...Grid-group cultural theory Explanations > Culture > Grid-group cultural theory Description | Discussion | So what Description This model has two dimensions, each a measure of sociability. Group The group dimension describes how strongly people are bonded together. At one end there are distinct and separated individuals, perhaps with common reason to be together though with less of a sense of unity and connection. At the other end, people have a connected sense of identity, relating more deeply and personally to one another. They spend more time together and have stable relationships. When people group together, then laws are more easily defined and policed. For society to survive when bonds are weaker and central control is less possible, individuals must necessarily display self-restraint. In management, low group does not manage resources, whilst high group does. Grid The grid dimension describes how different people are in the group and how they take on different roles. At one end of this spectrum people are relatively homogeneous in their abilities, work and activity and can easily interchange roles. This makes them less dependent on one another. At the other end, there are distinct roles and positions within the group with specialization and different accountability. There are also different degrees of entitlement, depending on position and there may well be a different balance of exchange between and across individuals. This makes it advantageous...
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...Topic..................................................................................................8 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations.....................................................................................13 References..................................................................................................................................14 List of Figures Fig: 2.0 Diagrammatic representations of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions...............................7 AN ANALYSIS OF THE CULTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION 1.0 Background to the Organization Organization culture is a predominant aspect of an organization’s internal environment Azhar (2003). Culture, to some extent, influences performance and efficiency in an organization Rousseau (2000). Every organization has its unique culture that differs from that of other corporate Schein (2004). For purposes of this report I chose IKEA group, I will conduct an in-depth analysis of its culture using the appropriate cultural analysis frameworks and dimensions. IKEA group is a multinational corporation that has a strong corporate culture that is entrenched in its core values. IKEA has its roots in Sweden; it was incorporated as Inter IKEA Systems B. V. in 1983 in the Netherlands. The primary goal or idea of founding IKEA was to make it conceptualize and operationalize IKEA business model in what has...
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...Topic..................................................................................................8 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations.....................................................................................13 References..................................................................................................................................14 List of Figures Fig: 2.0 Diagrammatic representations of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions...............................7 AN ANALYSIS OF THE CULTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION 1.0 Background to the Organization Organization culture is a predominant aspect of an organization’s internal environment Azhar (2003). Culture, to some extent, influences performance and efficiency in an organization Rousseau (2000). Every organization has its unique culture that differs from that of other corporate Schein (2004). For purposes of this report I chose IKEA group, I will conduct an in-depth analysis of its culture using the appropriate cultural analysis frameworks and dimensions. IKEA group is a multinational corporation that has a strong corporate culture that is entrenched in its core values. IKEA has its roots in Sweden; it was incorporated as Inter IKEA Systems B. V. in 1983 in the Netherlands. The primary goal or idea of founding IKEA was to make it conceptualize and operationalize IKEA business model in what has...
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...The purpose of this essay is to firstly understand the arguments between McSweeney and Hofstede about national cultures. The argument starts on the Hoftstede’s published book Culture’s Consequences. Hoftstede’s cultural dimensions theory has got popular and in the same time criticised by other scholars, while McSweeney is one of the scholars who have been critising the cultural dimensions on people from different nations. This essay will firstly summarise the ideas and arguments of both of McSweeney and Hofstede in order to develop the understanding about the reasons why they are conflicting with each other on the cultural dimension theories. Following the summary of the two scholars ideas and argument, this essay will discuss the agreement and disagreement of both scholars. Reflection on this course on national culture will be specified as well in order to show whether my personal understanding about culture has been changed or improved. Summary of the ideas and argument of both McSweeney and Hofstede * McSweeney’s argument McSweeney expresses his doubts about Hoftstede’s model of national cultural differences and their consequences. The criticism that McSweeney has on the theory of Hoftstede’s cultural dimensions based on the description of national cultural differences in the Culture’s Consequences published in 1980 (McSweeney, 2002). First of all, the methodology applied in the research of Hoftstede’s model is critised by McSweeney. McSweeney points out that...
