Hofstedes Cultural Dimension - Essay Example

Part I Hofstede’s cultural Dimension: World has become a globalised arena where an individual sees himself working with the people of different cultures. It has become interesting for the individuals but it also leads to frustration and uncertainty. this article ‘Hofstede’s Cultural Differences: Understanding workplace value around the world’ talks about how one should build connections with people of different cultural backgrounds so that all of them are motivated in structuring the projects and develop strategies which leads to better allocation resources as well as higher profits. DR Geert Hofstede, a psychologist identified four distinct cultural dimensions that served to differentiate one culture from another. Later on in his study he added the fifth one. The five dimensions of culture that Hofstede distinguished include (Aaldering 2010): Power/distance: this is initially the degree of inequality that is present and is accepted among people with or without power. The score that one gets points that society accepts an unequal distribution of power and people in the system. Whereas a low score indicates that the power is shared and well dispersed. For example in a high PD country like Malaysia an organization would send reports only to the top hierarchy management with the involvement of few high level managers. Individualism (IDV). This indicates the strong ties between individuals. The following diagram shows how it works : Characteristics Tips High IDV High Valuation on peoples time and their need for freedom. An enjoyment of challenges, and an expectation of rewards for hard work. Respect for privacy. Acknowledge accomplishments. Don’t ask for too much personal information. Encourage debate and expression of own ideas. Low IDV Emphasis on building skills and becoming masters of something. Work for intrinsic rewards. Harmony more important than honesty. Show respect for age and wisdom. Suppress feelings and emotions to work in harmony. Respect traditions and introduce change slowly. Masculinity (MAS). This actually talks about how much the organization looks at the traditional values of male and female. In today’s world one could clearly see how men and female are treated with equal opportunities. Uncertainty/ A voidance index (UAI). This is basically the degree of anxiety that the members of an organization or a society feel when there situations are unknown or uncertain. Long Term Orientation (LTO). This talks about how much society put value in the long term standing- as opposed to short term traditions and values This article basically talked about the five basic dimensions and how these could be used in order to meet the needs of individuals working with different culture employees. Trompenaars four diversity culture: Another culturalist Trompenaars along with Hampden-Turner came with other cultural factors that talk about these few points on how to face the cultural differences in the organization. The article ‘Cultural frame of reference’, (Jeurissen 2007) talks about universalism vs. particularism which generally talks about how an organization can find and work on the general rules instead of forcing on the existing rules and demotivating the entire team. It also talks about analyzing vs. integrating which is decomposing to find the details and integrating to bring all those things together in order to have a big picture to understand better. Individualism vs. communitarianism is where the individual’s rights are put forward along with the rights of the whole group or team. Another one that Trompenaar talks about is inner directed vs. outer directed. This is where the assumption is made that thinking is the most powerful tool to approach an idea. And then seeking the data in the outer world or in other words to be optimistic. This article basically just talks about how looking at a thing , analyzing it and then giving it a status changes the way we look at things and culture differences are the same thing. One should be able to analyze it with equality, status, and optimization in order to understand them in a broader sense. Edward T. Hall’s Cultural Contexts Edward T. Hall an anthropologist made early discoveries of key cultural factors. In particular he is famous for his high and low context cultural factors, Context High context In a high-context culture, there are many contextual elements that help people to understand the rules. As a result, much is taken for granted. For someone who doesn’t verbally understands the rules, this kind of context will be hard for him to recognize as mentioned by Straker in his book ‘Changing Minds’, (straker 2008) Low context In a low-context culture, very little is taken for granted. Whilst this means that more explanation is needed, it also means there is less chance of misunderstanding particularly when visitors are present. Strengths and weaknesses: Hofstede theory came with certain weaknesses as well as with strengths. indicates that there is no way that the cultural diversity mapped by Hofstede is in a process of disappearing because even in the 21’st century , what Hofstede came up with still represents the true picture of the world, (Mead 2005). So therefore there is no certain argument present which indicates that Hofstedes findings are no longer applicable Hofstedes work has a couple of strengths which apply in the cultural analysis to the practical management problems. Every dimension is in one way or another relevant to the other dimension. His work is of such importance that an expatriate manager would find it interesting to set systems according to Hofstedes working, (Holt, & wigginton 2002) For Trompenaar the work he did had some weaknesses. Due to the culture differences being complex it’s hard to put his dimensions forward into the practical world. As the globalization is continuing to increase therefore there has been an increase in the interaction between the people. The major reason of its weakness is that people in the busy world and life are unable to imagine a bigger picture which is a major dimension in Trompenaars work, (West, & Murphy 2007). The strengths for Trompenaars work include the wide variety of dimensions that he has mentioned which leads to optimism and how we can achieve that with the cross culture communication. A broad sense is present in his work with the open minded situation so that one could easily measure his views around Trompenaars dimensions as these are just a continuity of Hofstedes five dimensions. Edward T hall has come up with the work of high context and low context therefore sometimes it’s difficult for one to understand on how to