Cultural Dimensions

Cultural Dimensions: The Results of the Research of Fons Trompenaars
Culture: Term and Dimensions Summer Term 2008
Nature of Culture
Word culture comes from Latin cultura, which means to cultivate and is a contrast to nature Characteristics of culture are: Learned: Culture is learned; not inherited or biological based Shared: menber of groups share culture, it is not specific to a single person Transgeneral: passed from generations to generations Symbolic: using one thing to represent another Patterned: Culture has structure and is integrated; change of one part influences other parts Adaptive: Based on the adoption to changes of the environment Cultural Dimensions.ppt Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany
The Levels of Culture ( Model of Schein) Basic assumptions Norms, written and unwritten rules Symbols
Cultural Dimensions.ppt
Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany
Important Basic Assumptions

What is the nature of people? What is the person`s relationship to nature? Good - mixture of good and bad bad Changeable - unchangeable
What is the person`s relationship to other people?
Dominant In Harmony with nature (part of nature) Subjugation Hierarchic Collectivist - Individualist Doing Being and Becoming Being Future Present Past Synchronic - Sequential
What is the modality of human activity? What is the temporal focus of human activity? What is the conception of space?
Private and Public divided Private and Pulblic not strictly divided
Framework for the Analysis of Intercultural Management

Environment of Intercultural Management Cultural Dimension
Political System
Functions of Management
Goalsetting and Planning Organisation Realisation, Leadership, and Motivation Controlling
Economic System
Regulatory System
Technological System
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Cultural Dimensions of Geert Hofstede

Power Distance: the extent to which less powerful people accept that power is distributed unequally, that others have more power Uncertainty Avoidence: The extent to which people feel threatened by ambigous situations and have created beliefs or institutions to avoid these feelings Individualism vs. Collectivism: Individualism is the Tendency of people to look after themselves; collectivism to look after the members of their society in exchange for loyalty Masculinity vs. Feminity: Masculinity: dominant values are success, competition, and money Feminity: dominant values are caring for others
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Trompenaars:
Overview of his Dimensions
Universalist and Pariticularist Cultures

Question: You are riding with a good friend in his car. Your friend hits a pedestrian. You know that your fried drove at least 60 km/h, although he should have driven 30 km/h at the max in this limited speed area. There are no other witnesses. Your friends lawyer says, that you would save your friend from serious consequences if you stated under oath that he had driven at 30 km/h only. What would give your friend the right to expect from you to protect him? My friend has a good reason and can expect me in any case to testify the lower speed. __ My friend has some reason to expect me to testify the lower speed. __ My friend has no reason to expect me to testify the lower speed. __
Cultural Dimensions.ppt Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany 8
What is more important: Friendship or Laws?
Differencies between Universalist and Particularist Cultures
1.
Universalist
Focus is more on general rules than on personal relationship A trustworthy person is the one honours their word or contract. A deal is a deal and you are bound to the deals you agreed in. There is only one truth or reality, that which has been agreed to
1.
Particularist
2.
2.
3.
3.
Focus is more on the personal relationship to the individual person than on general rules or laws A trustworthy person is the one who is flexible and honours changing mutualities and is not fixed on written contract. It is important that the mutual relationship evolves There several perspectives on reality relative to each participant
Trompenaars Value Dimensions Universalism and Particularism Obligation

To the Law To the Person
USA
Ger
UK NL
Fra
Jpn Spa
Bulg
Rusia
Venez
Universalistic
Prentice Hall, 2000 Chapter 4
Particularistic
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Tips for doing business with universalists and particularists
Universalists (for particularists)

1. Be prepared for rational and professional arguments and presentations
Particularists (for universalists)

1. Be prepared for personal, private meandering or irrelevancies that do not seem to be going anywhere
2. Do not take quick impersonal let`s go down to business attiudes as rude 3. Carefully prepare the legal ground with a lawyer if in doubt
2. Do not take personal I want to know you attitudes as waste of time, not being prepared for business or laziness
3. Carefully consider the personal implications of your legal safeguards. They might be seen as a mistrust and as a personal insultry
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Inidividualism and Collecitivsm

