...management Name: University: Course: Tutor: Date: Hofstede developed the theory of cultural differences to describe the different effects that culture could have on an organisation. He classified cultures of different countries into five dimensions. The first was power distance which expounded on inequality and how different nations viewed it. He maintained that inequality is inevitable in societies, but some societies allow it to grow so that there can be difference in power, prestige and wealth. The inequality is formalised through hierarchies in the organisation. The second dimension is the uncertainty avoidance which explained how societies dealt with risks that may occur in the future and how the members of the society yearn to achieve certainty. Another dimension was masculinity versus femininity. He explained that in masculine societies, focus is on dominance and competition while feminine societies focus on humility, a society where people help each other out and with a high level of cooperation. The forth was Individualism versus collectivism. Individualism is where an individual only watches over himself or his close family members while collectivism refers to where there is concern for the whole group in the society (Hofstede, 1987). The last dimension is Long-Term Orientation (LTO) which was developed in the 90’s due to the realization that the Asian cultures were different from the western cultures. The countries with low LTO such as the US do not value tradition...
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...1799 1799 ‘How are the concepts of culture and leadership linked?’ Introduction: This literature review will make use of four pieces of academic work to discuss how the concept of culture can intrinsically affect leadership. The literature finds that the link between culture and leadership is an important, yet complicated relationship. I will begin by discussing and defining the central concepts of culture and leadership. I will then explain and analyse the significance of culture upon leadership. Finally I will review Hofstede’s cultural framework to assess its significance and relevance to the topic at hand. Culture: To begin, culture is a phenomenon that carries multiple definitions. A simplistic view sees it as “how things are done around here”(Ouchi and Johnson, 1978 p.293). Culture can also encompass the behaviours, attitudes, norms, morals and unconscious values instilled within a group of individuals (Schien, 1985). Hofstede himself defines culture as the “collective mental programming” (Hofstede, 1980 pp.43) of individuals bound by some form of common orientation or geographical boundary. Culture shapes everything within society, and as an extension, leadership. Leadership is another interlinked concept, commonly defined as a relationship by which followers are influenced, and inherent changes are made towards a collective purpose (Daft and Lane, 2005). Moreover leadership refers to the “core set of traits, behaviours, skills, or characteristics that...
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...Portfolio of Reflective Cultural Practice Assignment Contents Page Portfolio of Reflective Cultural Practice Assignment 1.1. Introduction In recent times, there has been seen an increased change in the composition of the workforce in organisations because of the rapidly growing globalisation which has made the world increasingly more interrelated (SOURCE). Therefore most business’s around the world including the hospitality and tourism industry need to enter into a cross-cultural alliance to become more effective due to globalisation having a significant impact on the personal characteristic in the workforce because of the increasing cultural diversity (Lloyd and Hartel, 2010). Ferraro (2005) argues that globalisation is not just a passing trend but has submerged acting as a replacement for the cold war system. Therefore this reflective portfolio aims to explore some of the theories surrounding cross-cultural behaviour in order to relate and understand the behaviours of the cultures in respectively Denmark and the US. However in order to do so, a definition of the meaning culture will be primarily discussed and what stereotypes Denmark and the US the authors carries toward both countries. Through the analysis and the information gathered from the theories, potential opportunities and difficulties will be identified between the two countries cultural diversity in relation to motivation, teams, communication channels and conflict and dispute resolution. Lastly...
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...successful organisation is built on the communication that develops between its constituents (Dietz & Den Hartog 2006). Encouraging efficient communication within any organisation can prove a difficult task, especially when faced with the complexity of a diverse workforce. The organisation being considered is a small accounting company (‘The Company’) located in Zimbabwe, South Africa. Due to its ‘multiplicity of traditions and skin tones’ (Brand South Africa 2011), South Africa has been portrayed as a ‘Rainbow Nation’ since the end of the Apartheid era. When diversity is not managed and monitored carefully, differences can lead to highly counter-productive communication dilemmas. Two fundamental aspects of diversity will be discussed: Firstly, cultural differences are common throughout The Company and have proven to be an issue of emotional and economic importance. Five of Hofstede’s (1994) dimensions of culture can be used to explain the reluctance of employees from different countries to effortlessly integrate their personalities and ideas within The Company. Power distance, individualism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and long-term orientation will be analysed in terms of their affect on interpersonal communication between culturally diverse employees. Secondly, another feature of diversification within The Company is the range of conflicting generational profiles. A generational gap that has formed between employees and managers within the organisation is a further...