differentiate between the high n low context cultures. But on the other hand if one has a clear idea of these contexts then they could have a successful interaction between cross culture employees. These culture theories could be further corrected on the basis of making the whole business culture one globalised market with a local language that could be used in order to do business transactions. A more open and wide approach to see the bigger picture could be used so that no stereotyping or other could be seen by the employees of different cultures on the other hand Hofstedes dimensions are overlapped by the Trompenaars dimensions. The basic motives of adding the rest of the 2 dimensions were to create extension and to further understand the cross culture differences. They should know what they are getting in so that they have a clear picture of the possibilities that they could use in order to work with the team. This is further explained in the theory of Hofstede and Trompenaars who are of the view that one should have a clear vision of the bigger picture. Edward hall another theorist talks about the low and high context area that a manager needs to research on before entering into that organization. The language of the oversea business has to be clear in the mind of the managers. How one looks at the high and low contexts is another problem that the manager needs to look upon before going overseas. They should have a proper training before making any decision in a business that’s of different culture or else the business would face legal charges if decisions are taken otherwise, (Ferell, Fraedrich, & Ferell, 2009). Problems of working in a different culture: There could be many problems that a manager could face when he’s working in different culture organization, (Selmar 1998) Etiquettes Language barriers Signs and symbols Sex- Specific Barrier Conflicts Dual Career He (Selmar 1998) again mentions that a western expatriate manager faces more problems than a Chinese expatriate. When a western expatriate goes to meet with the Chinese business manager, it’s customary that he takes a gift along with him. The whole situation gets friendlier of something like this is done. (Brewster, Mayrhofer, & Morley 2004) states that the western expatriate needs to learn all the cultural differences when he first steps into any other culture or else it could be hard for the western manager to adjust in some other culture. Motivation and Leading the Team by Expatriate Managers: In the book ‘Management’ by (Daft, & Lane 2009) the expatriate managers need to introduce themselves to the team with a warm welcome. Like in case Arab countries like Pakistan, Iran etc, managers need to keep in mind that when they criticize they need to do it in a such a way that it doesn’t bring their self respect down as their dignity is really important to them. (Daft & Lane 2009) again states that when it comes to motivation, the manager should keep in mind that the incentives that the employees are given are well in the reach of those people and are part of their culture. Mostly they are motivated on the bases of what potential employees want most from the company. For example in the U.S a competitive pay base is considered of vital importance where else in Brazil the case is opposite as employees looks for work that is career oriented. Part II Expatriate Managers In a world where globalization has become one of the most dominant features in the business organization, just like that top quality managers are in short supply (Adams 2006). Organizations are ignoring the fact that they have to identify, select and develop such global leaderships that they could lead their team and train their team in such a way that they could feel at ease when working in a cross culture situation An expatriate should have the right skill and right training to help him develop in the oversea business. He should know the right motivational incentives which would in return help his team reach the targets and earn profits for the company, (Selmer 1995). The expatriate management program should have an established protocol that does not allow an expatriate to advance to the next step without the completion of the prior step. This advancement is not only dependant on the expatriate’s performance, but that of HR’s expatriate management as well. Each expatriate should have the proper cross cultural training for their performance at work, as well as cross cultural training for his or her family to assist them in managing the challenges that they encounter through culture shock. HR should also require that the host country conducts training for their local employees to help them understand the reason for the expatriate, the cultural challenges that they may face, and how to work together with the expatriate on a professional and social level. Skills to overcome Cultural Differences and Other Dilemmas Cultural awareness helps expatriate make better decisions. If they know exactly what they are dealing with, it makes it easy for them to solve the problem and to overcome the team conflicts. Overcoming the ethical dilemmas is really important for the manager. Generally the manager could use two approaches to it, (Fernando 2009). Firstly is the ‘no harm, no foul’ and the second argues that some actions are simply wrong. A manager could easily use the three step strategy that would help him solve ethical dilemma situation. Analyze the Consequences: this is where the manager needs to analyze what his actions could cause as in he should analyze what’s wrong and what’s right. Analyze the actions: this is where different solutions are looked at from a different perspective. Make a Decision: lastly the manager needs to make a decision that would help him overcome the dilemma in a win-win situation. A proper training and skill will help manager make a better decision. A clear idea of the country’s traditions and value that he is transferred to would help him resolve conflicts that his team members would face and will help him move forward in reaching the goal. Not just this it would also help reach the proper negotiations with the suppliers and other parties involved in that process. All of this actually leads to meeting the needs of the organization along with better met targets. Working in a Multicultural Team and Developing Inter Cultural Relationships Managers need to have broad ranging skills and high adaptability in order to work in a multi cultural team. It is important for the individual to be open towards various ideas and look towards situations from a broader perspective. A person should not bind himself inside particular limits based on their