Understanding Cultural Differences

Understanding Cultural Differences & How it May Affect Behaviour

What We Cover

• Meaning of Culture & Why it matters

• How Culture Varies – The Dimensions

The Meaning of Culture

• “Culture is one of the two most misunderstood words in English”.

– Raymond Williams

• He never said which is the other one.

Definition of Culture

The collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of

one group or category of people from another.

– Geert Hofstede

Human Nature

Culture

Personality

Inherited

Learned

Inherited & Learned

Universal

Group Specific

Person Specific

Source : Hofstede (1991)

Components of Culture

Values

Rituals

Heroes

Symbols

Practises

Understanding Cultural Differences

• Models:– Edward Hall’s Approach (1976)– Hofstede’s Five Dimensions (1980)– Schwartz’s Seven Value Types (1994)

Edward Hall’s Approach

• Contrasted cultures on the basis of Context, attitude towards Time, Space and Information Flow.

• Key Idea: High Context/ Low Context communication.

• Key Idea: Monochronic / Polychronic Time

Context in Communication

• High Context: Where a lot of information is coded and not spoken. ‘Not what is said, but what is meant’. Example: Arabs, Indians, East Asians, Southern Europeans.

• Low Context: Where the information is contained in communication. ‘What you hear is what I mean’. Example: North Europeans, Americans.

The Question of Time

• Monochronic:Where time is treated as an object, which can be saved, wasted, used or spent. It is treated linearly, like a road, and the past is treated as lost. This is the North American/ European view of time.

• Polychronic: Where one lives within time, and therefore can not save or waste it. More like air, you take it for granted. The Asian/ Indian view, perhaps.

Hofstede’s Dimensions

• Contrasted cultures on five dimensions:– Power Distance (PDI)

– Individualism/ Collectivism (IDV)

– Masculinity/ Femininity (MAS)

– Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)

– Long Term Orientation (LTO)

Power Distance (PDI)

• Definition: The extent to which less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally.

• High Power Distance: Malaysia, Philippines, India, Brazil, France.

• Low Power Distance: USA, Canada, UK, Sweden, Denmark, Austria.

Individualism/ Collectivism (IDV)

• Definition: People look after themselves and their immediate family only or people belong to in-groups who look after them in exchange for loyalty.

• High Individualism: USA, UK, Canada, France, Spain, India.

• High Collectivism: South Korea, Taiwan, Peru, Indonesia, Venezuela.

Masculinity/ Femininity (MAS)

• Definition: The dominant values in a masculine society are achievement and success, the dominant values in a feminine society are caring for others and quality of life.

• Masculine: Japan, Italy, UK, USA, Australia, India.

• Feminine: Iran, spain, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden.

Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)

• Definition: The extent to which people feel threatened by uncertainty and ambiguity and try to avoid these situations.

• High Avoidance: Greece, Portugal, Japan, France, Spain.

• Low Avoidance: Canada, USA, India, Britain.

Long Term Orientation (LTO)

• Definition: The acceptance of change, perserverance, thrift and pursuit of peace of mind, as against here-and-now consumption and making the best of present opportunity.

• Long Term: China, Most Asian cultures, Paddy farming cultures.

• Short Term: United States, Britain, most hunter-gatherer cultures.

Schwartz’s Seven Value Types

• Recent research defining seven value types which differentiates cultures.

• In Schwartz’s model, these seven values are: Conservatism, Intellectual and Affective Autonomy, Hierarchy, Mastery, Egalitarian Commitment & Harmony.

Conclusion: Understanding Differences

• National cultures vary significantly.

• They affect our work behaviour and decide what works and what does not.

• We need to learn actively about other cultures to be effective at work.