Week 11 Culture

Question 1

Definition Culture

Answer 1

The collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another

Question 2

Hofstede Project

Answer 2

– Individualism-Collectivism
– Power Distance
– Masculinity-Femininity
– Uncertainty Avoidance

Question 3

– Individualism-Collectivism

Answer 3

• Whether people define themselves in terms of “I” vs. “we”

• Individualisitic societies: people prefere standing out from the group (Canada)
• Collectivistic: people prioritise group loyalty (China)

Question 4

– Power Distance

Answer 4

The degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally

• High power demand societies: people accept hierarchical order without much justification (India)
• Low power demand societies: people strive to equalise the distribution of power (Australia)

Question 5

– Masculinity-Femininity

Answer 5

Whether a society values attributes that are either typically masculine or typically feminine.

• Masculine societies: People have preference for achievement, heroism and competitiveness (China)
• Femine societies: Cooperation, modesty (Russia)

Question 6

– Uncertainty Avoidance

Answer 6

Whether people feel comfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity

• • High uncertainty avoidance societies: rigid codes of beliefs and behaviours and intolerent to unconventional behaviours and ideas (Argentina)
• Low uncertainty: more relaxed and open to nevoley
  (USA)

Question 7

Two additional

Answer 7

• Long term orientation vs.
  short term orientation
• Indulgence vs. restraint

Question 8

Indulgence vs. restraint

Answer 8

• Whether a society focuses more on pleasure or work, rules and order

• Indulgence understand that people need to feel free and to enjoy life (USA)
• Restraint societies limit leisure activities (Japan)

Question 9

Long term orientation vs.

short term orientation

Answer 9

Whether a society focuses more on the past and traditions or the
future and changes

• Short term prefer to maintain traditions (Brazil)
• Long term take a more pragmatic approach and encourage modern education (Canada)

Question 10

Motivation and individualism vs colletivism

Answer 10

• In individualistic cultures, employees are more motivated by their
  own wants and needs
• In collectivist cultures, people will focus more on the group’s results
  rather than the individual’s results

Question 11

Motivation and power distance

Answer 11

• In high power distance societies, the hierarchical
  structure is important
• People from low power distance cultures tend to consider themselves as more equal with their supervisors

Question 12

Motivation and uncertainty avoidance

Answer 12

In cultures where ambiguity is not well tolerated, people need control and certainty over their actions

• Effect less important for culture with high tolerance for uncertainty

Question 13

Motivation and

long vs. short term orientation

Answer 13

• In short term oriented societies, people need to see the immediate
  results of their actions (short term projects)
• This effect is less important for long term oriented cultures

Question 14

Hofestede’s cultural value dimensions on cooperation

Answer 14

The 4 dimensions lead to group cooperation

Question 15

Hofestede’s cultural value dimensions on commitment

Answer 15

The 4 dimensions lead to group cooperation + Long term orientation