MANAGING ACROSS CULTURE

MANAGING ACROSS CULTURE

Managing Across Culture Assignment

Introduction

The purpose of this research report is to understand the different cultures involved in an organization and to understand different means that how do these companies manage such cultures.

Discussion

Models of cultural dimensions

Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions

National cultures can be described according to the analysis of Geert Hofstede. These ideas were first based on a large research project into national culture differences across subsidiaries of a multinational corporation (IBM) in 64 countries. Subsequent studies by others covered students in 23 countries, elites in 19 countries, commercial airline pilots in 23 countries, up-market consumers in 15 countries, and civil service managers in 14 countries. Together these studies identified and validated four independent dimensions of national culture differences, with a fifth dimension added later (Abratt, 2009).

If you follow the links below you will find a map of the world for each cultural dimension, which enables you to quickly see how similar or different countries or regions are.

• Power Distance

• Individualism

• Masculinity

• Uncertainty Avoidance

• Long-Term Orientation

Trompenaars Cultural Dimensions

Fons Trompenaars is another Dutch culturalist who is into international culture (Caruana, 2000). This is a 2x2 model which is much simpler than the more complex Trompenaars' and Hampden-Turner's cultural factors.

The four diversity cultures

This model assumes major dimensions of person vs. task and centralised (which is also assumed to be hierarchical) vs. decentralised (which is assumed to be more egalitarian) (Caruana, 1997). Both of these dimensions are very common measures and can often be easily determined.



Factors in each model

Relationship between employees

Family: diffuse relationship to organic whole to which one is bonded

Eiffel Tower: specific role in mechanical system of required interactions

Guided Missile: specific tasks in cybernetic system targeted upon shared objectives

Incubator: diffuse spontaneous relationships growing out of shared creative processes

Attitude to authority

Family: status is ascribed to parent figures who are close and all powerful

Eiffel Tower: status is ascribed to superior roles who are distant yet powerful

Guided Missile: status is achieved by project group members who contribute to the targeted goal

Incubator: status is achieved by individuals exemplifying creativity & growth

Ways of thinking and learning

Family: intuitive, holistic, lateral and error correcting

Eiffel Tower: logical, analytical, vertical and rationally efficient

Guided Missile: problem centred, professional, practical, cross disciplinary

Incubator: process oriented, creative, ad-hoc, inspirational

Attitudes to people

Family: as family members

Eiffel Tower: human resources

Guided Missile: specialists and experts

Incubators: co-creators

Managing change

Family: “Father” changes course

Eiffel Tower: change rules and procedures

Guided Missile: shift aim as target moves

Incubator: improvise and attune

Strength & Weakness of Model

The Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions can be of great use when it comes to analyzing a country's culture. There are however a few things one has to keep in mind.

Firstly, the averages of a country do not relate to individuals of that country (Buchanan, 2001). Even though this model has proven to be quite often correct when applied to the general population, one must be aware that not all individuals or even regions with subcultures fit into the mould. It is to be used as a guide to understanding the difference in culture between countries, not as ...