Question: Two persons are discussing who one can improve life quality. The one says: It is obvious, that people can improve theirs lifes quality, as long as they have as much spare time as possible and the maximum opportunity to develop themselves as individuals. ( Answer A) The other one says: Life quality for everybody improves as long as people care for their fellow people and their well-being, even if it affects the individual freedom and development. ( Answer B) Which of the two statements is normally true according to your opinion? A __ B __
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Do you feel as an Individuum or as a Part of Group? Individualism and Collectivism
Individualism
1. More frequent use of I. People think an feel as individuals. 2. People ideally achieve and decide alone and assume personal responsibility 3. Vacations taken alone or in pairs
Collectivism
1. More frequent use of we. People think and feel as a part of a community ( group, greater family, clan, company)
2. People ideally achieve and decide in groups which join responsibility 3. Vacations with friends, extended family or at least in organised groups
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Trompenaars Value Dimensions Individualism and Collectivism

Individualsm Collecitivsm
USA Spa NL UK Rusia Ger Hungary Thai
Egypt
Prentice Hall, 2000
Chapter 4
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Tips for doing business with people from individualist or collectivist cultures
Individualists (for collectivists) Collectivists (for individualists)
1. Conducting business alone means 1. Conducting business surrounded that this person is respected by by helpers means that this person his company has high status 2. Prepare for quick decisions not referred to the headquarter 2. Show patience for time taken to consent and to consult
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Internal or External Control

Question: Please decide between the following alternatives ( Make a X at the alternative, which you prefer) I myself am responsible for everything that happens to me __ Sometimes I think that I cannot decide myself which turn my life takes __ __
Who is responsible for my life? Differencies between Cultures with Internal Control or External Control
Internal Control
1. See themselves as the captain of their fate 2. Focus and trust on self
External Control
1. Fate is guided by god or destiny and the environment 2. Focus and trust on the community, partner, customer, colleague 3. Life in harmony with nature and social environment; show sensibility 4. Adopt to the environment
3. Show own force. Stand for your point of view, even in conflict with the majority 4. Try to design and to change the environment
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Tips for Doing Business with People from Internal versus External Control Oriented Cultures
Internal Control External Control
Playing hard ball is legitimate to test the resilience of an opponent
Softness, persistence, politeness and long, long patience will get rewards It is most important to maintain your relationship Win together, lose apart
It is most important to win your objective Win some, lose some
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Trompenaars Value Dimensions Internal or Exernal Control

Internal
USA Ger Spa NL UK Ita Poland
External
Chi
Prentice Hall, 2000
Chapter 4
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Status by Achievement or Ascription

Question: To what extent can you agree to the following statement? The prestige that is awarded to a person, is in a high degree dependant on their familys background. I fully agree __ I agree __ I do not know __ I object __ I highly object__
How We attribute Status? Differencies between achievement - oriented and ascription - oriented cultures
Achievement
1. Status is earned by performance 2. Respect for superior is based on how effectively his or her job is performed and how appropriate their knowledge 3. Use of titles only when relevant to the competence you bring to the task
Ascription
1. Status is earned by family background, age, seniority and so on
2. Respect for superiors in hierarchy is seen as a measure of your commitment to the organisation and its mission 3. Extensive use of titles, especially when these clarify your satus in the organisation
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Trompenaars Value Dimensions Achiement and Ascription

Achievement
Legitimization of Power and Status

Ascription
USA UK Swe Hungary Ger NL
Ita Spa Rusia Austria
Achievement
Prentice Hall, 2000 Chapter 4
Ascription
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Tips for doing Business with People from Achievement versus Ascription Oriented Cultures
Achievement Oriented
Do not underestimate the need of your counterparts to do better or do more than is expected. To challenge is to motivate Make sure your negotiations team has enough data and knowlegable people to show that the project will work well Respect the status and influence oa your conterpart, even if sou sucpect he is short of knowledge
Ascription Oriented
Do not underestimate the need of your counterparts to make their ascriptions come true. To challenge is to subvert (In German:untergraben) Make sure your negotiation team has enough older senior and high formal position holders to demonstrate the other that you consider him and the negotiation as important
Respect the knowledge of the other even if you sucpect that he is short of influence back home and young
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Specific and Diffuse Cultures

