Chapter 7

CULTURE AND MULTICULTURALISM

Definition and Characteristics

Culture: The complex mixture of assumptions,behaviors,stories,myths,metaphors and other ideas that fit together to define what it means to be a member of a particular society. Organizational Culture: The set of important undrstanding,such as norms, values, attitudes and beliefs, shared by organizational members. For ex,large Japanese firms culture, dress code at IBM,employee oriented culture at park plaza hotel,ahemedabad.

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Organizational Culture Continued

A philosophy regarding how employees and customers should be treated Rules that dictate the dos and donts of employee behavior relating to: productivity customer relations

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Three basic elements of culture

Artifacts: are the things that one sees, hears, and feels when one encounters a new group with an unfamiliar culture". For ex,CEOs dress code at two different company,cultute at IIM and other collages. Espoused values: The reasons given by an organization for the way things are done:Ex,darden school has an espoused value of being a teaching school . Basic assumptions: The belief that are taken for granted by the members of an organization.:Ex, at AT&T.Service available.
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Organizational Cultures in MNCs

Aspects in determining MNC organizational culture:

The relationship between the employees and their organization The hierarchical system of authority that defines the roles of managers and subordinates The general views that employees hold about the MNCs purpose, destiny, goals, and their places in them

4 types of organizational cultures:

Family Eiffel Tower Guided Missile Incubator

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Organizational Cultures
Equity
Fulfillment-oriented culture Project-oriented culture

INCUBATOR

GUIDED MISSILE

Person

Task

FAMILY
Power-oriented culture

EIFFEL TOWER
Role-oriented culture

Hierarchy
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Family Culture
Strong emphasis on the hierarchy and orientation to the person

headed by a leader who is regarded as a caring parent personnel look to leaders for both guidance and approval in exchange for looking after them characterized by traditions, customs, and associations that bind together the personnel and make it difficult for outsiders to become members EX.) Turkey, Venezuela, China, and Singapore

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Eiffel Tower Culture

Strong emphasis on the hierarchy and orientation to the task -- impersonal and efficient

Jobs are well defined everything is coordinated from the top. Person holding top position could be replaced at any time without having an effect on the work being done assessment centers, appraisal systems, training and development programs, and job rotation are common in managing human resources. Ex.) North American and Northwest European countries

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Guided Missile Culture

Strong emphasis on equality in the work place and orientation to the task

Teams and project groups are common Formal hierarchical considerations are given low priority and individual expertise is of greater importance 360-degree feedback systems are common Change comes quickly Ex.) United States and United Kingdom

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Incubator Culture
Strong emphasis on equality and personal orientation

based on the concept that organizations are secondary to the fulfillment of the individuals within them Little formal structure -- participants are there to perform roles This culture is composed of creative work teams Change is fast and spontaneous Leadership is achieved, not gained by position Ex.) entrepreneurial companies

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Multiculturalism
As applied to the workplace, the view that are many different cultural back-grounds and factors that are important in organizations, and that people from different back-grounds can coexist and flourish within an organization it refers to cultural factors such as ethnicity, race, gender, physical ability. Gender issues in multiculturism: Glass Ceiling syndrome Stereotyping Racial and ethnic minority issues: Earning Gap Revolving door syndrome Other issues: Ageism
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Glass Ceiling

refers to "the unseen, yet unbreachable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements."[Initially, the metaphor applied to barriers in the careers of women but was quickly extended to refer to obstacles hindering the advancement of minority men, as well as women.
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 Advantages

of Diversity

Generation of more and better ideas Prevents groupthink Culturally diverse groups can enhance creativity, lead to better decisions, and result in more effective and productive performance

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