Chapter 3: The cultural environment of international business Flashcards
(50 cards)
- the values, beliefs, customs, arts, and other products of human thought and work that characterize a people of a given society
- emerges thorugh the integration of our values and attitudes; manners and customs; time and space perceptions; symbolic, material, and creative expressions; educationl; societal structure; language; and religion
culture
a situation or event in which a cultural misunderstanding puts some human value at stake
cross cultural risk
- not about right or wrong, it is relative, and people perceive the world differently
- not about individual behavior, is about groups
- not inherited, comes from people’s social environment. no one is born with a shared set of values and attitudes
what culture is not
the process of learning the rules and behavioral patterns appropriate for living in one’s own society
socialization
the process of adjusting and adapting to a culture other than ones own
acculturation
- more than any other feature of human civilization, culture illustrates the differences among societies based on language, habits, customs, and modes of thought
- yet most of us are not completely aware of how culutre affacts out behavior until we encounter people from other cultures
- anthropologists use the iceberg metaphor to call attention to the many dimensions of culture, soem obvious and some not so obvious
dimensions of culture
above the surface, certain characteristics are visible, but below, invisible to the observer, is a massive base of assumptions, attitudes, and values
iceberg metaphor
- fine arts
- literature
- drama
- classical music
high culture on the iceberg metaphor (culutre makeup that is visible
- humor
- religion
- etiquette
- cooking
- popular music
- diet
- dress
folk culture on the iceberg metaphor (cultural makeup we are aware of)
- gender rules
- greeting rituals
- family relationships
- conversational patterns
- nonverbal communication
- concpets of beauty
- beliefs on right vs wrong
- decision making patterns
deep culture on the iceberg metaphor (cultural makeup we are unaware of)
represent a persons judgements about what is good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable, important or unimportant, and normal or abnormal. they are the basis for our motivation and behavior
values
are similar to opinions but are often unconsciusly held and may not be based on logical facts. prejudices are rigidly held attitudes, and usually unfavorable
attitudes
are ways of behaving and conducting oneself in public and business situations
- appropriate behavior at social gatherings, work hours, personal greetings are some examples
manners and customs
has a strong influence on business. it affects peoples expectations about planning, scheduling, profit flows, and promptness in arriving for work and meetings
perceptions of time
cultures differ in their perceptions of physical space. for examples, people in the US keep a greater distance than say, those in Brazil
perceptions of space
countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States are relatively focused on the present. they tend to have this orientation to time– a rigid orientation in which people are focused on schedules, punctuality, and time as a resource
monochronic
some cultures have this perspective on time. in such societies, instead of performing single tasks serially, people are inclined to do many things at once. in this way, members of this culture are easily distracted
polychronic
-a symbol can be letters, figures, colors, or other characters that communicate a meaning
- symbols can represent nations, religions, or corporations.
- color meanings in each ocuntry are based on spiritual, societal, cultural, historic and political influences
- colors are importat and powerful communication tools that express emotions and feelings
symbolic productions
are artifacts, objects and include technology-based, social, and financial infrastructure
material productions
of culture include arts, folklore, music, dance, theatre, and cuisine
creative expressions
- cultural values, ideas, beliefs, traditions, and attitudes are passed from one generation to the next through this
- this takes place through lessons and behavior acquired from parents, family, peers; participation in groups and schooling
education
- refers to the pattern of social arrangements and organized relationshops that characterize a society
- it is how a society is organized in terms of individuals, families, groups, and socioeconomic strata
- as a manager, understanding this of intnernational employees, clients, and suppliers is vital
social structure
described as the expression or mirror of culture, verbal language is essential to cimmunications, and provides insights into culture
- its a major differentiator between cultural groups and provides a means for business leaders to communicate effectively with employees, suppliers, and customers
language
- is unspoken, and nonverbal messages accompany most verbal ones
- includes facial expression, body movements, eye contact, physical distance, posture, and other signals
nonverbal communication
