Comparative study on India and West working culture.

A Project Submitted to

Karmaveer Bahurao Patil College, Vashi.

The University of Mumbai for partial completion

of the degree of Bachelor of Management Studies

Under the Faculty of Commerce

By

Paradkar Ameya Vidyadhar.

Under the Guidance of

Mrs. Latika Das

Karmaveer Bhaurao College, Vashi

(Autonomous College)

March 2019

1
 INDEX

CHAPTER NO PARTICULAR Page number

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 07

1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE WORK 07

CULTURE

1.2 NEED/IMPORTANCE OF THE 08

WORKING CULTURE

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 08

1.4 THE SCOPE OF THE 09

WORKING CULTURE

1.5 RESEARCH 10
METHODOLOGY

1.6 TYPE OF RESEARCH 10

1.7 METHODS OF DATA 11

COLLECTION
1.8 DATA COLLECTION 11
INSTRUMENT

1.9 SAMPLING 12
METHODS AND SIZE

CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTUAL 13
2.1 FRAMEWORK

2.2 14
INDIAN WORK CULTURE
2.3 INDIAN WORK ETIQUETTES 15

2.4 WHAT DO INDIAN 19

WORKPLACES PRIORITIZE
TO?
2.5 INDIAN WORK 21
DISADVANTAGES
 2.6 THE PROBLEMS FACED BY 23
WOMEN AT WORKPLACES
2.7 WESTERN WORK CULTURE 25

2.8 WESTERN WORK ETIQUETTES 27

2.9 34
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INDIAN
WORK CULTURE AND WESTERN
WORK CULTURE
2.10 ADVANTAGES 40

2.11 DISADVANTAGES 41

CHAPTER 3 DATA ANALYSIS AND 42

3.1 INTERPRETATION OF DATA
CHAPTER 4 SUGGESTIONS AND 50
FINDINGS
CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 57

BIBLIOGRAPHY 58

ANNEXURE 59
 Certificate

This is to certify that Mr. Paradkar Ameya Vidyadhar has worked and duly
completed his Project Work for the degree of Bachelor of Management Studies
under the Faculty of Commerce in the subject of HUMAN RESOURCE

MANGEMENT And, his project is entitled, “Comparative study on India and

West working culture” under my supervision.

I further certify that the entire work has been done by the learner under my
guidance and that no part of it has been submitted previously for any Degree or
Diploma of any University.

It is his work and facts reported by his personal findings and investigations.

Mrs Latika Das Mr CD Bhosale Dr. Shivankar V.S

University Examiner
 Declaration

I the undersigned Mr Paradkar Ameya Vidyadhar, hereby declare that the

work embodied in this project work title “Comparative study on India

and West working culture”, Forms my own contribution to the

guidance of Mrs. Latika Das is a result of my own research work
and has not been previously submitted to any other University for
any other Degree/ Diploma to this or any other University.

Wherever reference has been made to previous works of others, it

has been clearly indicated as such and included in the bibliography.

I, hereby further declare that all information on this document has

been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and
ethical conduct.

Paradkar Ameya Vidyadhar

Certified by

Mrs. Latika Das

6
 Acknowledgment

To list who all have helped me is difficult because they are so

numerous and the depth is so enormous.

I would like to acknowledge the following as being idealistic

channels and fresh dimensions in the completion of this project.

I take this opportunity to thank the University of Mumbai for

giving me chance to do this project.

I would like to thank my Principal Dr.ShivankarV.S for providing

the necessary facilities required for completion of this project.

I take this opportunity to thank our Coordinator CD Bhosale for her

moral support and guidance.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude towards my project guide

Mrs. Latika Das, whose guidance and care made the project successful.
I would like to thank my College Library, for having provided various
reference books and magazines related to my project

Lastly, I would like to thank each and every person who directly or
indirectly helped me in the completion of the project especially my
Parents and Peers who supported me throughout my project.
 Chapter 1
Introduction
Work Culture is the set of collective beliefs, values, rules and behavior which
organization as whole conforms to. In a layman approach, it is a culture that a group
as an organization follows. Culture varies with family, region, social class and hence
in the work environment. However, there is a significant difference in the methods of
working in India and the western countries. The western part of the world is a cluster
of developed nations, and hence, a better standard of living and an upgraded lifestyle
is an obvious factor.

Working culture encircles with values and behaviors that contribute to the unique
social and psychological environment of a business. The working culture influences
the way people interact, work and be open to the superiors and co-workers.

According to the previous researches held, Positive workplace culture attracts talent,
drives engagement, impacts happiness and satisfaction, and affects performance. The
personality of your business is influenced by everything. Leadership, management,
workplace practices, policies, people, and more impact culture significantly.

1.1 Objectives of the working culture

 To analyze the challenges faced by Indian employees in Indian organizations.

 To analyze the effects of Indian working style on the Indian employees?
 To do a comparative study on Indian and western countries companies working
hours.
 To investigate, what are the impacts on colleague relationships?
 1.2 Need/Importance of the working culture

 It attracts talent. Job candidates evaluate your organization and its climate. A
strong, positive, clearly defined and well-communicated culture attracts talent
that fits.

 Working culture impacts on how the employees interact with their work
and your organization. It drives engagement and retention

 It impacts happiness and satisfaction. Research shows that

employee happiness and satisfaction are linked to strong workplace

culture

1.3 The objective of the study

 To find the comparison between Indian and western working style.

 To analyze the challenges faced by Indian employees in Indian

organizations.
 1.4 The scope of the working culture

 Conceptual scope –
Organizational culture is known as the values, beliefs and basic assumptions,
and that explains how things are done around here. Organizational culture has
primarily been viewed as an internal phenomenon, having an impact on staff
behavior and attitudes, and ultimately influencing organizational performance.
Yet, it has more recently been conceptualized as a factor in shaping a
company's image in the marketplace.

 Geographical scope-
As per the geographical scope, the work culture study’s questionnaire shall be
asked to the people whosoever would be having a sheer amount of experiences
of working in India and in any western country to understand the unbiased
impact and distinctions between the two working cultures.
The number of respondents is 20-30 at most.
The study of the working culture is using the hints of both conceptual and
geographical scopes.

1.5 Research Methodology

 Qualitative research
It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and
motivations. The study provides insights into the problem or helps to develop
ideas.
 The questions that have sprouted into the minds of many people are :

1) What are the challenges faced by Indian employees in Indian

organizations?
2) What are the effects of Indian working style on the Indian employees?
3) Why Indians in India work for long hours?
4) What are the impacts on colleague relationship

1.6 Type of research

 Descriptive research
Every employer strives to create a good workplace for its employees. But
leaders are quickly realizing that a good work environment isn’t enough, it has
to be the best work environment for employees. So what makes the best work
environment? This latest research uncovers the answer.

 The terms qualitative research and descriptive research are sometimes used
interchangeably. However, a distinction can be made between the two. One
fundamental characteristic of both types of research is that they involve
naturalistic data. That is, they attempt to study language learning and teaching
in their naturally occurring settings without any intervention or manipulation of
variables. Nonetheless, these two types of research may differ in terms of their
goal, the degree of control.

1.7 Methods of Data collection

 Primary data
There are several methods of collecting primary data, particularly
in descriptive research. In descriptive research, we obtain primary data either
 through observation or through direct communication with respondents in one
form or another or through personal interviews.