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...inheriting different national cultures. National culture can be defined as “historically evolved values, attitudes and meanings that are learned and shared by the members of a community and which influence their [...] way of life” (Tayeb, 2003, p.10). Hence, the crux for every international manager is to understand the differences in the ways employees, suppliers and clients think, feel and act in different business settings (Hofstede, 1997, p.4). International managers, being capable of managing this challenge, possess a set of intercultural competencies, allowing them to turn cultural diversity into a competitive advantage (Browaeys and Price, 2008, p.215). This information pack provides substantial information about Danish and Brazilian business practices. The subsequent analysis is based upon the theories of the Dutch anthropologists Geert Hofstede and Fons Trompenaars. In particular, Hofstede’s “Uncertainty Avoidance” and Trompenaars’ “Ascription vs. Achievement” have been applied. 2. Theoretical Background Hofstede and Trompenaar are proponents of the ‘etic’ approach. They hold that culture is linked to people’s values. Furthermore they argue that these values can be transferred into universal cultural characteristics. Underpinned by empirical and experimental evidence, both anthropologists developed their set of bi-polar dimensions. According to Browaeys and Price (2008, p.92) these dimensions serve to differentiate national cultures. Moreover they provide implications...
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...subordinated to systems and organisations in the 21st century? The purpose of the ensuing study is to critically evaluate the role played by individuals in organisations in the 21st century. The author aims to conclude the analysis with a logical and coherent explanation to the roles individuals play in organisation. Hence, for the purpose of this study, organisational life is dissected with the help of three distinct dimensions; effects of national culture on organisational culture, power and politics within organisations and psychological ownership. The study bases strong emphasis to the formulation of organisational culture and how it differs from national culture, it then moves on to specifically outline the culture of male dominated organisations and aims to address the issue of why there exists a culture of gender bias within organisations, and finally, with the help of psychological theories, the study aims to establish the outcomes of individual psychological emotions towards an organisation. With the help of the above, the study aims to reach a rationale on better understanding people and organisations by outlining the culture systems and roles played by the former in the latter. Kroebar & Kluckholm defined culture as: ‘a set of patterns, explicit and implicit, of behaviour acquired and transmitted by symbol, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiment in artefacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional...
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...company Wal-Mart Stores, Inc has grown and seen successes and failures in the international environment. It also will look at reasons behind the failures in relation to culture, using the venture into the world’s third largest retail market, Germany as the main focus for the essay. Firstly, this essay will look at culture and some theories that surround it and also look at different dimensions that make up culture. The definition of culture according to the Oxford Dictionary (1992) is: “the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively or a refined understanding or appreciation of culture”. The theory that has been chosen to outline culture is Geert Hofstede’s five dimensions. The reason Hofstede’s theory has been used as an example in this case is because of the extensive research that he has put into developing his theories, as well as its relevance to the Wal-Mart failure in Germany. Between the years of 1967 and 1973, while Hofstede was working at international company IBM as a psychologist, he did a survey of over 100,000 employees in 40 different countries. From these results he was able to come up with four dimensions that can help people to understand the intercultural differences within regions and between counties. The four dimensions that Hofstede came...
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........................................................................ 7 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 7 References ................................................................................................................................ 10 Page | 1 Introduction Globalisation has forced markets to be in constant development and with that companies are also becoming more knowledge-based than ever before. Therefore, it is of great importance for any company who wants to be a part of a leading market to adapt and to keep pace with the rapid changes of the environment they operate in (Gómez, 2004, pp.1). Learning organisations and continuous development is essential for a company to stay in a competitive position with its rivals. Therefore, I found it interesting to research closer into topic number 2; “Learning strategies rely heavily on...
