Week 1

Question 1

What are the features of culture

Answer 1

Culture is shared by members of a particular group.

Culture is learned; it is transmitted by the process of learning and interacting within the environment. People in a society develop specific way of interacting within their environment.

Cultures are integrated coherent logical systems the parts of which are interrelated. That is, culture is more than a random assortment of customs.

Although culture is neither genetic nor individual behavior. It is contained in the knowledge systems of individuals, which are formed during childhood and reinforced throughout life.

Question 2

What are some factors that contribute to culture

Answer 2

Language, religion, climate, national culture, politics

Question 3

What is the impact of culture on work/life?

Answer 3

Culture impacts on our work interactions due to globalisation which has resulted in our workplaces being more diverse and global. We know have people from various parts of the world working in our workplaces, and us in theirs. Therefore we must be mindful of cultural differences that affect work ethic and interpersonal skills.

Question 4

What are the global competencies required by managers?

Answer 4

The manager needs to have five global competencies:

1. Global Knowledge
2. Threshold Traits (Integrity, Humility, Inquisitiveness, resilience)
3. Attitude and orientation: global mindset (Cognitive complexity, cosmopolitanism)
4. Interpersonal skills (Mindful communication, create and build trust, multicultural training)
5. System skills (Make ethical decisions, influence stakeholders, lead change, architecting, span boundaries, build communities)

Question 5

What makes a ‘global mindset’?

Answer 5

Type 1: Knowledge about self (understand myself and how who i am is associated with the context i’m in)
Type 2: knowledge about others (understand how characteristics of people from other countries and cultures are associated with the contexts they are in)
Type 3: Knowledge about own organisation (understand my own organisation and how their characteristics and effectiveness are associated with the context we are in)
Type 4: Knowledge about other organisations (understand how characteristics and effectiveness of organisations from other countries and cultures are associated with the context they are in)