 Secondary data
There are several methods of collecting secondary data, particularly in
descriptive research. In descriptive research, we are not permitted to alter else’s
research, however ought to go through/analyze and find out the solution and
plausible answers. We shall also use business magazines, data from previous
researches, newspapers and search engines etc to make sure that we shall be
gathering an unbiased data.
In this research study, I am going for both primary and secondary data

1.8 Data collection instrument

The questionnaire is an instrument which is used to collect the data from those
who have worked in India and western countries, and are mindful about the
differences in their cultures.

1.9 Sampling methods and size

 Methods of sampling
The method of sampling for this research is “simple random sampling”. Simple
random sampling is the basic sampling technique where we select a group of
employees or people having the experiences of two different working cultures.
Each individual is chosen entirely by chance and each member of the group,
that has an equal chance of being included in the sample.
  Sample size
20-30 people’s views shall be taken.

CHAPTER 2
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The culture of India refers collectively to the thousands of distinct and unique cultures
of all religions and communities present in India. India's languages, religions, dance,
music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country.

A good understanding of the underlying values, beliefs, and assumptions of Indian

culture and how they manifest themselves in the market and work is essential for the
success of your business.
Similarly, even in the corporate world, India has its own unique way of a code of
conduct, norms, culture, morale and dress code. India is a vast, populous and diverse
nation encompassing many different identities, languages, cultures, and religions. It is
very difficult to make generalizations about Indian culture.

2.1 Indian work culture

A flexible approach is important and it is often best to be guided by the person with
whom you are meeting. Etiquette requires a handshake, although some Indians may
use the Namaste, a common greeting involving pressing your palms together with
fingers pointing upwards, and accompanied by a slight bow. When entering a business
meeting, always greet the most senior person first. When exchanging business cards,
make sure to receive the card with your right hand and put it away respectfully. Small
talk at the beginning of a business meeting is common and could include questions
about your family. Equally, it is perfectly appropriate to ask after the family of
business partners, and in some instances, this may be a good way of building trust.
In General, Indians place importance on and prefer using formal titles. So if you are
meeting a doctor or a professor they may expect or appreciate being addressed by their
given title. The exception of this course is if they indicate otherwise. They use Mr or
Mrs when addressing a colleague or someone senior is preferred. Women in the
workplace are often addressed as Madam and men as Sir. The suffix Ji is commonly
used especially when addressing someone senior both in age and in rank.

The Indian Business Culture is an extension of the common culture of the society. It is
unique in its own way. However, in Indian business culture, the behavior, etiquette,
and approach of organizations and its professionals change according to the addressee
and the context of address.

2.2 Indian Work Etiquettes

 Language
India is a multilingual country with each of its states having different official
languages. However, Hindi is the only officially recognized language in the
country. While talking on India business culture, English is the most preferred
language, which is followed religiously in every industry.

 Meetings, Greetings, and Courtesies

In India, people greet each other by saying 'Namaste', while conjoining the
palms together below the chin (position of fingers would point up) and nodding
 the head. One can also do this while saying good-bye. Use of the Namaste
will show that you have understandings of Indian culture. While greeting
superiors or showing respect to someone, a slight bow is added.

In Indian business culture, people also greet each other by a handshake. In a

one-to-one meeting with a male counterpart, a woman usually initiates a
handshake. If the woman doesn’t, the man will smile and nod slightly.

While greeting an individual, people use the appropriate formal title. One can
also add ‘Ji’ after the title to show respect for the person he/she is greeting.

While meeting a person or client for business purpose, always exchange

business cards at the first meeting. You must exchange the cards with your right
hand only.

 Relationship Building
In India business culture, business development largely depends upon
relationship building. Indians tend to give a favorable deal to those whom they
know and trust. Hence, a good way to earn business is to earn the trust of the
customers first. You can earn the trust of people by demonstrating strong
business insight, showing honesty and respect.

 Meetings
Any business meeting has to be arranged well in advance. These have to be
fixed in writing and confirmed by phone. It is better to avoid fixing meetings
on or near national holidays like Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi
Birthday or either of the two Eids. People often club their leaves to enjoy
extended holidays during this time.

 Time
Indians value punctuality in others, but they often lag behind the schedule
themselves. A 10-minute late is acceptable in most of the cases. It can also be
seen that family responsibility getting preferences over the business, which
 leads to the last-minute cancellation of meetings, though not quite often.

 Inside the Meeting Room

After entering into the meeting room, one must approach and greet the senior-
most figure first. Every meeting usually has some 'getting to know you'
process, where the meeting starts with some initial conversation. The favorite
topics are business news, how the stock market is doing, or the game of
cricket. It is good to avoid discussing personal matters. If you are new to India,
it is always better to refrain from commenting on volatile issues like poverty or
beggars.

 Process
If your business meeting involves negotiation, be prepared for a slow process.
In India business culture, the decision is taken at the highest level and may
take more time than one would have expected. You can’t get a favorable
decision unless you can establish the trust of the client. Until the trust is not
established, you should concentrate on building a rapport with the client. As
the decision is taken at the highest level, the absence of any higher-position
holder like Director or owner indicates that it is only the early stage of
negotiation.

 Decision
Statistics, empirical data or commendable PowerPoint presentation cannot
solely influence the business decision. Indians tend to reckon the intuitions,
feelings, and faiths before they reach any decision. You must show your
patience and good character before any final verdict comes out. You cannot
afford to show frustration or anger.
 Negotiation

One should refrain from putting high-pressure tactics while negotiation with
the clients. Do not confront or be forceful. If you are to disagree or criticize,
you need to do it in the most diplomatic language. Indians do not say "no"
directly, as it is often considered rude. If during the negotiation process, you
come to the terms like "We'll see", "possibly" or "We'll try", there is every
possibility that they are indicating a 'no'.

 Business Attire

Business culture in India demands formal attire. Men usually wear formal shirts
and pants. Suits or Blazers are also quite worn, often during the winter. Women
wear sarees or suits. On the last working day of the week, people often wear
casuals. However, that has to be a decent one.

 Meeting and greeting

 Indians are strongly guided by their respective religions and their shared
values. Respect for elders and hierarchy are core values that permeate all
aspects of Indian society. Indians also place huge importance on family and
community. And as in many Asian cultures, the concept of saving face
avoiding blame or any type of shameful situation can influence decision-
making processes and affect your business dealings in India.

Building good business relationships and trust are important in India, so you
should expect to spend plenty of time at meetings, dinners and social clubs with
potential business partners. In a first meeting let the Indian host guide the initial
stages of the conversation. As in some other Asian cultures, Indians like to
develop a personal
connection.

2.3 What do Indian

Workplaces prioritize to?

 Hierarchy- In India, they follow hierarchy with all their hearts. Starting
from our families, we believe in paying more respect to the one who is older to
us, and we follow the same pattern in our workplace. We also create a division
between designated people of our level and the people working below us. A
 manager would usually not have lunch with employees under him or her. It is
not a very sociable environment professionally.

 Politics- The political environment can impact business organizations in

many ways. It could add a risk factor and lead to a major loss. You should
understand that the political factors have the power to change results. It can
also affect government policies at the local to the federal level.

India has the largest democracy in the world. A country where a handful of politicians
control more-than-a-billion population. Business, just as other things in India, is
adversely affected or rather controlled by politics. And mind this, when I say politics,
I mean politics and not the government. Because in India, Politics is at the helm of it.
Corruption has made deep roots in our system, through almost every fabric of our
society and is inevitable now. And it greatly influences the way businesses to run in
our country.

