International Hospitality

Exam: 3 parts: - 25 multiple choice questions - 2 ethical dilemmas - 1 brief case

Week 1

Culture is:
- Hofstede: the collective programming of the mind, which distinquishes the members of one group or
category of people from another.

- Hall: the way of life of a people, the sum of their learned behavior patterns, attitudes and material
things.

- Trompenaars: culture is the way in which a group of people solve problems

Layers of culture
1. Artefacts of Culture

2. Norms and values

3. Basic Assumptions

Cultural Iceberg
Cultural programming

Johari window

Cultural noise
TOPOI model
Tongue
Order
Person
Organization
Intention & Influence

Behaviour and perceptions

Reasons for having prejudices and stereotyping

Sense of security or safety

Mainly first impressions which were acquired a long time ago and which are still considered as the truth

Making the transition

Stereotypes – The German are always on time – The Australians are laid back

Generalizations – German people tend to be on time – Many Australians tend to be laid back
Differences in variety

Dealing with other cultures

‒Ethnocentrism

the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture.

-Transcultural attitude

involving, encompassing, or extending across two or more cultures: trying to understand each other.

Week 2

Six key concepts of Hall and Hall

 High and Low Context
 Monochronic - Polychronic
 Personal space
 Fast and Slow Messages
 Fast and Slow Information Flow
 Action Chains

High and Low Context

 All communication takes place within a certain context
 How much or how little meaning is communicated through the context itself differs from culture
to culture
 Both styles are just as good, but very different
Low context communication
The message …

 is verbalised explicitly
 is clearly structured, in separate ‘compartments’
 is direct
 is more literal (less metaphorical)
 places more emphasis on the spoken as well as written words
 places less emphasis on non-verbal communication
 starts with the main point, and then moves on to details

High context communication

The message …

 is part of the person, thus, it is not always verbalised explicitly

 Flows freely instead of staying within compartments
 is indirect: avoid bluntness, hurting feelings and create consensus
 is coded so that you interpret it metaphorically
 Transferred non-verbally is as important as the verbal message
 starts with the context, circling towards the main point, sometimes zigzags between details and
main points

Monochronic and Polychronic Time

Kluckhohn
Three basic assumptions:

 There is a limited number of common human problems for which all people must at all times
find a solution
 While there is variability in problem solution, it is neither limitless nor random but is definitely
variable within a range of possible solutions
 All alternatives of all solutions are present in all societies at all times but are differentially
preferred

6 variations in Value Orientations

 What is the relationship between humanity and natural environment - dominating, in harmony
or subjugated?
 On what aspect of time should we primarily focus - past, present or future?
 What is the prime motivation for behaviour – doing (task oriented) or being (people oriented)
 How should individuals relate with others - hierarchically, as equals (collateral), or according to
their individual merit (individual)?
 Is Space Private or Public?
 What is the nature of human nature - good, bad (evil) or a mixture?

Information flow
Slow information flow in low context countries – info. Stays in departments

Fast information flow in high context countries – “sea of information ” - ჭორები მალე ვრცელდება

- slow message : for example a book, is meant to be decoded slowly

- fast message : for example a text message , is meant to be decoded quickly

Personal Space
1. Public space
2. Social space
3. Personal space
4. Intimate space
How to solve daily problems?
Nature-dominating society

 Changing environment to meet people’s needs.

 Solve problems systematically.

In harmony with nature

 No drastic change of the environment.

 Some problems are solved and some are not.
 Survival by adapting to given situation.

Relation with Nature

Dominating – people survive by changing the environment to meet their needs.

In harmony with nature – people survive without drastically changing their environment.

Subjugated to nature – people completely accept their situation, and this is their preferred survival
strategy.

Past, Present and Future Orientation

• Past-oriented:

- In accordance with tradition

- Inspired by historical events

- The past indicates importance

• Present-oriented:

- Short terms plans

- Live for the moment

• Future-oriented:

- Goal oriented

- Look at near, far or distant future

Doing or Being?
Doing: • Task oriented • Set goals • Live to work! Example: USA, Germany, Australia and China.

Being: • Relationship oriented • Emotion based attitude • Work to live! Examples: Mexico, Indonesia,
Caribbean and Spain.
Week 3

Geert Hofstede - Cultural Dimensions

 Power distance
 Individualism vs collectivism
 Masculinity vs femininity
 Uncertainty avoidance

Power distance (PDI) - Indicates the extent to which a society accepts the unequal distribution of power
in institutions and organisations

Individualism vs Collectivism - Reflects the extent to which people prefer to take care of themselves and
their immediate family, remaining emotionally independent from groups, organizations and other
collectives

Masculinity vs. femininity - Reveals the bias towards either ‘masculine’ values of assertiveness,
competitiveness, and materialism or towards ‘feminine’ values of nurtureing and the quality of life and
relationships

Uncertainty avoidance - Refers to a society’s discomfort with uncertainty, preferring predictability and
stability.