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...What difficulties might the international manager experience in trying to apply Hofstede's model? Culture is the learned way in which a society understands, decides and communicates.”(Hollensen, 2007). Hofstede, a Dutch academic wished to find an explanation for cultural differences across the world, in relation to society and business. He began by researching why various concepts of motivation did not work in the same manner in all countries. Hofstede based his studies on an extensive IBM database, receiving 116,000 questionnaires from IBM employees from over 70 countries, and in 20 languages. The gathering and evaluation of this study took 6 years, at the end of which, Hofstede concluded that the way people in different countries perceive and interpret their world varies along 4 dimensions. Hofstede’s model is known as the 4+1 model due to the addition of another dimension some years later. Theoretically this model appears to be effective in business context, however, after in-depth analysis, it can be seen that difficulties may arise for the international manager when trying to apply it. The first dimension, Power Distance, refers to the degree of inequality between people in both physical and educational conditions in a culture. In ‘High Power distance’ societies, the power is concentrated amongst the few highest people, of who make all the decisions. Therefore, the others in society have no choice but to obey, and carry out the decisions made. Differences in...
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...HELP ACADEMY DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES & UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON (3+0) BA (Hons) ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Level 1 HR 1004 ORGANISATION, MANAGEMENT & PEOPLE INDIVIDUAL CASE STUDY STUDENT I.D. : B 1102817 UEL I.D. : U 1255581 SUBMIT TO : MR CHANDRA SAKARAN SUBMISSION DATE : 8TH NOVEMBER 2013 QUESTION 1 Assess the extent to which Dicom Group’s culture is aligned to its vision and mission. Organizational culture is basic presumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation and eventually assimilated by the group of people who enters the organisation. (Schein, n.d) It is imperative for an organization’s culture to be aligned to its vision and mission. Cultural web which was introduced by Gerry Johnson (1988) could be used as an implement for mapping of organizational culture. This could determine whether its culture is on the same path with its vision and mission. The elements of these cultural web includes ‘stories’, ‘symbols’, ‘rituals & routines’, ‘power structure’, ‘organizational structure’, ‘control system’ and ‘paradigm’. The same tool applies for Dicom Group, the document capture and enterprise content management. Does their culture align with their vision and mission? We shall see. Plenty cultures are practiced between the employees within Dicom Group. A cultural element that is present is ‘Symbols’ which is clearly portrayed in the language....
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...Globalisation NIKE – just do it Introduction Nike, Inc. is an incorporated company that designs, develops and markets worldwide athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories. Nike is the biggest seller of athletic footwear and athletic apparel in the world and creates designs for men, women and children. Nike employs both traditional and non-traditional distribution channels in almost 200 countries with primary market regions in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. Nike has some 20,000 retailers worldwide including Nike factory stores, Nike stores, Nike Towns, Cole Haan stores and Web sites which sell Nike's sports and leisure products. Nike markets its products under its own brand, as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Skateboarding, and subsidiaries including Cole Haan, Hurley International and Converse. Nike accounts for 33% of the global market share in the athletic footwear industry. Nike sponsors many high profile athletes and sports teams around the world with the highly recognized trademarks of Just do it (www.nike.co.uk). GLOBALISATION: Globalisation is defined as the micro- phenomenon where there are a free flow of capital efficiency, technology and other factors of production which promote world welfare in its strides. (Nande and Dias, 2007.,p.2) KEY DRIVERS OF GLOBLISATION: there are three main factors which motivate the globalisation of markets and production which are explained as under: Falling barriers to trade...
