Understanding culture

Preparing for and adjusting to culture

Participating in culture

values

norms

folkways and mores

roles

freedom

democracy

justice

truth

social responsibility

marriage

men and women roles in society

Social rules that affect behaviors and actions and represent cultural values

such as a married woman in some cultures walking a fews steps behind her husband in public

power distance

individualism

gender differentiation

uncertainty avoidance

short- or long-term orientation

POWER DISTANCE

• Countries with large power distance = supervisor is always right; wide gap between rich and poor
• Countries with low power distance = people have more rights; employees are asked for advice

INDIVIDUALISM

(or collectivism)

How people value the individual versus the group.

US and Australia value self and family; value being part of work family

Japan, Colombia, Venezuela value group acceptance

• High gender differences = men tend to dominate society and power (assertive, money and status, achievement); referred to as masculinity
• Low gender differences = less gender discrimination

High-risk avoidance = stable environment for businesses but can prevent progress (Mexico, Portugal, Japan)

Low-risk avoidance = leads to more success (US, Great Britain, New Zealand)

• How businesspeople value short- or long-term results
  • US = values short term; high sales provide immediate results
  • Asian nations = values long-term such as customer loyalty

People with varied behaviors with a culture

**People within a business organization or nation may be quite different

One group of people is dominant in the population

(race/religion/language)

HETEROGENEOUS CULTURE

(multiculture)

1. educational systems
2. religious organizations
3. gender roles
4. class systems
5. degrees of mobility

• Some cultures favor males over females
• In some cultures, only wealthy get educated
• In many cultures, formal education and relgious training overlap
• Many cultures only offer edcuation beyond elementary level to very successful students

• Religious influence can be long-lasting
• A country ruled by religious law has a legal system that differs from the legal system in a country that emphasizes separation of church and state
• Religious leaders can be policity forces in many countries

• Vary around the world
• Some cultures favor men over women in the workplace
• Certain occupations are performed by a specific gender in some cultures
• Gender roles affect how people conduct business

• People in upper class have better access to education, work opportunities, and the legal system
• Upper class can be result of inheriting a family name or wealth
• Some cultures it is harder to move to a high social class

• Low mobility limits life's experiences.
• Understanding degrees of mobilyt can help you adjust to a new culture

1. cultural baggage
2. cultural bias
3. stereotyping

1. religious attitudes
2. dining habits
3. "time is money" as most American's believe
4. slow or fast paced living

Preconceived attitude of favoring or disliking a particular culture

(examples:  US towards Germany after WW2, US towards Islamic countries due to 9/11)

Get involved in countries:

• music
• literature
• art
• architecture
• foods
• holidays
• religious events
• ways of living and thinking