The influx of politics has rendered oodles of upheavals and disruptions in not just
India but also its workplaces and business organization. For instance, if a person
desperately needs to get recruited to a good company, all he does is get a letter from a
politician and he instantly gets the job. In contrast, people who are skillful and talent
irrespective of those they don’t get what they deserve this. This discriminatory issue is
ascribed to the politics, in fact, that is a precursor issue that has lapsed the Indian
working system comprising promotion, recruitment, and selection. However, if you
look on the bright side then political interferences have also streamlined the
infrastructures.
Therefore, because of this people have skewed to dishonesty and disloyally rely upon
politics.

 Nepotism- The practice among those with power or influence of favoring

relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. Nepotism refers to a form
of unfair procedure when family members or friends of the boss or manager are
hired not purely for their skills, experience or knowledge. Nepotism is more
common in family-run companies, non-profits, and smaller firms.
 Nepotism in the workplace is exactly what it sounds like; favoring someone
not because he or she is doing a great job, but for reasons outside of the job
performance. For instance, a manager consistently offers an employee the best
and most highly-regarded projects, even though that employee does not
perform well enough to deserve them. Or perhaps an employee is offered a
promotion over someone else who has been at the company longer and has
more experience

 Oftentimes, Nepotism occurs when a manager and an employee have

developed a friendship beyond the workplace. Examples of Nepotism in the
workplace are when two co-workers worked together previously and have a
shared history, or maybe they have bonded over common outside interests, like
sports or music. The effects of Nepotism in the workplace can become even
worst when these friendships turn into potential harassment. In India, this has
been happening for many years. Employers tend to favor more to their cronies,
families, and somebody whom they are familiar with. Favoring more to
somebody as in, they recruit the people whom they are friends or family
members irrespective of their skills and talents and people those who genuinely
have good potential, skills, and talents are left out. Due to this, the company
fails to do better than their competitors and other countries on a global scale

2.4 Indian work culture’s disadvantages

 Low Salary- India’s population is 1,358,137,719. This is the first reason

why most of the Indian companies cannot afford to pay more to their
employees.

1. Cost of living- According to Ashwin Shetty from Quora, The problem with
such a view is neglecting the cost of living. The cost of living in California is
148% more than Bangalore.
80,000 USD is equivalents53, 68,436. That is 53 lakhs sixty-eight thousand. If you
compared it to India's, this is Rs 7, 00,000, (seven hundred thousand). For California's
cost of living, the same salary will be 148% (let’s assume), which is 10, 36,000, a total
of seventeen lakhs thirty six thousand, which is still less. So let’s count the facts.

1. Rs 700k package in India is not that average, it is actually just below

average. Comparing ourselves with high profile people working in high
profile jobs in good organizations is not a good idea. Their responsibilities
are more compared to yours. Developer's today are paid high in our India, for
example, Flipkart, pay them, etc.
2. If the same firm, then the purpose of office in California and India are
different. Pay scale in India is cheaper than in California, that's why
they came here threshold.
3. If it matters, RND sections are contributing towards innovation and
patented are generally done in their special campuses. If you fit the job, you
will be flown there and would be paid equal to them.
4. The employees are from the best minds from Harvard, Stanford and of
such stature.

5. The resources they are offered is nowhere near to the resources offered
in India. That explains the work done on their campuses is more important
to the company.
6. The high-valued billion dollar companies in India are less than in the
United States. Therefore, they can afford more people than us.
7. They have higher taxes.

2. Competition-
Due to the huge population and unemployment of skilled youths, in India, people
have graduate degrees but they don't have jobs. They find it difficult and, thus are
ready to work for a nominal or even low income. The mentality of Indian society
also plays a vital role in which, if you don't have a job (especially IT or govt.
sector) then you will be termed aimless and failure. This whole scenario results in
the offering of low salary as a company can get employee of the same skills with
 low salary demand. This creates a huge profit for big companies and, thus the
Indian youth suffers.

3. Population-

India has limited resources but unlimited people.

The situation is only going to get worse as highly paid employees will be replaced by
somebody who's equally qualified and willing to work at a much lower salary.

This issue has been in India for a very long time and seemingly cannot be solved.

4. Unequal Rights-
The working women of our country encounter maximum problems at the workplace
but are also most likely to speak up about them, a recent study states.
The study, conducted among G20 countries, cites that work-life balance topped the list
of challenges Indian women faced in the working environment.
Apart from the aforementioned issue, more than 25% of women cited unequal career
opportunities as the chief issue in the workplace according to the poll conducted
by IPSOS MORI, a UK-based market research firm.
It was also mentioned in the study that though the gender pay disparity was the
highest in India, over 60% of women were pretty sure they earned the same as their
male counterparts doing a particular role.

2.5 The Problems faced by women at the workplaces

If you are a working woman, read on to know how to protect your rights at the
workplace if faced with common workplace issues:

1. Achieving work-life balance

A woman is said to be better at multi-tasking than a man, but balancing roles at the
workplace and at home flusters the working woman. This especially becomes more
challenging for the working mom. Indian women are expected to excel at domestic
jobs as they are traditionally considered women-centric. If they feel them self unable
to manage to strike a balance between work and home, they must consider speaking
with their supervisor about its role.

2. The glass ceiling

Notwithstanding being at par with men on the educational and work experience front,
it has been observed that every woman rise up to leadership roles, possibly because of
the management’s concern about the working woman being able to devote enough
time to work after a baby. At any instance, if the organization feels that a particular
woman deserves that there has been an unfair decision with regards to appraisal. For
this, it would be better if they are clear with goal-setting when they begin to stint with
the organization.

3. Sexual harassment

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act of 2013 clearly indicates that
every establishment which has more than 10 employees need to comply with the act.
Shockingly, many women choose to ignore forms of sexual harassment as they may be
difficult to prove or result in secondary consequences. Collector records as much
evidence of harassment over a period or the women’s cell about it.
They have every right to inquire about the laws that support the woman in the
workplace.

5. Pay discrimination

A woman is often paid lower than her male counterparts for a similar job description
as it is still assumed that her primary focus lies in managing the household and not the
office. While the salary's topics are hardly brought up
  Racism at the workplace

Most of the Indian people associate lighter color with beauty and darker color with
ugliness. The same goes for the people too. When they see somebody with the darker
skin color, they pass racist comments towards them. In some Indian organizations,
they discriminate people over their skin color, caste, religion etc. This has been
happening for a long time and there’s nothing they can do about it yet. There exist
organizations that wouldn’t recruit a candidate thereby his religion; culture and skin
color etc irrespective of his/her qualification, skills, and performance.

Racism in India is also visible amongst Indian communities. Due to a large regional
diversity, we find communities pitted up against each other ideologically, or for
resources. There have been many cases of North Indian discriminating against those
from the South, the mainland population isolating the North Eastern and a multitude
of regional clashes. In a scenario where the country is so fragmented within itself, a
foreigner seems even more alien, and a common enemy of all.

2.6 Western Work Culture

 Introduction:
Western culture, sometimes is equated with Western civilization, Occidental culture,
the Western world, Western society, and European civilization, is a term used very
broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief
systems, political systems and specific artifacts and technologies that have some
origin or association with Europe. The term also applies beyond Europe to countries
and cultures whose histories are strongly connected to Europe by immigration,
colonization, or influence. For example, Western culture includes countries in the
United States and Australia, whose language and demographic ethnicity majorities are
European. The development of western culture has been strongly influenced
by Christianity.

