CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

Diversity and Cross-Cultural Management



DIVERSITY AND CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

Introduction

Culture has a number of different definitions and each country has its own culture and values. The culture of a country can have a huge influence on the working and the culture of an organization. In this paper, I have discussed the concept of culture and the cultural values. Then I have discussed the culture of China in view of a number of different authors, and the cultural aspects of Chinese people. The topic of cross-cultural management by a UK based firm has also been discussed towards the end of the report.

Discussion

The Concept of Culture

The concept of culture can be defined in a number of different ways. . (Downs 1971, Pp. 12) Culture is actually the amalgamation of the history and the capability of a community to reflect on its deeds. According to experts, there could be over one hundred and fifty definitions of culture. The terminology of culture can be described in three most common cases, i.e. , (Legge 1962, pp. 112)

The superiority of the taste of the people in a community about the humanities and arts

An structured pattern of belief, knowledge, and behaviour, which is dependent upon the capability for social learning and symbolic thought

The band of mutual values, attitudes, practices and goals, which characterises an organization, institution or a community

When the idea of a culture was first talked about in the 18th and the 19th century in Europe, it was implied a procedure of improvement or cultivation, like we talk about in subjects like horticulture or agriculture. (Child 1990, pp. 137) Towards the 19th century, the concept of culture was started to be used for the refinement or betterment of a person, peculiarly, through the mode of education, & after to the execution of national ideals or aspirations. Then towards the middle of the 19th century, some experts started to use the word culture to describe a capacity of a human, which was universal. (Cheng 1990, pp. 31)

Cultural Values

The values of a culture are one of the most important aspects of any culture, and a culture is best substantiated in the values, which are being by the people of that culture. The values of a culture usually figure the attitudes and beliefs of different people and lead the behaviour of the people in different scenarios. The cultural values have been defined as the lasting faith and beliefs, which the particular modes of states or conducts of the universe are preferred opponents. (Child 2000, pp. 45) A system based on value in a culture has been described as a comparatively enduring framework, which is dependent on the perception of the people, which has the ability to influence the behaviour of an individual. The values of a culture usually play a part in the establishment of the standards or norms, through which the thing in a community are evaluated. It is not necessary that all the members of a community will have exactly the same ...