fredrick’s successors, exists in southern Italy today.

42. Northern Italy • Guilds arose in the 14th Century emphasizing on education and training workers in specific needs. • Introduced free and relatively clean elections, while implementing a fair and equitable court and police system. • Today citizen involvement in local activities and elections is crucial to the success of Northern Italy.

43. Cultural change • It is possible to change the basic values of a culture through: • Mass immigrations, business, and non-business activities linking cultures, and cross-cultural marriages