Culture Ch 3.ppt

8/13/2019 Culture Ch 3.ppt

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Differences in Culture

Societies differ along cultural dimensions

What is culture?

How/why do social structure, religion, language

influence cultural differences? What are differences between culture and values

in the workplace (corporate culture)?

Culture changes over time. What are some reasons

behind this? Implications for business managers


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Cultural Appreciation

Aspects of

culture

Values

Customs

Symbols

Language


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What is Culture?

Culture:a societys (groups) system ofshared, learned values and norms; these

are the societys (groups) design for living

Values: abstract ideas about the good, theright, the desirable

Norms: social rules and guidelines; guide

appropriate behavior for specific situations

Folkways: norms of little moral significance

dress code; table manners; timeliness

Mores:norms central to functioning of social life

bring serious retribution: thievery, adultery, alcohol


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Cultural DiversityValuesrepresent personal or socially

preferable modes of conduct or states

of existence that are enduring.

Why doesnt McDonalds sell

hamburgers in India?


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Cultural DiversityCustomsare norms and expectations

about the way people do things in a

specific country.

Why were 3M executives perplexed

concerning lukewarm sales of Scotch-

Brite floor cleaner in the Philippines?


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National Culture

Nation is a useful: Definition of society

similarity among people a cause -- and effect -- of nationalboundaries

Way to bound and measure culture for conduct ofbusiness culture is a key characteristic of society

can differ significantly across national borders

also within national borders

laws are established along national lines Culture is both a cause and an effect of economic

and political factors that vary across nationalborders


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Religion, Ethics and Culture

Religion: system of sharedbeliefs about the sacred

Ethical systems: moral principles or values that shapeand guide behavior; often products of religion

Major religious groups and some economicimplications

Christianity protestant work ethic

Islam Islamic economic principles

Hinduism anti-materialistic, socially stratified

Buddhism anti-materialistic, social equality

Confucianism hierarchy, loyalty, honesty


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Language: Culture Bound

Language, spokenprivate does not exist as a word in many

languages

Eskimos: 24 words for snow

Words which describe moral concepts can beunique to countries or areas

Spoken language precision important in low-context cultures

Language, unspoken

Context... more important than spoken word inhigh context cultures


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Non-Verbal Gestures


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Non-Verbal Gestures


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Non-Verbal Gestures


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Non-Verbal Gestures


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CulturalDiversity Chevy NovaAward

Dairy Associations huge success withthe campaign Got Milk? prompted

them to expand advertising to Mexico

It was brought to their attention the

Spanish translation read, Are youlactating?


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CulturalDiversity Chevy NovaAward

Clairol introduced the Mist

Stick, a curling iron into Germany

Only to find out that mist isGerman slang for manure.


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Cultural Diversity

Chevy Nova AwardWhen Gerber started selling baby food

in Africa, they used US packaging withthe smiling baby on the label.

In Africa, companies routinely putpictures on labels of whats inside, since

many people cant read.


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Cultural Diversity

Chevy Nova AwardPepsis Come Alive With the Pepsi

Generation in Chinese translatedinto

Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back

From the Grave


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Cultural Diversity

Chevy Nova AwardCoca-Colas name in China was first read as

Kekoukela, meaning Bite the wax tadpole

or female horse stuffed with wax, depending

on the dialect.

Coke then researched 40,000 characters to

find a phonetic equivalent kokou kole,

translating into happiness in the mouth.


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Cultural Stereotypes

Cultural stereotypes: values and behaviorsconsidered typical of a culture

Are they valuable?

Yes, if they reduce uncertainty about what

expatriate can expect.

No, if used to label an individual unlike the

stereotype


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Education and Culture

Education

Medium through which people are acculturated

Language, myths, values, norms taught

Teaches personal achievement and competition

Critical to national competitive advantage

Education system may be a cultural outcome


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Individualism Vs. Collectivism (Hofstede)

Degree to which people in a

country prefer to act asindividuals rather than ingroups

Describes the relations betweenthe individual and his/herfellows


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Uncertainty Avoidance (Hofstede)

Degree of need to avoid uncertainty aboutthe future

Degree of preference for structured versusunstructured situations

Structured situations: have tight rules mayor may not be written down

High uncertainty avoidance: people withmore nervous energy (vs easy-going), rigidsociety, "what is different is dangerous."


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Masculinity Vs. Femininity (Hofstede)

Division of roles and values in asociety

Masculinevalues prevail:

assertiveness, success, competition

Femininevalues prevail:quality of life, maintenance of warm

personal relationships, service, care

for the weak, solidarity


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Confucian Dynamism (Hofstede)

Attitudes towards

Time

Persistence

Status in society

Face

Respect for tradition

Gifts and favors


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Managerial Implications

Ethnocentrism vs PolycentrismMust a company adapt to local

cultures or can corporate -- often

home-country dominated -- culture

prevail?

Cross-cultural literacy essential

Do some cultures offer a national

competitive advantage over others?

Culture Ch 3.ppt

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