Chapter 2: Culture Influence on Global Businesses Flashcards
What is culture? What is the need for cultural knowledge?
A set of beliefs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people. Society needs to gain cultural knowledge to avoid ethnocentricity and develop cultural literacy
What are values, Attitudes, and aesthetics?
Values: abstract ideas about what a group believes to be good, right, and desirable
Attitudes: Positive or negative evaluations, feelings, and tendencies that individuals see toward objects or concept
Aesthetics: What a culture considers as a good taste
What are the difference between manners and customs?
Manners are the behavior that is socially acceptable. For instance, to show appreciation people say ‘thank You’. Meanwhile, Customs refer to a common way of doing things in a certain society. To enter Muslim households, everyone needs to take of their shoes
What are 2 different systems in social stratification?
- Caste system refers to a closed system in which social position is determined by the family where there is no opportunity for social mobility
- Class system refers to an open system in which position that can be changed by luck or achievement
What is power distance?
It refers to a way society deals with unequal distribution of power and social hierarchy
What is the difference between High power distance and low power distance?
High power distance: There is a pyramid. Employees can’t say no. There is a superiority that causes excessive formality.
Low power distance: There is more democratic in terms of formality and sometime even the higher status will listen to lower status opinions. Basically the opposite of the High power distance
What is uncertainty avoidance?
It refers to the degree to which members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity.
What is the main key to high uncertainty avoidance?
Maintain rigid codes of belief and behavior are intolerant Afraid to make mistakes and more to obey the structural and cultural elements in the company. To deal with high uncertainty avoidance, people need to draw a good impression for themselves. They are loyal to whom they belong > Japan, Arab, France
What is the main key to low uncertainty avoidance?
Has a greater tolerance for a variety of ideas; More willing to accept risks of unknown, less structured organizational activities; more open-minded to hear another opinion; It can be seen that fewer written rules agreements are made and produce innovative people > USA, Malaysia, India
What are the differences between individualism and collectivism?
- Individualism and collectivism: The degree to which a society emphasizes on individual’s accomplishments and self-interest, versus the accomplishment and interests of groups
- Individualism: They are likely to think about themselves and address themselves with “I” even though they are on behalf of their company. Self-interest is too strong
- Collectivism: Loyalty is highly respected in; Strong group-oriented. Almost use the pronoun “We”. Always more harmony than individualistic > Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil
Explain Masculinity VS Femininity
Masculinity: Preference in society for achievement Stress earning, and working very hard. Ambitious; have a very distinct expectation towards gender; masculine country believes that they live to work; Usually it is hard for a woman to gain a leader position > Japan, USA, and China
Feminine: Preference for cooperation, modesty Caring for others,s and quality of life. Friendly atmosphere. Prefer equality. UK
What are the differences between long-term and short-term in culture global workplace?
Long term: Investing value actions and attitudes that affect the future; to serve the shareholder for the long term > China, Japan, Singapore
Short term: Values actions and attitudes that are affected by the past or present; strong concern society with establishing the absolute truth; not to thrifty and focusing on the quick result (profit) > USA, France