Western work culture comprises of the United States, European, Canada, New
Zealand, and Australia work cultures. Notwithstanding, those working cultures are
also different from each other. However, in this study, I am focusing on to find the
differences between Indian and western work culture, therefore all western countries
work cultures have been clubbed together to streamline the study.

Western work culture has the flexibility, infrastructure and all kinds of resources that
would pander to the employee’s likings and hence they love working there. Western
world work culture also does not put any pressure on the employees. Their
expectations are to get their employees to finish their tasks within the given timeframe
and most of the employees are extremely professionally driven, that they live up to
their expectations and, thus their organizations end up spreading their wings across the
globe in spite of a very huge competition and this is why people prefer western brands
over eastern.

Western work culture is downright different than Eastern culture in many ways and we
will certainly pan over it in detail. As it’s mentioned above, western culture is mostly
from Europe. Europeans started running business firms and organization before
Eastern countries did.

Hence, it is but obvious that they are having more experience than in eastern
countries. It is hypothetically safe to say that Western work culture is a totally
different level. Most of the Western countries have well-reputed organizations in
which there are perfectly tailored infrastructures, thereby by this time subsequently
doing their researches they are mindful about their employee’s needs and wants which
is extremely imperative for any business organization.

In western work culture, people tend to be very professional and this exudes from
their communication, code of conduct, dressing code and grooming. They stick with
their professionalism and this sticks out to somebody who’s from a completely
different environment.
It is also said that time is a very important factor in western culture and everyone is
abided by that rigorously. If you are not finishing your tasks

2.7 Western work etiquettes

The United States work etiquette-

 Greetings, Conversation, and Customs:

 Shakings hands firmly and meeting people eye to eye are important parts of
greeting colleagues and new business contacts. To not offer your hand can
be
 seen as rude. Stand when you greet people or when they walk into the room.
It’s rarely polite to stay seated when others are standing. If someone offers you
a seat, take it, and if they are visiting you, be sure to indicate where they can
sit.

 Certain topics are best avoided when you’re talking to people you don’t
know especially in a business environment. Religion, politics, and personal
information (such as health or relationship issues) shouldn’t be discussed.
Equally, doesn’t comment on anyone else’s appearance sometimes even
compliments can go awry.

 On the Contrary, too many Asian countries, gift giving is not a part of U.S.
business etiquette. There’s no need to take anything with you to a
company’s headquarters or a meeting.

 The use of first names without any titles is increasingly common in the U.S.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to start formally until prompted to do otherwise (and
remember, women often use the more neutral “Ms.,” rather than Miss or
Mrs.)

 Men and women in the workplace are legally and socially equal, and the
U.S. has a long history of equality and civil rights movements. You should
always treat everyone in a meeting as equal, regardless of their gender, race,
sexual identification, or age.

 While you might be in the habit of avoiding topics such as family and hobbies
in a business environment, you’ll find many meetings
 start with small talk and family anecdotes. Family news and inoffensive
observations are pretty normal. In the same way, sports are a common topic, so
familiarize you with NYC’s major sports teams: The Knicks, Jets, Giants,
Yankees, Mets, and Rangers would be a good start.

 Dressing code:
 If you’re asked to wear “business clothes,” for work the expectation is that
you’ll be presentable and well dressed. For men, this generally means a suit
with a collared shirt, tie, and dress shoes. For women, this means a business
dress or suit, or a skirt and blouse, and nice shoes. Colors tend to be
conservative – black, gray, and navy blue. During meetings, take your cues
from others, but it’s normally perfectly fine to take off your jacket.

 Wearing khakis with a shirt and jacket is considered casual dress, but is often
fine for meetings in NYC. For women, the casual dress would involve much
the same: trousers, button-down shirts, and nicer sweaters. It’s simpler to focus
on what you shouldn’t wear: no t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, baseball caps, short
skirts, or Capri pants.

 It goes without saying that part of being dressed well for work is being clean
and presentable. Facial hair, as long as it’s trimmed and neat, is fine in NYC.
Tattoos should be hidden under clothing when possible. In the same way,
piercings should be kept to a minimum in more formal work environments such
as banking, insurance, and legal they wouldn’t recommend men having any
piercings or women having piercings beyond a set of earrings.

 Many companies now allow for a relaxed wardrobe in the office but ask that
you dress smarter if meeting clients. In many offices, Fridays are “dress
down day” when jeans and relaxed clothes are common.

 For the tech and startup the industry of New York, different rules apply
altogether. You can expect even the leadership team to come into the office in
jeans. But even here, the dress code needs to be adjusted when meeting with
clients coming from other industries. We always recommend inquiring about
the dress code before your first day of work.
 The United Kingdom work culture:

 Corporate and Social Responsibilities

 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming more important for

businesses in the UK, where there is strong growth in consumer activism
thanks to the prevalence of social media and grassroots organizations.

 The three main themes for CSR in the UK are workplace issues (work-life
balance, human rights, employment); community contribution (big
society/social justice) and the environment (sustainability of resources, etc.).
The UK has subscribed to the Millennium Goals of the United Nations and
many business leaders are actively working towards achieving these. The
UK Government supports CSR through tax breaks and the encouragement of
charitable giving.

 Punctuality

In general, the British value time-keeping for business arrangements. If you set up a
meeting for two o’clock, the chances are your counterparts will arrive on time or just
before. Since the British are so time conscious, sometimes you may feel their lives are
very rushed. In fact, however, they are only doing their best to avoid losing time,
which is valued as an economic resource. It is considered very impolite to arrive late
for a business meeting. If your delay is inevitable and you arrive late, it is usually
sufficient to excuse yourself with an apology. If, however, you are running more than
a few minutes late, you should call ahead to apologize and give an indication of how
long you will be; in the case of a longer delay that would compromise the value of
attending the meeting, you should consider offering to postpone the meeting to a new
time and/or day. The busier people are, the greater the likelihood that they will have to
leave for another engagement, so respecting their time is very important.

 Gift giving

Gift Giving is not a usual part of British business etiquette, although reciprocation is
good practice when gifts are received. Some organizations are encouraged not to
accept any form of gift and some are prevented from doing so on legal grounds.
 However, where a gift is offered, it is important to ensure that it is not expensive
enough to be considered a bribe or so inexpensive as to be considered an insult.

 Business dress code

When it comes to business dress codes, classical conservative attire is the norm for
both men and women in British culture and dark colors such as black, dark blue and
charcoal grey are predominant. It is common for women to wear either trousers or a
skirt in an office environment, and headscarves are accepted as part of religious
freedom. Many senior managers are fond of quality and express their status through
their choice of clothing. Shopping in designer boutiques is popular among British
society and bespoke suits, designer shirts, silk ties, and hand-made shoes are signs of
affluence and status.

 Bribery and Corruption

A highly valued sense of fairness is probably the reason why the British are an honest
nation with relatively low levels of corruption. This has been confirmed in a recent
report (2012) by the Global Coalition against Corruption, Transparency International
and the United Kingdom has regularly ranked in the top 10% in the International
Corruption Perception Index, which compares countries from all over the world.
 Australia work etiquettes:

 Greetings

 Australians are not very formal, so greetings are casual and relaxed a
handshake and a smile are appropriate.

