CROSS CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

Cultural Shocks and Poor Adjustments

Table of Contents

Cultural shocks and poor adjustments1

Introduction1

Culture1

Discussion2

Causes of cultural shock2

Regional differences2

The values of labels to culture3

Effects of cultural shocks3

Literature Review3

Theories related to culture4

Examples of cultural shock5

Unisource failure5

Vodafone policies & practices5

Coca-cola approach6

Considerations for moving across cultures7

High road, low road7

Responsibilities8

Language8

Conclusion9

Recommendations for avoiding culture shocks9

Individualism and collectivism9

Responsible behaviour10

Language11

References14

Cultural shocks and poor adjustments

Introduction

During 1960s, researchers from the management side focused more on the concept of culture because it is believed that culture has a significant impact over managerial behaviour and overall performance (Sekaran, 1983, pp. 67). It was observed that there were problems in the advancement of research on culture; this creates difficulties to observe clear relationship of management and culture (Lim & Firkola, 2000, pp. 133).

Solution to cultural problems became serious and necessary issue, when organisations used term “global village” for world (Doktor et al., 1991, pp. 259). As technology and economic factors integrated global network more clearly, leading managers to treat cultural differences as their native culture. Managers assumed have additional competitive advantage, those who can cater cultural differences appropriately.

Culture

Culture is as; an act of determining behaviour, perception, and ideas of others as a part of one society; it is determined through set of values, principles, knowledge, attitude, law and beliefs (Mitchell, 1999, pp.4). Culture of any society is passed to other individual of society, and this process is adopted from generations. Culture of any society base on several components, some important are as follows:

Language - it does not only comprise on written or spoken words. Language also includes nonverbal modes too, such as face expressions, body language or gestures.

Religion - has a greater influence on culture through religious values and beliefs.

Conflicts in attitudes - plays a major role in culture, individualist approach and collective approach can harm the relationship in different cultures.

Above components drives culture's basis and give internal view of cultural values. Culture also embraces manners and etiquette, the arts; like drama and music, humour, and social organisations; it includes how they live in a group and prosperity. Some cultures are influenced with education; preference to higher education in society, value to educated families could be possible values of culture (Mitchell, 1999, pp.5-7).

Also, culture tends to adopt changes which are necessary and does not affect the basics of that culture (Mitchell, 1999, pp.8)

Discussion

Causes of cultural shock

There are many causes leading to cultural shocks when a person moves to a new society. There are so many objectives of an individual for moving from home culture to foreign culture; this includes business objectives, travelling and exploring, acquisition of higher education etc. (Ward et al. 2005, pp. 4). This interaction brings in cultural differences (cultural shocks); these differences may base on following factors:

Regional differences

Any culture which is based on strong cultural values for some societies. Some time it happens that businessmen having knowledge of religion difference concepts forgets unintentionally, resulting in major effect on a business relationship (Mitchell, 1999, pp.26).

The values of labels to culture

As culture defines values, behaviour and the way of living to ...