Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Culture Environment
FTU – Foreign Trade University
Lê Thị Thanh Ngân
Classification: Internal
Telling the truth
Classification: Internal
Queuing
Classification: Internal
Transportation
Classification: Internal
Child
Classification: Internal
Senior’s daily life
Classification: Internal
Noise level inside a restaurant
Classification: Internal
Connections and Contacts
Classification: Internal
Punctuality
Classification: Internal
Boss
Classification: Internal
and many others….
EAST - WEST
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
Classification: Internal
Prof. Geert Hosftede
Values
Norms
and Beliefs
…being shared among group of people
Classification: Internal
ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
- Religion
- Language
- Aesthetic
- Political - economic philosophies
- Education
- Social structure
Classification: Internal
LANGUAGE
3,000 languages and as many as 10,000 dialects worldwide
Language can be a competitive weapon
Language serves at the window to the culture of a society
Verbal or non-verbal is a very important skill for Business people
Classification: Internal
4 Main religious: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism
Classification: Internal
“Master Kong”: 551 – 478 BC
Classification: Internal
WORKING IN CROSS CULTURAL WORKPLACE
Classification: Internal
Classification: Internal
Power distance
“The extent to which the less
powerful members of institutions
and organizations within a country
expect and accept that power is
distributed unequally”
Classification: Internal
Low power distance High power distance
• Minimize the inequalities among people • Inequalities among people are both
expected and desired
• Interdependence between less and
more powerful people • Less powerful people should be
depended on the more powerful
• Flat hierarchy pyramid
• Slope hierarchy pyramid
• Power decentralization
• Power centralization
• Narrow salary range
• Wide salary range
• Subordinated expect to be consulted
• Subordinated expect to be told what to
• The ideal boss is a resourceful democrat
do
• Privileges and status are disapproved
• The ideal boss is a benevolent autocrat or
good father
• Privileges and status are both expected
and popular
Classification: Internal
Classification: Internal
Viet Nam
High Malaysia
Orientation towards authority Arab Countries
Mexico
India
France
Italy
Japan
Spain
Argentina
US
Germany
UK
Denmark
Low Israel
Austria
Classification: Internal
Example
• A company from Austria (low power distance) is considering entering the
Vietnam (high power distance) market.
Classification: Internal
Weak uncertainty avoidance Strong uncertainty avoidance
• Uncertainty: normal feature of life and • Uncertainty : continuous threat that
each day is accepted as it comes must be fought
• Low stress – subjective feeling of well- • High stress – subjective feeling of
being anxiety
• Aggression and emotions must not be • Aggression and emotions may be
shown shown at proper times
• Comfortable in ambiguous situations • Fear of ambiguous situations and of
and with unfamiliar risk unfamiliar risk
• There should not be more rules than • Emotional need for rules, even if they
necessary never work
• Precision and punctuality have to be • Precision and punctuality come
learned naturally
• Tolerance to innovation • Resistance to innovation
• Motivation by achievement • Motivation by security
Classification: Internal
VietNam
High
Greece
Japan
France
Korea
Desire for stability
Arab Countries
Germany
Australia
Canada
US
UK
India
Low Denmark
Singapore
Classification: Internal
Example
▪ A company from France (high uncertainty avoidance) is considering investing in
Denmark (low uncertainty avoidance)
100
3) Allow employees the autonomy and space to execute their tasks on their own; only
guidelines and resources will be expected of him
Classification: Internal
Individualism
“The tendency of people to look
after themselves and their
immediate family and neglect the
needs of society”
Classification: Internal
Low individualism High individualism
• Individuals learn to think in terms of • Individuals learn to think in terms of
“we” “I”
• Diplomas provide entry to higher • Diplomas increase economic worth
status groups and/or self- respect
• Relationship employer- employee is • Relationship employer-employee is a
perceived in moral terms, like a family contract based on mutual advantage
• Hiring and promotion decisions take • Hiring and promotion are supposed
employees’ ingroup into account to be based on skills and rules only
• Management is management of • Management is management of
groups individuals
• Relationship prevails over task • Task prevails over relationship
Classification: Internal
High
Australia
US
UK
Canada
France
Germany
Spain
Japan
Mexico
Italy
Korea
Low Singapore
Classification: Internal
Example
▪ A company from UK (high individualism) is considering investing in Mexico
(low individualism)
100 96
Individualism Index
80
60
40
23
20
0
UK Mexico
Communication tips for the UK manager:
1) Note that individuals have a strong sense of responsibility for their family
4) Be aware that the decision making process will be rather slow, as many members
across the hierarchy need to be consulted
Classification: Internal
Masculinity
“The tendency within a society to
emphasize traditional gender
roles”
Classification: Internal
Low masculinity High masculinity
Classification: Internal
High
Japan
Mexico
Germany
UK
US
Arabia
France
Korea
Portugal
Denmark
Low Sweden
Classification: Internal
Example
▪ A company from Denmark ( low masculinity) is considering investing in Mexico
(high masculinity)
Masculinity Index
100 91
80
60
40
20 8
0
Denmark Mexico
1) Be aware that people will discuss business anytime, even at social gatherings
3) Take into account that people are not interested in developing closer friendships
Classification: Internal
Short- term orientation Long-term orientation
• Respect for traditions • Adaptation of traditions to a
• Little money available for modern context
investment • Funds available for investment
• Quick results expected • Perseverance towards slow results
• Respect for social and status • Respect for social and status
obligations regardless of cost obligations within limits
• Concern with possessing the Truth • Concern with respecting the
demands of Virtue
Classification: Internal
Activity 1
Ask students to outline the reasons why the
various elements of culture might increase the
cost of doing business in a country. Please
illustrate your ideas with concrete examples of
both cultural elements and specific countries.
40
Classification: Internal
Activity 2
Assumed that your corporation intend to open your business in
America and Japan, from your own research about their culture,
point out the culture differences and specialties. Give some
recommendations for your boss?
Classification: Internal