 However, while an Australian may say, ‘G’day’ or ‘G’day, mate’, this may
sound patronizing from a foreigner. Visitors should simply say the traditional
‘Hello’ or ‘Hello, how are you? ’As to titles of courtesy, they prefer to use
first names, even at the initial meeting.

 Business meetings and meals

 Regarding the dress code, men should wear a dark colored, conservative
business suit.

 Similarly, women should wear a smart dress or business suit.

 In Brisbane or other tropical areas, depending on the job function and company
culture, men may wear shirts, ties and Bermuda shorts.

 Punctuality is important, it better to arrive a few minutes early.

 You can present your business card in the introduction. Keep its content to facts
and figures - emotions and feelings are not important.

 Offering gifts is not part of Australian business etiquette, but it is acceptable

to bring a small gift from your country. They should be opened when
received.

 Body Language

 Strong eye-contact is essential - it demonstrates involvement. The accepted

distance between people at meetings is an arm's length.
 New Zealand Work etiquettes

 New Zealand Appearance

 When conducting business in New Zealand, you want to dress

conservatively and tending toward a more formal look.

 Men should wear darker color suits with a conservative tie. To maintain
formality, a white shirt would be worn.

 Women should wear a suit, a dress, or skirt and blouse with a jacket. The
wardrobe should incorporate classic styles and colors (navy and grey).

 New Zealand Behaviour

 Always be on time or early for all appointments. Punctuality is part of the

culture. "Fashionably late" is not an option in this country as most social events
start on time.

 Maintain a reserved, formal demeanor, especially when first meeting someone.

Take your lead to become more relaxed by following the behavior of your New
Zealand hosts.

 Normal business hours are Monday – Friday 8:30am-5:00pm and Saturday

9:00am-12:30pm.

 Talking is minimal while you are eating a meal. The conversation will occur
before and after your meal. Dinners are reserved for social interactions only;
therefore business is discussed on these occasions. Lunch is used for
business conversations.
 Boisterous behavior is always inappropriate, even when you are drinking. Pace
yourself to maintain the proper reserved and polite behavior.

 New Zealand Communications

 The official language is English.

 When meeting someone, and when leaving, use a firm handshake with good
eye contact. Good eye contact means looking into the other person's eyes
when shaking hands, not looking down at your hand. The eye contact is
maintained during the handshake. You are not staring at the other person, but
showing genuine interest in meeting or seeing the person.

 Men generally wait for a woman to be the first to extend their hand for a
handshake. Women do shake other women's hands. Use your same firm
handshake with good eye contact.

 When you are meeting someone, say "How do you do?" A more relaxed
greeting, such as "Hello", is reserved for the meetings after you've had
the opportunity to get to know the person.

 The people are reserved, but always very warm and polite when you meet
them.

 Address a person using his/her title, or Mr., Mrs., Miss plus the full name.

 Honesty is the best policy. Don't hype your product or service, and don't be a
braggart.

 Do not allow your voice to get loud. Maintain a reserved manner.

  Politics, sports, and weather are good conversational topics and maybe hotly
debated. In order to be a good conversationalist, stay current and informed on
critical topics. One, in particular, is New Zealand's "nuclear-free" zone.

 Avoid confusing or comparing New Zealand with Australia, as they are two

distinct countries. If you are not familiar with New Zealand, spend time before
your trip to learn about history and culture.

2.8 Differences between Indian Work Culture and Western

Work Culture
Work culture varies from workplace to work across the world. But there is a
significant difference in the methods of working in India and the western countries.
The western part of the world is a cluster of developed nations, and hence, a better
standard of living and an upgraded lifestyle is an obvious factor. In this blog, we are
not saying which of the countries or the work culture is better, but we are only looking
at the differences between the two, so you can pick out the best of both worlds and
accommodate it in your workplace.

The Importance of Time

 In western countries, time is considered to be the most important factor while at

work. Their usual work shift is for 8 hours a day. Traditional working hours in
the US are Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 6 PM. All employees are very
particular about coming to and leaving from the office. There are hardly a few
people who work overtime or until late nights, unless necessary. In western
countries, people treat work as work and nothing more than that. They come on
time, leave on time and get back to their personal life.
 In India, we generally get late to work and have to sneak into our offices and
work until late at night to cover up for the time. Most of us consider work to be
our first priority whereas it should be of equal importance to our personal life.

 The Colleague Relationship

 In western countries, everyone maintains a professional relationship at work,
even if they are family members or very close friends. In office and while at
work, they follow a strict professional conversation which could be casual later,
only when they are out of the organization premises.

 In India, we are yet to get to this level of professionalism. We tend to do a lot

of favors for each other. We become friendly in no time, and then there’s no
stopping to our physical and emotional activities towards each other. Though,
in some cases, this also has a positive side. It helps in becoming comfortable in
the workplace and creates an encouraging environment, leading to better
productivity.

The Break Routine

 In western countries, the breaks are generally short. A 30-minute lunch break
and 15 minutes tea/smoke break. People usually have beverages at their
desks, while checking their emails or calculations or proofreading documents.
This leads to more productivity.

 In India, we take a 1-hour lunch break where we go for long strolls on the
premises. We also take 15-20 minutes of tea/smoke breaks that are mini
gatherings between all employees in either inside or outside of the office
 building. This is pretty time-consuming, we know, but it has an advantage too.
It refreshes everyone’s mood and lightens the environment.

The Office Environment

 Offices in the west consider workplace health as one of the most significant
things. Maintaining a positive environment and mental health is the biggest
factor that increases productivity. These offices often conduct
psychological assessments and group development activities.

 India is now catching up with this factor. We believe in team building activities.
From taking employees to yearly trips to encouraging physical health by giving
fitness vouchers, offices are showering employees with incentives. It makes the
work environment relaxed and productive. It also leads to better mouth-to-
mouth publicity of your company and employee retainer-ship.

 Hierarchy
 Western countries do not follow authority as such. A person of younger age
could get hired for one of the highest positions based on his or her knowledge.
They might be younger than most employees, yet the environment will be
smooth. Employees at higher posts also do not show their superiority and
behave normally with everyone.
  In India, we follow hierarchy with all our hearts. Starting from our families, we
believe in paying more respect to the one who is older to us, and we follow the
same pattern in our workplace. We also create a division between designated
people of our level and the people working below us. A manager would
usually not have lunch with employees under him or her. It is not a very
sociable environment professionally.

These were the major differences between the work culture in India and Western
Countries. All these cannot be certified as good or bad, the rules and regulations were
made as per the location and situation of an organization. Nor is this a debate to show
which workplace cultures are better or worse in comparison with one another. What
you need to do is see between the lines and accept the cultures that suit your company
the best.

Giving Instructions

Westerners - Try to be direct and clear in their instructions and comments to

others.

Indian - Often suggest their ideas and directives with subtle inferences and non-
verbal clues that are commonly used within their country.

Asking Questions

Westerners - Underlings are expected to ask questions that are explicit and even
challenging of their superior’s instructions and purposes.

Indian- Subordinates often feel intimidated about posing clarifying questions

because they might be seen to be challenging an authority figure’s command of a
situation and risks loss-of-face.

Dealing with Challenges

Westerners - Think it is best to solve problems directly and quickly with as little
emotional fuss as possible even if it means disrupting the feelings of others.

Indian-Understand that the emotional states of others are of great importance and
spend a lot of time seems to talk in circles about problems while working to find a
consensual solution that does not offend anyone.