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...Despite the huge number of studies about cultural dimensions, I think that it does not still exist a “perfect theory” which can help us understanding better other cultures. Professors L. Nardon and R. M. Steers try to find a solution not creating another brand-new theory, but providing what they call the “core cultural dimension”. The aim of the two professors is to seek convergence across the already existing theories, trying to facilitate both research and cross-cultural comparisons. The “core cultural dimensions” are: • Hierarchy - Equality • Individualism - Collectivism • Mastery - Harmony • Monochronism - Polychronism • Universalism – Particularism In spite of the attempt of solving the so-called “culture theory jungle”, they are not still come to the perfect theory. In my opinion, in order to find the perfect theory, a professor does not have to seek all the convergences among already existing cultural dimensions and make a summary of them, but, rather, he has to choose the right ones paying attention to the others. My perfect theory is formed by five dimensions and it deals with the following topics: • Use of time • Display emotions • Communication • Reach the goal Personally, I do not take into consideration any of the four clusters which Hofstede calls “the dimensions of national culture”. Of course, they can be considered the ancestors of later models and they inspired a lot of theorists, but they are also too old (1967-1973), too general,...
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...Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions US vs. India by Edward A. Molnar January 19, 2013 Abstract This article acknowledges the six dimensions of Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions, and defines five of them for a comparison between the United States and India. This article shows for the most part, the definitions of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions are correct, but the article did identify some ambiguities while making the comparisons. Finally, future areas of possible research were identified that would assist in the removal of the ambiguities. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions US vs. India Geert Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions was a result of an analysis of a world-wide survey of employee values by IBM in the 1960’s and 1970’s. This theory describes the effects of a society’s culture on the values of that culture’s members and how those values relate to behavior. This is accomplished by using a structure resulting from factor analysis (Hofstede, 2011). This theory has been used as an example for several fields, particularly in cross-cultural psychology (Hofstede, 2011). Geert Hofstede’s original cultural dimensions theory had four dimensions from which cultural values could be analyzed. These four dimensions were: (a) individualism versus collectivism (IDV); (b) uncertainty avoidance (UAI); (c) power distance (PDI); (d) masculinity versus femininity (MAS). While Hofstede was performing research in Hong Kong he added the fifth dimension, long-term...
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...International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management Volume 4 Article: MC04-0051-2004 Personality and Culture Learning Goals and Their Impact on Performance of Global Firms Carlos J. Alsua, Assistant Professor of Business Administration (Management), College of Business and Public Policy, University of Alaska Anchorage, USA ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Culture’: Organisational Intangibles and their Tangible Value Proceedings from the Management Conference 2004 International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management Volume 4 www.ManagementConference.com www.CommonGroundGroup.com This journal and individual papers published at www.Management-Journal.com a series imprint of theUniversityPress.com First published in Australia in 2004/2005 by Common Ground Publishing Pty Ltd at www.Management-Journal.com/ Selection and editorial matter copyright © Common Ground 2004/2005 Individual papers copyright © individual contributors 2004/2005 All rights reserved. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this book may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the publisher. ISSN: 1447-9524 (Print) ISSN: 1447-9575 (Online) Cover design by Common Ground The International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management is a peer-refereed journal published annually. Full papers submitted for publication are refereed by the Associate Editors...
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... February 29, 2016 Thomas Kareck Foundations of Human Development in the Social Environment Working in human services is why we are all here, in school, learning about all the dimensions of human behavior, why humans do the things we do, and what makes us tick. Understanding human development and how it affects an individual is an essential theme in human services. Having the knowledge and understanding of the bio-psycho-social dimensions that make up human development, cultural competency and diversity, and how the general systems theory and social order relate to one another will give us the tools necessary to be able to effectively help our future clients. The bio-psycho-social dimensions of human development consist of three parts that try to give explanation to human behavior: biological, psychological, and social. The biological approach states that behavior can be explained through genetics. The psychological approach states that human behavior can be explained through cognitive development. Finally, the social approach states that we can understand human behavior by looking at the influences of culture and family on an individual. All three dimensions relate to one another and if just one dimension is off or not right there will be a domino effect, causing the other dimensions to follow suit and be off as well. For example, take a child that is living in a home with a step parent. Losing a parent and then being expected to cope with a step family will most likely...