Latest Additions
Long-Term and Short-Term orientation - This dimension describes how every society has to maintain
some links with its own past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future •

Indulgence - This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and
impulses
Universalists – judge people as admirable if they keep to standarts

Paricularists – judge people according to the relationship they have

Neutral – you don’t show emotions

Affective – you can show emotions

Involvement:
Specific – separate provate from work . only work relatons , only lesuire relations

Diffuse – mix work and private, you can go on your boss’s party

Status
Achieved – based on your achievements

Ascribed – what people think of you based on your life

Internal control – surviving against natural elements (floods)

External control – going along with environment

High universalism – sue !

High particularism – find a good solution for both

Culture Shock

Week4

Culture Types Model

- R. Lewis –
• Multi-Active Culture

• Linear-Active Culture

• Reactive Culture
Interaction

Introduction to the Lewis Model

Personality is also important!
Reactive people

 Aimed at relationship & listening

 Often doctors, lawyers
 Intuitive

Multi-Active people

 Aimed at people & emotions

 Often teachers, artists or salespersons
 Extravert

Linear-Active people

 Task & product oriented

 Often engineers, accountants, technicians
 Absolute truth

Trompenaars 7 dimensions
Universalism vs. Particularism
In universalistic cultures:

‒The same (general) laws, rules, norms and values, apply to everyone, making sure everyone is treated
equally

‒ ‘Equal pay

In particularistic cultures:

The situation and the relationship determine the ‘rules of engagement’ Status

Neutral vs. Emotional

Controlling your emotions ‒ Japan: immature to show emotions; keeping a straight face ‒ GB: ‘stiff
upper lip’

VS

showing them openly ‒ Mexico: speaking loudly/making lot’s of noise ‒ Nederland: laughing out loud in
public

Specific vs Diffuse
Specific:

‒ work and personal life is clearly distinct/separated

‒ Informal relationships on the work floor and relationships are important, but not essential for work
performance
Diffuse: work and personal life are intertwined/overlapping

‒ Maintaining good relations are vital to meet strategic objectives

‒ Invest a lot of time in colleagues (meeting outside work) and clients

Objective Trompenaars
 Create respect and empathy towards other cultures, including practices and traditions
 Creating effectiveness in business
 Higher performance and larger extent of continuity in cooperation

Culturally Endorsed Implicit Leadership (GLOBE)

1. Charismatic/ Value-Based

2. Team-oriented

3. Participative

4. Human-Oriented

5. Autonomous

6. Self-Protective

The multicultural team

 Creating richer quality of decisions
 Provide a greater range of perspectives and Options
 New ways of looking at old problems: greater creativity & innovation

Successful recipe for a multicultural team

Security:

Acknowledge differences

Respecting uniqueness
Recognizing competence

Affirming mutual goals

Ensuring shared status

Challenge:

Provoking diversity:

Seeking out alternative views

Building a procedure for critique

Ensure all member participate in meaningful ways

Task strategies
1. Creating a shared sense of purpose

2. Structuring the task

3. Assigning roles and responsibilities

4. Reaching decisions

Process strategies
1. Team building

2. Choosing how to communicate

3. Encouraging participation

4. Resolving conflict

Level of diversity
 Homogeneous teams
 Token teams
 Bicultural teams
 Mulitcultural teams
Week 6

Ethics - A set of moral principles and values that people use to answer questions about right and wrong.

Ethics is also about our personal value system, we’ll have to understand that there are people with value
systems different from ours.

An ethical dilemma
 Is a situation in which you have to choose between two values.
 Is about stakes of others
 Has an affect on your conscience
 Relates to a freedom of choice, hence responsibility

Norms & Values

• When you promise to help someone, you will.

‒ Value: Reliable 

• You address elderly with Mr or Mrs, not by their first name.

 ‒ Value: Courtesy, Respect 

• When you are in line to withdraw money, you keep your distance.

‒ Value: Respect for privacy 

Ethics Plan
1. What is the moral dilemma?

2. Which norms and values are involved (clash)?

3. Who are involved (stakeholders)?

4. What are the alternative actions to take/decisions to make?

5. Which stakes will be positively or negatively affected by your actions/decisions?

6. Consider the alternatives and come to a conclusion.

7. How do I feel now?

Status: Achieved and Ascribed

• Achieved: status based on what you have accomplished (study, work experience,
responsibilities etc.)

• Ascribed : status based on who you are or what you are associated with (gender, social class,
family ties, married, children, network)
Code of conduct
“A statement setting down corporate principles, ethics, rules of conduct, codes of practice or company
philosophy concerning responsibility to employees, shareholders, consumers, the environment or any
other aspects of society, external to the company”