Authority

Westerner’s managers - Often consider themselves part of the team but just
happen to be the ones in charge because of specialized skills and greater experience.
(Note: Management styles can vary tremendously among individuals.)

Traditional Indian managers - Consider themselves secondary father figures

to their employees. They give guidance and personal support to employees and expect

strong loyalty and obedience in return.

Meaning of YES

Westerners - Understand “YES” to mean there is an agreement between people or

a commitment to do something.

Indian- Often uses the word “YES” to acknowledge that they are listening to what
is being said. It does not necessarily mean an agreement has been made or something
will get done.

Reprimanding Staff

Western managers - Feel there could be appropriate times when it is necessary

to criticize an employee or supplier in public.

Indian managers - Rarely scold their staff or people associated with their
business in front of others.

Privacy
Westerners - Profess that information deemed confidential should remain so
under most circumstances.

Indian-Considers it rude and disrespectful if colleagues and friends have secrets that
are not shared with the group.

Accepting of Others

Westerners -Often become distressed and angry if commitments are not upheld.

Indian-Are generally more accepting of the imperfections of others including those

of foreigners.
Personal Status
Westerners - Publicly claim that worrying about one’s standing in the social
pecking order is akin to showing-off and is not important to them. That said, they
seem to enjoy when their own high status is displayed.

Indian- Recognize that one’s ranking on the socioeconomic ladder is critical to a

person’s career and life advancement.

2.9 Advantages

 In western countries, everyone maintains a professional relationship at work,

even if they are family members or very close friends. In office and while at
work, they follow a strict professional conversation which could be casual later,
only when they are out of the organization premises.

 Publicly claim that worrying about one’s standing in the social pecking order is
akin to showing-off and is not important to them. That said, they seem to enjoy
when their own high status is displayed.

 Often become distressed and angry if commitments are not upheld.

 Profess that information deemed confidential should remain so under most

circumstances.

 Think it is best to solve problems directly and quickly with as little emotional
fuss as possible even if it means disrupting the feelings of others.
 Often consider themselves part of the team but just happen to be the ones
in charge because of specialized skills and greater experience. (Note:
Management styles can vary tremendously among individuals.)

2.10 Disadvantages

 It’s no secret that Americans are overworked. Even though Americans are
working longer hours than ever and with fewer benefits and rights than ever,
the economy is still in the worst shape since the Great Depression.

 In the West eating your lunch anywhere else than at your table can set you up
to look like a slacker who doesn't want to give "100%".

 Stuffing our faces in front of our monitors will not help productivity. It is
doubtful people can even digest food properly when staring at their work.

 The sad truth is that many Westerners discuss TV shows at the workplace, this
usually being the only conversation topic that they can all add to. Being
overworked leads to just going home and flopping down in front of the TV
and watching whatever everyone else watches. Talking about the lives of
fictional characters or reality show "stars" is perceived as better than getting
into personal issues and talking about our own lives.

 In US workplace you would find people wearing baggy sweatpants, big

sweatshirt, bright white tennis shoes, out of style jeans or out of style clothes of
any kind, and without makeup. Sure, this is a generalization, but it’s true.
 CHAPTER 3
Data Analysis and interpretation of Data

Introduction:
A survey had been conducted on the comparative study of Western and Indian
work culture. 12 questions had been given in that questionnaire with two
options each. Respondents were supposed to choose any one option. I’ve
managed to get a total of 24 respondents, who successfully answered the survey
questionnaire and also mentioned their views on it.

This survey had also been conducted to seek out some unbiased information
from people on which culture do they prefer the most. The respondents gave
their honest views on what they feel and think about Indian and Western culture
from their practical and virtual experiences.

Cultures Indian West

Success 47.80% 52.20%
Politics 95.20% 4.80%
Nepotism 95.70% 4.30%
Healthy 39.10% 60.90%
Respect 47.80% 52.20%
Freedom 34.20% 65.20%
Feedback 34.80% 65.20%
Recognition 39.10% 60.90%
 Success
Indian Western

 Statement 1- In which work

culture, do you feel like Your Organization Celebrates Its Accomplishments
and Learning?

 Interpretation- From the above diagrams and table, a survey had been
conducted, 11 questions were asked and 24 respondent responded on it.
The first question was, In reply, 47.80% of the respondents rooted for
Indian working culture, whereas 52.20% supported western working
culture. Respondents genuinely think, experienced that, western working
culture is better in celebrating an employee’s accomplishment and success.
Now, this gives motivation to the employees to step up and do even better.

 Statement 2- Where do you find more political interferences?

Politics
Indian Western

 Interpretation- Straight from the questionnaire, the second question had been
asked to the respondents, ” In reply, respondents voted 95.20% to Indian
working culture and 4.80% to the western working culture. According to some
previous and this research, most of the people from India are abhorrent and
despised by politics. However, sometimes politics could also turn out to be
good on rare occasions.

Nepotism
Indian Western

 Statement 3- In which work

culture do you find the scope for nepotism or favoritism towards friends and
families?
 Interpretation- The third question asked, ” In reply, respondents voted Indian
working culture 95.70% and western working culture 4.30%. Nepotism and
cronyism have always been an issue in India over a few years. Indians don’t
tend to trust anybody very easily, however when they do that causes nepotism.
They favor their friends, family members over somebody who is truly skillful
and deserves it.

Healthy Balance
Indian Western

 Statement 4- In which work

culture Do You Feel That You Maintain a Healthy Balance between Work and
Your Personal Life?

 Interpretation- The fourth question asked, ” Respondents supported western

working culture and voted them for 60.90% and for Indian working culture
they only voted for 39.10%. People those have/had worked in both cultures
have a very distinctive taste and are aware, thereby they experienced it
themselves. According to this and some previous research, Most of the Indian
employees aren’t poignant towards their projects and tasks. They stretch it up
to the last minute, which is a risk-taking factor and therefore, they don’t get
enough time for their families. In fact, Indian employees work on Sunday or at
least their receive work pertaining to phone calls and emails which shows that
Indian working culture still needs to go a long way.

 Statement 5- In which culture do you feel more respected by your team and the
organization?
Respect
Indian Western
 Interpretation- On this question, 23 respondents have answered it. From 23
responses, 47.8% have voted to Indian working culture and 52.2% have voted
for western working culture. According to this and previous researches,
people those have/had worked in western countries, they felt or feel
westerners pay more respect than Indians do. However, unlike Indians,
westerners don’t hold back and bluntly air their comments out whether it’s bad
or good. Most of the Indians are also racists and call those who have a darker
skin tone by racist names very casually. If that happens in the western working
culture, they promptly take actions against that employee.

 Statement 6- In which work culture Do You Feel like You Can Share
Your Honest Thoughts with Your Manager?

Freedom
Indian Western

 Interpretation- The sixth question

had been asked on, “This is mere freedom of speech. Indian working culture
had been voted for 52. 2% and west working culture had been voted for 47.8%.
This time Indian working culture is dominating western working culture.
According to previous surveys, Indians in the company stay like family
members. Once they start trusting that person, they start treating him/her like
their family members which could be highly unlikely of western working
culture thereby they are bind with professionalism and like to stick with it
within the confines of their companies.

