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IBUS6002
Cross Cultural Management
Lecturer & Coordinator :
Dr Connie Chui S. Chan
Week 2 (2023 S2)
Frameworks and Dimensions
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• Foundation knowledge: overview, categorise, measure and compare cultures
• Concepts, frameworks & models : developed from research data
• Application of frameworks to managerial practice
• Develop working cultural profile to improve understanding
• Progress to deeper understanding
Culture: Measures, Dimensions, Application
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Frameworks / Models
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Hall Hofstede
GLOBE Trompenaars
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behaviour
values
Bird & Osland
Meyer
Why do we study frameworks?
• Foundation, a first step to understanding cross-cultural management
• Identify those who share the same traits, thoughts & behaviour
• Apply to real life management practice
- seeks to understand and improve the interaction of co-workers, managers,
executives, clients, suppliers and business alliance partners (Adler, 2002)
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Culture as
an Iceberg
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Usefulness of
frameworks?
Hall
What is Hall credited and well know for?
More than what most would normally attribute and remember
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Hall: space
• Proxemics
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Hall: time
• Monochronic or polychronic
(sequential vs synchronic)
• Can people be monochronic in different situations?
o Japan has some of the longest working hours in industrialized countries, and represents a polychronic time orientation.
o However, Japanese also successfully applied monochronic time in certain fields such as international business and technology.
o For most cultures, there is a stable and dominant time orientation
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Hall: context
• Broad categorization and generalization
• Can you name some examples of countries that are considered
low context and high context culture?
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(explicit) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (implicit) communications
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Hall
• Is it easier to understand people from low or high context culture?
• People from HIGH context cultures consider LOW context behaviour blunt
and aggressive
• People from LOW context cultures do not get the implied underlying
meanings of those in HIGH context cultures
• Reminder: Hall is more than high vs low context. It is not the only
framework (one of the six) that we learn for this course unit.
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Hofstede framework: Dimensions of Culture
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National / country level
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/
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https://geerthofstede.com/culture-geert-hofstede-gert-jan-hofstede/6d-model-of-national-culture/
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• Module 2.3 Test your understanding
• Be clear on the definitions used by researchers and parameters of the study
• Masculinity/Femininity
- Hofstede did not mean gender equality (closer to humane orientation in GLOBE)
• Uncertainty avoidance
- tolerance of ambiguity
- not equal to high or low risk
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Common misinterpretation and confusion
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cross the river by feeling the stones
caring
Limitations
• Shortcomings of the Hofstede framework
• Refer to Module 2.3 students’ comments
• Majority said Hofstede did not address subcultures within a nation
• Change was not captured
• Multiple roles and identities of individuals (e.g. profession, social)
• Be specific when applying and criticising the framework
* Students are encouraged to engage in online discussions
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Limitations
• Earlier studies such as Hofstede represent cultures in dimensions and indices
• Only IBM employees: what about other companies and management levels?
• Methodology: collection of data through surveys, did not probe deeper
• Average / aggregate from survey neglect values and uniqueness of individuals
• Situations and changes are not captured or addressed
• Focus on national cultures but not subcultures and diversity within a country
• Apply thoughtfully
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Trompenaars
• Complement other frameworks and fill some of the gaps
• Enhance our understanding of the other frameworks such as Hofstede
• Shows connections between different cultural dimensions
• Did not neglect exceptions and outliers
• Check your understanding: drag and drop exercise
• Ask questions in Canvas Discussions
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GLOBE Project
• Extension of Hofstede and earlier frameworks
• Addressed some shortcomings and unclear areas
• Range rather than a score
• Differentiate values and practices
• Clearer explanation of dimensions
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https://globeproject.com/results?page_id=country#list
GLOBE Project
• Please pair and share for the next exercise
• Can you name some countries that fit some of the GLOBE dimensions?
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Exercise: GLOBE dimensions of countries
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• Low:
• High:
Assertiveness
• Low:
• High:
Performance
Orientation
• Low:
• High:
Future Orientation
• Low:
• High:
Humane Orientation
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Exercise: Answers for GLOBE exercise
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• Low: Sweden, Japan, Switzerland
• High: Greece, Austria, Germany, USA
Assertiveness
• Low: Russia, Argentina, Italy
• High: U.S., Singapore
Performance Orientation
• Low: Russia, Argentina, Italy
• High: Netherlands, Switzerland, Singapore
Future Orientation
• Low: Germany, Spain, France
• High: Malaysia, Ireland, Philippines
Humane Orientation
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Clusters
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Complexities
Linkage between Week 2 and Week 3 learning
• from general to specific and awareness of the environment
• inquire, analyse, critique, improve understanding
• learn more, increase knowledge, sharpen management skills
o Prepare by reading assigned chapters and articles and Canvas modules
o Complete weekly contents and exercises by end of the week
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Research and practice
Read assigned reading Taras, Steel & Kirkman (2011)
How has culture been studied and utilised by firms in the past decades?
* There are no prescribed templates or simple solutions
• When and how much does culture matter for MNEs?
• Compare the experience and performance of GE and Walmart - what worked?
• Global (standardise) vs Local (adapt) strategies: difference in industry, brand, product/service?
• Usefulness / limitations of frameworks in analysing performance?
• Culture may vary across individuals, levels, space and time. Difficult to predict based on the past.
• Adopt a more nuanced approach when dealing with novel cross-cultural contexts
• Please read the article carefully and apply in tutorial activities, assessments and practice
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Key lessons
• Cultural analyses: multiple levels, factors, across and within borders (subcultures)
• Managers should research on cultures of new markets, targets, partners and staff
• Consideration for hiring, job design, rewards, training, relations with employees
• Know your suppliers, business partners, customers well
• Culture is stable but can change with externalities (crisis, mobility) and over time
- acculturation
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Any Questions?
Email: chui.chan@sydney.edu.au
Tutors
will assign groups and topics
in week 3 tutorial
Post questions on Canvas Discussions
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