individualistic approach and perception. Corporate environments demand more of openness from their work force. It is essential to build good relationships in a corporate sector, specifically in one with a multi cultural set up. In order to do that, one should be capable of observing the surroundings effectively, understanding and interpreting others on bases of their actions, gestures, choices, words and decisions. A manager needs to take in to account all the socio cultural elements of a corporation. as stated in Management a Pacific Rim Focus. (Bartol, Martin, & Tein 2004) “The sociocultural elements include attitudes, values, norms, beliefs, behaviors and typical regional demographic trends”, These elements also incorporate in employees based on their socio cultural backgrounds. Their decision making abilities, approach towards various situations and over all personality is based on their socio cultural background, and a knowledge of these elements based on keen observation helps in working in multi cultural teams and developing inter cultural relationships effectively. Tutorials and Class Discussions Many important lessons can be drawn out through class tutorials and discussions. We came across many significant examples and situations in which we could easily access the need of training of employees for working in different countries and cultures. We got to understand many problems that arise if we are not open towards the multicultural setups and how an individual is unable to work effectively and produce good results if he is not able to cope up with his working environment. The need of having an open approach and a proper training to work in a multicultural organization is very important for the management processes to take place effectively. It cannot be easy for the employee as well as his manager to work together unless or until they understand one another and are well aware of one another’s behavior and attitudes. An employee should know how he is supposed to represent himself and deal with other in a situation where perceptions towards things are different among different set of people. Through class discussions, many significant remedies were sorted out to various cases and situations, evaluating significant methods of inducing multicultural acceptance among employees of an organization. Raising multicultural awareness and decreasing stereotypes The need for creating and raising multicultural awareness is very important in the age of globalization, as the need to communicate and interact with others has increased immensely. It is important to maintain relationships to carry out businesses successfully, as in one or the other way; every corporation is depended on another to fulfill their requirements. It is impossible to maintain good relationships if we are unable to cope up with multicultural differences. Therefore, it is essential to create awareness of all the positive outcomes due to multicultural among employees to have a broader approach and adaptability towards multicultural setups. The effect of rise of multicultural awareness automatically decreases the stereotypes. Stereotypes are hurdle towards success, progress as stereotype disables ability to take volunteer steps, and the element of taking risks towards innovation and new ideas become greatly affected, as the corporate environment will not be comfortable and supporting enough for individuals to open up and speak out their ideas. As long as stereotypes prevail in a corporation, the elements of growth of the company as well as affect employees because stereotypes give rise to politics in the company. There are various multicultural training programs, in which employees are provided training to cope up with multicultural setups and act according to situations in an effective manner. In an article, Multicultural Training; Reexamination, Operationalization, and Integration, (Ridley, Mendoza, & Kanitz 1994) the authors say in their abstract that, “The Multicultural Program Development Pyramid is a five-tiered framework outlining stages of multicultural counseling training (MCT) program development. The pyramid is intended to serve as a guide to help program developers formulate their own unique MCT programs. The pyramid lays out a path of critical choice points in MCT development, beginning with the generation of an explicit philosophy of training and proceeding through the stages of identifying training objectives, selecting instructional strategies, choosing from among several proposed program designs, and evaluating the program. Use of the pyramid encourages the critical examination of a full range of choices at each stage.” The program discussed in this article like other programs are prepared to train employees to perform at their best in all sort of situations with all sort of people and corporate environments. Such programs conducted, can be fruitful to train employees and increase multicultural awareness and decrease stereotypes. References Aaldering, M. (2010), German and dutch intercultural communication: a qualitative research., GRIN Verlag, Norderstedt, Germany. Jeurissen, R. (2007), Ethics & Business Management in society Management & ethiek, Uitgeverij Van Gorcum, Assen, The Netherlands. Straker, D. (2008). Changing minds. Syque. Mead, R. (2005). International management: cross-cultural dimensions. Wiley-Blackwell. Holt, D H., & Wigginton, K. W. (2002). International management management series the harcourt college publishers series in management. Harcourt College Publishers. West, B.A., & Murphy, F.T. (2007). G'day boss!: australian culture and the workplace. Tribus Lingua Ferell, O.C, Fraedrich, J, & Ferell, L. (2009). Business ethics: ethical decision making and cases. Cengage Learning. Selmer, J. (1998). International management in china: cross-cultural issues. Routledge. Brewster , C. , Mayrhofer, W. & Morley, M. (2004). Human resource management in europe: evidence of convergence?. Butterworth-Heinemann. Daft, R.L., & Lane, P. (2009). Management. Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Adams, F G. (2006). East asia, globalization, and the new economy. Routledge, Newyork, NY. Selmer, J. (1995). Expatriate management: new ideas for international business. Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport, CT. Fernando, A.C. (2009). Business ethics: an Indian perspective. Pearson Education India, New Dehli. Bartol, K.M., Martin, D.C., & Tein, M. (2004). Management: a Pacific Rim focus. McGraw-Hill Ridley, C.R, Mendoza, D.W, & Kanitz, B.E. (1994). Multicultural training; re-examination, operationalization, and integration. The Counseling Psychologist, 22, 227-289. Read More