 Statement 7- In which working culture do You Feel like Your Manager

Cares about Your Feedback?
Feedback
Indian 2nd Qtr

 Interpretation-The seventh question from the survey is, “On this question, 23
respondents have responded it, and from that 65.2 % voted to western working
 culture and 34.8% voted to Indian working culture. Giving feedback to the
employees on time is one of the best leadership traits. This would help the
organizations to grow and spread its wings across the globe. Western working
culture is well-aware of that. However, Indian working culture must consider
that as their initial priority.

 Statement 8-In which work culture do You Feel like Recognition

Is Meaningful When You Receive it?

Recognition
Indian Western

 Interpretation-From the survey

th
questionnaire, the 8 questions asked, ” Out of 24 respondents, only 23
respondents have responded over these questions. Out of 24, 60.9% of them for
the favor of West and 39.1% went for Indian.

Three more questions had also been asked regarding professionalism, code of conduct,
dress code and usage of the employee’s strength.

Traits Indian Western

Professionalism 4.4 8.3

Code of conduct 5.3 10

Dress code 3.5 7.8

Strength usage 5 9
 10
9
8
7
6
5 Indian
4 Western
3
2
1
0

ProfessionalismCode of conductDress codeStrength usage

In this survey, ratings had also been taken from the respondents.
Respondents were asked to rate Indian working culture and Western
working on the scale of 0-10, and 24 of them out of 24 have rated the
working cultures.

Straight from the survey questionnaire, the ninth and tenth

questions were as follows:

“Rate western and Indian working culture on the scale of 0-10 on

professionalism, code of conduct.”

“Rate western and Indian working culture on the scale of 0-10 on

dress code.”

Does your company make most out of your strength? If yes, then
rate it on the scale of 0-10 (Indian and Western each)”

In reply, the respondents have given Indian working culture professionalism,

dress code, code of conduct and usage of strength 4.4. 5.3, 3.5 and 5 out of 10
respectively. If we compare western working culture, those are 8.3, 10, 7.8 and
9 respectively.
 Professionalism- Those ratings are having a huge difference as
compared to the Indian working culture. When it comes to
professionalism, Indians tend to manifest unprofessional and that exudes

from their behavior, punctuality, and dedication towards the work. Some
recent research found out an amazing about Indian employees that, most
of them take the risk as in they don’t complete their projects on time and
stretch it to a very last minute. Now, this portrays an image of themselves
right across expatriates and foreign

clients who are absolutely punctual and complete their tasks within the
given time frame.

 Code of conduct- It is one of the most important factors which each

and everyone must follow. A question had also been asked on the code
of conduct. The respondents rated Indian working culture’s code of
conduct
5.3 and western working culture’s code of conduct 10 out of ten. In this
survey, it’s already mentioned that most of the Indian employees aren’t
particular and poignant towards abiding by the regulations, hence they
end up violating the policies rules. Code of conduct is a behavior
prescribed by a company to their employees, and they are supposed to be
like that until their retirement or they leave the job. Most of the Indian
employees pass racist comments, call their co-workers by racist names,
xenophobic which plummets the level of their professionalism.
 Dress Code- Indians love to uphold their culture and that’s where
their dressing sense came from. Indian dresses are a part of Indian
culture. Most of the Indian female employees would be seen in Indian
dresses.
Surprisingly though most of the respondents are Indians, they love
western dressing style.

 Usage of the strength- Prior to making good use of the employee's

strengths, it is imperative to identify its threshold. It is not a big deal, putting
employees through the training, the organizations could easily identify it.
Now it is time to hit the nail on the head as in to harness it. The respondents
have
again voted Western working culture more than Indian working culture.
CHAPTER 4
 100.00%
80.00%
60.00%
40.00%
20.00%
0.00%

SUGGESTIONS AND FINDINGS

From the survey questionnaire, heaps of respondents gave their honest
views on what they think about Indian and Western working culture.
From the above diagrams as in pie and bar diagram, it is apparently
illustrating that most of the respondents have gone in the favor of Western
working culture

1. In accordance with respondents, they prefer western working

culture due to its high-end and high-tech infrastructures, properly
scheduled time table, giving more preferences on employees
satisfaction and in the Indian working culture, they think/feel or
have experienced that these attributes and factors can’t/ couldn’t be
seen in most of the Indian working practices and culture. After the
research, it’s found out that, Indian companies are more focused
towards attaining their organizational objectives and goals. Most of
them couldn’t care less about it. This has been proven from not
giving timely appraisals, rewards or something that would boost
their employee’s motivation. Therefore, the motivation,
encouragement, and dedication towards doing or completing that
task downright plummet. From this very research, the only thing
could be recommended and suggested is, employee’s satisfaction is
an utmost pivotal factor and it is imperative to keep them happy.
2. Nepotism and politics have always been an issue across India over the
years. The issue is, if a person is having political contacts, then he
would easily get a decent job and position without breaking a sweat. Or
in other situation, if manager’s relative is working in the same company,
he’d eventually get a good position notwithstanding not working or
performing well and hence this results to overlooking very good and
talented employees. On the other side of the spectrum, nepotism and
political interferences could also be a good factor thereby that person
knows the others potential and what he’s capable to do. This leads to
good coordination.

3. In this survey, ratings had also been taken from the respondents, they
had been asked to rate on the scale from 0-10 over Indian and Western
working cultures, “Professionalism, code of conduct, dress code and
usage of the employee's strength”. From the above table and graph, the
respondents voted to western working culture.

4. Professionalism as in the employee's punctuality, the way of

conversation within the confines of the company. From the previous and
this research, it’s found out that, most of the Indians tend to finish their
task until the last second remaining in the time frame which raises the
blood pressure of CEO and manager. They are also not punctual and
arrive late to the office. Now, this reflects and portrays a bad image
towards expatriates and foreign clients. In order to make them punctual,
companies should threaten them that they’d reduce some amount from
their salaries. Having a colloquial conversation increases their interest
and makes them more laid down towards completing the task. Seasoned
expats have given up complaining about this quirk, except for a few
German and Japanese CEOs, who still feel the pain every time they see
an Indian colleague sauntering into a meeting 15 minutes late. It's
 actually hard work done smartly that takes you the long way. Time
management is important

5. The dress code has never been an issue for neither Indian working
culture nor western working culture. However, still, the respondents
rated more to western working culture dress code thereby it accentuates
the professionalism. Every country is entitled to uphold its work culture
in some or the other way.

6. From the respondent’s ratings, they’ve voted more to the proper usage
of employee’s strength and talent. Prior to placing that employee in a
particular, he has to go through many interviews. Western working
culture has properly tailored infrastructures to harness and make the
most out of that employee. Most of the Indian working culture overlooks
and then only focus on how that particular employee is performing.

7. From the hindsight, Indian working culture has to come a long way.
Although they have one of the beautiful cultures in the world, ignoring
things such as 1) professionalism 2) Code of conduct 3) Employees
satisfaction put them behind the western working culture

8. Employees are a pivotal part of the company. They slog their guts out to
complete their task every day. Thinking to do something for them as in
rewarding them for their every accomplishment would boost up their
motivation level and they’d perform even better than they did.

9. Time management is quite fluid in India. They will work late hours into
the night, even on weekends, to meet the deadline. Americans or
Europeans would never do that. There they believe in a strict 8 to 5 pm
working day

10. India's global capital of BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) but

in day-to-day life, Indians don't seem to believe in business processes at
 all. India has a much younger workforce and I like to give enough space
to employees. I don't want to take away the freedom from employees.