Question: Please decide which of the following alternatives would be correct? A company is also responsible for their employees accommodation. Therefor companies should support their employees when searching for an apartment or a house. (Answer A) The responsibility for the own accommodation is only the employees responsibility (Answer B) Which of the two statements is normally true according to your opinion? A __ B __ __
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How far we get involved: Differencies between specific and diffuse Cultures
Specifity (Low Context Cultures)
1. Life spaces ,e.g. private life and business life, are seen as very separated spheres. Do not mix business with pleasure! In Germany: Work is work and spirit is spirit 2. Direct, to the point, purposeful in relating
Diffuseness (High Context Cultures)
1. Life spaces are seen as connected and there are no clear boundaries between the diverse sectors.
2. Indirect, circuitous, seemingly, aimless forms of relating Evasive, tactful, ambigous, even opaque (mysterious
3. Precise, definitive, and transparent
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Trompenaars Value Dimensions Specific or Diffuse

Involvement in Relationships
Specific
Diffuse
Ger Pol Jpn Rusia Hungary
USA NL UK Fra
Prentice Hall, 2000
Chapter 4
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Tips for doing business with people from specific or diffuse oriented cultures
Specific oriented (for diffuse oriented people) 1. Be quick to the point and efficient 2. Do not be offended by confrontations; they are usually not personal Diffuse oriented (for specific individuals) 1. Take time and remember there are many roads to Rome 2. Do not get impatient when people are indirect or circuitious
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Neutral and Affective Cultures

Question: If something upsets you during your job or your studies, would you openly express your emotion? __ Yes __ No
Do you show your feelings or do try not to show? Differencies between neutral and affective Cultures
Neutral
1. Do not reveal what they are thinking or feeling. Physical contact, gesturing, or strong facial expressions often taboo. 2. Cool and self possessed conduct is admired 3. Emotions often dammed up will occassionally explode 4. Statements often read out in montone
Affective
1. Reveal thoughts and feelings verbally and non verbally (expressive). Touching, gesturing and strong facial expression are common 2. Headed, vital, animated expressions admired 3. Emotions flow easily, effusively, vehemently and without inhibition 4. Statements decalaimed fluently and dramatically
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Trompenaars Value Dimensions Part 1

Affecitive
Ita USA NL UK
Neutral
Jpn
Prentice Hall, 2000
Chapter 4
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Tips for doing business with people from neutral or affective cultures
Neutrals (for affectives) 1. Their lack of emotional tone does not mean they are not interested or bored Affectives (for neutrals) 1. Their enthusiasm does not mean that they have made up their minds 2. When they are expressing goodwill, respond warmly
2. Put as much as you con on paper beforehand
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How do we feel time? Recognising the differences
Past oriented
Everything viewed in the context of tradition or history Talking about history, orign of family or company
Present oriented
Future oriented
Everything viewed in prospect of future advantage
Everything viewed in terms of ist contemporary impact
Show respect for ancestors, predecessors, and older people

Activities and enjoyments of the moment are most important (not manana) Show intnesive interest in present relationship (here and now)
Much talk of prospects, potentials, aspirations, future achievements Show great interest in the youthful and in future potentials
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How do we feel time? Mental Importance and Connexion of Past, Present, and Future
Germany
USA Netherlands Russia Malaysia
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Doing business with people of past or futur oriented cultures

Past orientation Emphasise the history tradition and rich cultural heritage oa those you deal with as evidence of their great potential Discover whether internal relationship, traditions, or customs will sanction the kind of changes you seek to encourage Future orientation Emphasise the freedom, opportunity, and limitless scope for that ocmpany and its people in the future
Try to demonstrate that change is based on old traditions

Do your homework on the future and the prospects of the company; Consider mounting a sizeable challenge
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Clusters of Countries
NearEast Arab Nordic Germanic
Far Eastern Latin American
Anglo Latin European
Independent
Prentice Hall, 2000 Chapter 4 35
Literature
Hodgetts, R.M. / Luthans, F.: International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Forth edition MCGraw-Hill 2000 ISBN: 0-07-22828-7 Or the International Edition ISBN: 0-07-029226-4 International Management Managing across Borders and Cultures 3rd edition Prentice Hall 2000 ISBN: 0-321-02829-5
Deresky, Helen
Trompenaars, Fons
Riding the waves of culture Understanding cultural diversity in business Nicholas Brealey Publishing 1993 ISBN 1 85788 0331 Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany
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Cultural Dimensions

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Cultural Dimensions: The Results of the Research of Fons Trompenaars

Culture: Term and Dimensions Summer Term 2008

Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany

Important Basic Assumptions

What is the person`s relationship to other people?

Prof. Dr. Lieber, FH Coburg, Germany

Framework for the Analysis of Intercultural Management