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...trade, investment among people, organisations and governments from different countries (Chen, 1999). This process has effects on the environment, culture, political systems, and economic development around the world (Deresky, 2008). Due to globalization, the international dimension of management has become a major challenge to countries, institutions and people. International management is becoming more important within the academic setting. International management is a process of developing strategies, designing and operating systems, and working with people around the world to ensure sustained competitive advantage (Sepehri, 2010, as cited in Lecture notes 1). This essay identifies the challenges of operating in different national cultures for international managers by using Hofstede’s theory. In addition, the essay explains international skills and knowledges required by managers to be successful in different countries. Cultural Value Dimensions Culture in a global economy is one of the most important factors in global economy. In international management research, Hofstede defined culture as "…the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from those of another" (Hofstede, 1991, as cited in Jones, 2007). Within the context of international management, culture involves different dimensions. Four major dimensions provide frameworks for identifying international differences in culture (Jones, 2007). First, GLOBE...
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...Corporate culture is largely influenced by national culture and sustained by corporate leadership So many civilisations exist today; all rich with individual cultural heritage and each, distinct with unique features, characteristics, and value systems. Therefore it holds that countries have their individual and distinct cultures which are unique and which apply to them. Consequently, these cultures get infiltrated and remodelled to form part of the culture of organizations as well as influences the decision making behaviour of the corporate leadership system or process. Geert Hofstede, considers that ‘Culture is the collective programming of the mind distinguishing the members of one group or category of people from others’. It could be seen a range of values and meanings shared among individuals and entities belonging to a group, body or category. National culture is regarded as shared meanings, [conscious or unconscious] promoted among people existing within or originating from a country or state and is therefore regarded as the basic value system measure from which organizational values and corporate culture [which is understood as the belief systems or set of values shared that governs behaviours and attitudes within a corporate organization or entity] is developed. A company's corporate leadership (which is constituted of the top executives who govern its operations and plot its strategies for the future,) therefore has the responsibility to uphold this value system...
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...MARBOUTY Julien 27/11/2012 TD L Management Scientists are Human - Geert Hofstede - Management Science, Vol. 40, No. 1, Focused Issue: Is Management Science International? (Jan., 1994), pp. 4-13 1. Présentation de l’auteur et contextualisation de son œuvre Geert Hofstede est un psychologue social, professeur d’anthropologie spécialisé dans l’étude du management international et du fonctionnement des organisations. Pionnier de la recherche comparative intellectuelle, il exerce toujours à l’université de Maastricht où il prône le relativisme des cultures en matière de management. C’est d’ailleurs cette même thèse qu’il a défendu en 1994 dans son article intitulé « Management Scientists are Human » dans la revue spécialisée « Management Science ». Pour comprendre sa démarche, la conjoncture économique mondiale des années 90 est intéressante. Dans ses rapports de 1993, la Banque mondiale salue le « miracle asiatique » : des taux de croissance supérieurs à 5,5%, des gains de productivité, de meilleures formations et donc de nouvelles façons de manager s’appuyant sur la gestion du temps (toyotisme) et de l’individu (impliqué dans son réseau). L’Europe traverse, quant-à-elle, une période de récession et tente de réagir en finalisant le projet d’Union Européenne. Geert Hofstede est témoin de ces moments difficiles où le vieux continent doit résister face à la concurrence asiatique. C’est dans ce climat d’incertitude qu’il prend clairement position contre...
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...Conclusion---------------------------------------------------------------------------9 6. Reference----------------------------------------------------------------------------10 Introduction United Kingdom is a region with a large population. Also with the high diversity of the population, people tend to have different culture backgrounds. Walking along the streets in NTIC, you might find yourself in another Europe city as there is a large amount of African, Chinese, Indian and some people from other culture backgrounds. So this issue leads to the research which the author wants to dig in, will they really get along well with each other with different culture backgrounds or are they really that different? Also the author has set three objectives as followed which this research needs to complete. Objectives: 1. Find out does the cultural differences exist or not. 2. Analyse the main reason that is causing the cultural differences. 3. Find a way to improve the misunderstanding of cultural differences if it does exist. Literature Review The so-called “culture” is defined as those people who live in a same environment and they are sharing the same “common psychological procedures”. Moreover, culture is not just how this individual characteristic acts, also with a same experience in the common social. Mostly a same education is a background of some psychological activities. Different people from different countries or places may have different...
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