11. It's hard to get Indians to call the boss by his first name.
Expats squirm when emails begin with the phrase "My respected sir."
Tom Albanese, CEO of Vedanta says "Indians can be too eager to
please sometimes. The only time I get flowers is when I am in India. I
find awkward garlanding moments all the time. “The bowing low and
garlanding are occasional and symbolic, but a practical day-to-day
problem is addressing the CEO by his first name.

12.When it comes to big issues, where the stakes are high, we would
rather let the boss decide. People avoid taking full responsibility for
anything because they don't want to take any blame if things go wrong.
Then if things do go wrong, they blame something else instead of taking
responsibility

13. . Women in Indian India recognize that what constitutes sexual

harassment at the workplace are acts and behaviors of a sexual nature
which are intrinsically linked to any of a range of negative
experiences. These range from interference with work to the creation
of a hostile work environment to implied or explicit promises and
threats related to a person's treatment at a workplace i.e. quid pro quo.
POSH prescribes that every employer must organize workshops and
awareness programs at regular intervals for sensitizing employees with
the provisions of POSH as well as orientation programs for members of
the Internal Committee. Indian judicial precedents have also highlighted
the need for organization of workshops to continue with the creation of
awareness of the vulnerability of women given that men may view
sexual conduct in a vacuum without full reference to social setting or
underlying threats of violence that a woman may perceive.
14.Indians need to be more creative and start thinking creatively. From the
previous researches, it’s been found out that Indians try to do things like
westerners do. They basically copy. Creative thinking comes from the
surroundings, culture etc. India has one of the beautiful cultures in the
world. Since India is very diverse they can come up with something
creative.

15.In today's globalized world of the free flow of people

and brain, no work community can be a monolith. The
diversity that people of multiple origins bring to an
organization is immensely enriching. Much like a nation
can maximize its collective strength by leveraging its
diversity, a workplace benefits immensely from
embracing diversity and making it a part of its culture.

16. Diversity doesn't just bring together apples and

oranges, but also brings together their respective
cultures, practices, beliefs and work ethics. The
amalgamation provides a wonderful cauldron from
where new ideas and systems will originate. Working and
living in a culturally diverse place is always enriching for
individual employees, and it stimulates thinking and
ideation process.

17. In a way, when it comes to India, we are still taking

baby steps towards this concept. Forget sexual minorities
or physically different people, we still have very less
representation of women in our workforce, particularly at
senior levels of organizations. If you look at the ratio of
men and women at the entry stages of organizations,
you will find a fair balance between the two sexes.
However, as they graduate to senior levels, you see more
and more women dropping out of the workforce due to a
number of
 factors including personal situations, the responsibility of
raising children etc.

18. Resistance to change is a common challenge. As

with any new idea, ushering in diversity-friendly policies
also faces resistance from the current participants. A
workplace is an amalgamation of different people
working together and not all may be interested or keen
on becoming a part of this endeavor. A change in policy
or approach always brings in some amount of discomfort
among the employees, some of whom may feel that the
new policy unnecessarily favors a small segment
(minority) of people. Cultural predispositions often make
the workforce feel that new ideas inhibit progress. Many
may fail to understand the long-term implications of such
policy changes, requiring discussion and convincing.

19. Orientation programs and diversity training for new

joiners have to include a special component on diversity
and gender sensitization. Women would certainly feel
more comfortable in organizations where the workforce
is sensitized against sexist jokes or collared remarks.
An organization's work culture should be cultivated to
ensure complete assimilation and acceptance. The
majority group should not be sidelining those in minority,
men should not have an upper hand over women
employees, or a gay employee shouldn't become the
subject of ridicule!

20. Not just race, color, gender, caste or sexual

preferences, even individual personality traits add to the
diversity of an organization. Some employees will be
more adventurous, and advocate risk-taking, while
others may be more cautious and may suggest safer
routes. Some may be brilliant in ideation yet lax in
implementation; others may be better executors.

21. The culture of an organization is reflected in the

approach of all employees, and this more effectively
flows from the top to the bottom. New employees
learn from the examples set by their seniors.
22. Diversity also presents communication barriers at
times, including language, cultural, and behavioral
patterns. What is construed as a joke among north
Indians may be something offensive for somebody from
the south or vice versa? Diversity programmes therefore
also need to overcome such barriers. Sometimes, this
may take more serious overtones and may involve
ineffective communication on matters of importance,
disrupt teamwork and create confusion. The answer lies
in training employees to dispel barriers and pre-held
perceptions through greater interactions and opening
up to each other.
 CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
India itself offers vast cultural diversity in everything from language to ethnicity and
religion. Not generalizing about Indian people or assuming that everybody thinks and
behaves in a similar way. Understand the difference between traditional, rural India
and fast-paced, urban India, where there is a lot more social mobility, a new
aspiration, a whole generation of entrepreneurs and contemporary influences, from
popular culture Indians should stop taking chances and they should complete their
tasks on time. By not being habitual to this, it affects their work-life balance and can’t
give time to their family members. India has one of the beautiful cultures. They are
absolutely entitled to uphold it. However, the factors which are keeping them behind
must focus on those to keep up with the western working culture because this would
help them to compete on a global scale.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. https://blog.cultureamp.com/employee-engagement-survey-questions
2. https://www.todaytranslations.com/doing-business-in-india
3. https://redbus2us.com/work-culture-ethics-time-at-work-importance-india-vs-
america/
4. https://insights.ethisphere.com/culture-matters/
5. https://www.ukibc.com/india-guide/how-india/business-culture/
6. https://www.deshpee.com/blog/category/business-developement/5-differences-
between-indian-work-culture-and-western-work-culture
7. https://www.Quora.com
8. https://www.theindusparent.com/workplace-problems-that-women-face
9. https://nyintl.net/2012/12/american-business-etiquette/
10. https://businessculture.org/northern-europe/uk-business-culture/business-etiquette/
11. http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/new_zealand.htm
12. http://www.chalre.com/hiring_managers/asian_business_differences.htm
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between-indian-work-culture-and-western-work-culture
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and-challenges-in-india-342395-2016-09-21

Annexure
 I. In which work culture, do you feel like Your Organization Celebrates
Its Accomplishments and Learning?
a. Indian b. Western

II. Where do you find more political interferences?

a. Indian b. Western

III. In which work culture do you feel like recognition is meaningful When
You Receive It?
a. Indian b. Western

IV. In which working culture, do you feel like Your Manager Cares about
Your Feedback?
a. Indian b. Western

V. In which work culture Do You Feel like You Can Share Your Honest
Thoughts with Your Manager?
a. Indian b. Western

VI. In which culture do you feel more respected by your team and the
organization?
a. Indian b. Western

VII. In which work culture Do You Feel That You Maintain a Healthy
Balance between Work and Your Personal Life?
a. Indian b. Western

VIII. In which work culture do you find the scope for nepotism?
a. India b. Western

IX. Rate western and Indian working culture on the scale of 0-10 on dress code.”
a. Indian (0-10) b. Western (0-10)

X. Does your company make most out of your strength? If yes, then rate it on the
scale of 0-10 (Indian and Western each).
a. Indian (0-10) b. Western (0-10)

XI. Rate western and Indian working culture on the scale of 0-10 on
professionalism, code of conduct.
a. Indian (0-10) b. Western (0-10)
XII. Which work culture would you prefer and recommend others over the other?
Mention why.
a. Indian(0-10) b. Western (0-10)