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...is a network of 170 social scientists and scholars from 62 cultures throughout the world, working in a long-term effort to examine the relationships between culture, practices, and leadership. The goal of this study is to develop a theory to describe, understand, and predict the impact of cultural variables on leadership and organizational processes and the effectiveness of it all. A particular strength of the GLOBE study is the combination of qualitative and quantitative data. The book contains five sections: the introduction, literature review, research methodology, empirical findings, and the conclusion. In the introduction, GLOBE states that the cultures of the world are becoming more and more interconnected while the business world is becoming increasingly global. Thus, there is a greater need for effective international and cross-cultural communication, collaboration, and cooperation. GLOBE has developed an integrated and cross level theory of the relationship between cultural values, practices, leadership, and organizational and societal effectiveness. The literature review section provides evidence that culture influences many aspects of leadership, industry, and organization. It explains the understanding of interaction between cultural influences on organizational leadership and the impact of societal culture and industry on organizational cultures. The research methodology section states that prior research in the area provides the foundation for GLOBE’s investigation...
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...countries are doing the same more and more organizations are expanding from a local to a global market space. Especially India is establishing itself as economic center and is rapidly becoming the new global economic superpowers. An understanding of local culture and how it affect Western leadership practices and behavior is key in order to become a successful leader, as Western enterprises continues to establish themselves into these emerging markets. In the very same way as enterprises from emerging markets need to understand the local culture when they establish themselves in Western countries. The aim of this report is to investigate what cultural factors/dimension that affect leadership in the context of multi countries as well as to investigate behavioral styles and practices leaders operating in India and see how Western leadership theories are relevant to these set up. Introduction In today’s world we have emerged from the industrial age, into the information age where knowledge is our most valuable assets. The rapid technological development that have enabled this information age is also affecting the pace at which change is happening in the world. The pace of change is rapidly increasing and in order for organizations to be successful they need to keep up with this pace (Schwarz & Brock, 1998). In a recent business leader review with more than 400 senior executives around the world, forty-one percentages believed that new players from emerging markets will be the...
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...B KEY TERM and WHY YOU ARE INTERESTED IN IT My focus country this semester is Germany. The German culture I believe is responsible for their success even after being beaten and bankrupt in two world wars. I chose dimensions of culture to help me investigate the differences in culture between Germany and other European countries who are struggling. EXPLANATION OF THE KEY TERM According to Satterlee (2014, p. 43) “The dimensions of culture may be categorized as Communication, Religion, Ethics, Values and Attitudes, Manners, Customs, Social Structures and Organizations, and Education”. In the late 1960s and early 1970s an IBM sociologist named, Geert Hofstede, studying the diversity of his company, concluded that aside from individuals, a country can have a culture or personality that can be scored and compared with other countries. His theory of cultural dimensions includes only five categories: Power distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance and Long Term Orientation (Dimensions of national cultures, 2015). MAJOR ARTICLE SUMMARY The article I selected is from the December, 2011, issue of the journal Online Reading in Psychology and Culture: International association of Cross-Cultural Psychology. The article is titled, ‘Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context’ by Geert Hofstede. The article begins with Mr. Hofstede describing his work at IBM. In the 1967 to 1973 time period, Mr. Hofstede was given access to a large database...
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...To excel in today’s global market, it is important to understand the cultural differences that exist. A global leader is capable of being flexible and managing across cultures. The Global Human Resource Management (GHRM) and Human Resource Management (HRM) perform similar duties, but are faced with different challenges. “Most HR professionals no longer question that there are important cultural differences between nations that might influence the effectiveness of HRM policies and practices” (Ivancevich & Konopaske, 2013, p. 99). The ability to understand and adapt, has a huge impact on an organization, and its likelihood to succeed when doing international business. Holfstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory Geert Holftsede is a Dutch social psychologist and former IBM employee. Holfstede traveled internationally when working for IBM and was the head of the Personnel Research Department. Holfstede studied differences amongst different cultures. Between 1967 and 1973, he conducted a large survey containing samples from 117,000 IBM employees; he compared value scores from the database. “The data covered more than 70 countries, from which Hofstede first used the 40 countries with the largest groups of respondents and afterwards extended the analysis to 50 countries and 3 regions” (Natural Cultural Dimensions, 2014). Based on Holfstede’s theory there are five dimensions of national cultures: power distance index (PDI), individualism (IDV) vs. collectivism, avoidance of uncertainty...
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...22 pages Table of Contents Introduction 2 Case presentation 2 The Wal-Mart concept 3 Institutional challenges [to be deleted] 4 Cultural challenges [to be deleted] 4 German market 5 Theoretical Background 5 The cultural perspective 6 The institutional perspective 9 Case Analysis 12 The cultural perspective 12 The institutional perspective 15 Recommendations 19 Cultural 19 Institutional 20 Limitations 22 Cultural 22 Institutional 22 Conclusion 23 References: 25 Introduction The purpose of this paper is to address and analyze the challenges Wal-Mart faced during its entrance into the German market in the late 1990s. We have analyzed this with the following problem in mind: “Which aspects, both cultural and institutional, led to Wal-Mart’s failure in Germany and what should they have done instead?” We will approach this problem by outlining theoretical frameworks for analyzing cultural and institutional aspects of a company. We will then employ said theories in order to analyze the case of Wal-Mart’s failure in Germany. Finally, we will come to a conclusion concerning what they should have done as they entered into the German market. Different forms of distance CAGE, Taste and deep-seated preferences, strong national identities, management lacks diversity, mismatch, handling cultural and institutional distances is the essence of international management. Did Walmart start in culturally proximate markets? Customer bahaviour...
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...the bio-psycho-social dimensions of development to better assist the client in need. Additionally, a helping professional should be culturally competent and exhibit comprehension of the general systems theory because that knowledge will further contribute to assessing what is an appropriate course of action for a client. Interaction between the Bio-Psycho-Social Dimensions The developmental experiences of humans come as a trifecta; biological, psychological and social. George Engel is credited with coining the term “biopsychosocial” and along with the term he was also passionate about helping professionals understanding that “diseases could not be adequately treated by professionals who considered them to be entirely the result of biophysical causes independent of social behavior” (Downey, 2012). Proper knowledge of all three would produce the best results when assessing a client. Each of these dimensions interact cohesively to create the individuality of a person. The biological dimension focuses on one’s ability to physically be involved in one’s surroundings. If there is a developmental lag biologically then it could inhibit the client from participating with the world at the capacity of other people. The psychological dimension consists of a person’s perception of their surroundings which is vital in observing whether or not one has a healthy state of mind and is mentally capable of functioning on their own or in society. Finally, the social dimension examines how the...
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...Description…………………………………………………………………..8 Results:………………………………………………………………………………….…………8 * Identification of Groups……………………………………………………………….9 * Preliminary Results…………………………………………………………………..10 * Invariance Testing……………………………………………………………………12 * Structural Modeling…………………………………………...……………………..14 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………….…….16 Conclusions………………………………………………………………………………………18 References……………………………………………………………………………………..…20 Abstracts In this paper, I analyze the market for organic products in eight European countries, based on differences in their respective value systems. With a significant sample of 8014 consumers, I first identify international segments in the European organic products market using the Values Theory. Then I apply the Theory of Planned Behavior to examine how European consumers use attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control to form their purchase intention for organic products. Results show that subjective norms are the main underlying factor driving consumer behavior concerning these products. This effect is higher for the group of countries whose citizens score higher on Schwartz's value scale. In this segment of countries, people are more likely to be affected by what others think, which means that the best approach is to increase social awareness of the relevance of purchasing organic products. Organic products represent a potentially profitable opportunity for companies with an international horizon. Results are also useful...
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