Riding The Waves of Culture

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Riding the Waves of Culture
Article · January 1998
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Fons Trompenaars Charles Hampden-Turner

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Riding the Waves of Culture
Reducing Lines, Expanding Circles
27th March 2009

Beurs van Berlage
Fons Trompenaars
Your clients and partners
1
The old MBA paradigm
We know this right?
Lets now do it with one line…
2
The new MBA Paradigm: with ONE line
The new MBA Paradigm
3
But you have to fold the paper!
Approaching Dilemmas: Navigating Strategic Tensions
To Create Wealth is to Combine Values

That are not easily joined…
Therefore scarce...
Therefore profitable….
4
This approach leads to concrete and measurable actions…
Impact
Realize
Realizeand
and
Root
Root
Implement
Implement
Reconciling
ReconcilingActions
Actions
Reconcile
Reconcile
Resolve
Resolve
Cultural
CulturalDifferences
Differences
Respect
Respect
Appreciate
Appreciate
Cultural
CulturalDifferences
Differences
Recognize
Recognize
Increase
IncreaseAwareness
Awareness
Time
9
Core Proposition
“Successful leaders have the propensity and competence

to help organizations and its teams reconcile dilemmas for
better sustainable business performance”
10
5
Some hard evidence
11
Our research reveals that propensity to reconcile dilemmas correlates

with bottom line business performance
Correlation
(Spearman’s coefficient of rank
correlation)
Correlation between reconciliation and 360o feedback 0.71

by peers and subordinates
Correlation between reconciliation and bottom line 0.69

business performance in profit centre/budget stream
Source: 21 Leaders for the 21st Century p429
12
6
Intercultural Competence Profile – the group
Average
13
What is Culture?
Please define culture
14
7
A model of culture
Physical
Language
contact
Work ethic Food
Expression
of emotion Meeting style
Rhythm & Pace Architecture
Dress
Behaviour
Literature
15
A model of culture
Explicit
Culture
16
8
Culture as a Normal Distribution
For example
US Culture French Culture
Stereotype Stereotype
17
A model of culture
Explicit
Culture
Basic
Assumptions
Implicit
Culture
18
9
About Culture
Is a dynamic process of solving human problems/dilemmas

in the areas of…
- Human Relationships
- Time
- Nature
19
01/ The Car Accident

What happens to your friend?
20
10
01/ What right does your friend have?
A. My friend has a definite right as a

friend to expect me to testify to the
lower figure.
B. He has some right as a friend to
expect me to testify to the lower figure.
C. He has no right as a friend to expect
me to testify to the lower figure.
21
01/ Dilemma:
INTEGRITY
The top 2 of your corporate values are:
1. Integrity
2. We respect the cultures of others
Please discuss in the context of these values what your answer

would be…
22
11
01 Universalism versus Particularism
02 Individualism versus Communitarianism
03 Neutral versus Affective
04 Specific versus Diffuse
05 Achievement versus Ascription
06 Sequential versus Synchronic
07 Internal versus External Control
01/ Universalism versus Particularism
• Consistency • Flexibility
• Systems, standards & • Pragmatic
rules • Make exceptions
• Uniform procedures • “It depends”
• Demanding of clarity • At ease with ambiguity
• Letter of the law • Spirit of the law
24
12
01/ Universalism
Friend has no/some right and would not help
Switzerland 97
Canada 93
USA 93
Sweden 92
United Kingdom 91
Australia 91
Netherlands 90
Germany 87
Czech Rep 83
France 73
Singapore 69
Japan 68
Mexico 64
India 54
China 47
Russia 44
Korea 37
Venezuela 32
0 20 40 60 80 100
25
01/ Dilemma: Global versus Local
Global Standards Cultural Diversity

(Critical Mass) (Differing solutions)
26
13
01/ Global versus Local
Transnational
Global Standards (Critical Mass)
Centers of
Excellence
(10,10)
“Be like US”
(1,10)
(10,1)
Small Nations
Multi-Localism
Cultural Diversity (differing solutions)
27
01/ Main Challenges
1. Mass-Customization
2. Co
Co--Opetition
3. It is Cool to be emotional
4. Moments of Truth
5. Servant Leader
6. Just In Time Synchronizing Sequences
7. Pushing through the Pull

28
14
02/ Individualism versus Communitarianism
a) One said: ‘It is obvious that if one has as

much freedom as possible and the maximum
opportunity to develop oneself, the quality of
one’s life would improve as a result.’
b) Another said: ‘If the individual is continuously

taking care of his or her fellows then the
quality of life for us all will improve, even
if it obstructs individual freedom and
individual development.’
30
15
02/ Individualism
Percentage opting for individual freedom
Israel 89
Canada 71
USA 69
Denmark 67
Netherlands 65
Finland 64
Australia 63
UK 61
Sweden 61
Russia 60
Germany 53
Italy 52
Indonesia 44
Singapore 42
China 41
France 41
Japan 39
India 37
Mexico 32
Egypt 30
0 20 40 60 80 100
31
02/ Dilemma Reconciliation
The Individual and the Team
Case Study:
Individual Performance versus Team Spirit
32
16
02/ The Individual and the Team
Reward Individual Performance
Stimulate Team Co-operation
33
(1,10) Me, Myself and I

withholding Information
Individual Motivation
Team Motivation
34
17
Team Mediocrity (10,1)

Team Motivation
35

(5,5)
Go for the Small team
Team Motivation
36
18
Reward Teams
for Individual
Creativity
(10,10)
AND
Reward
Individuals
for Team Work
Team Motivation
37
02/ Main Challenges
1. Mass
Mass--Customization
2. Co- Opetition
3. Moment of Truth
4. It is Cool to be Emotional
5. Servant Leader
38
19
03/ Neutral versus Affective
In my society, it is considered unprofessional to express emotions overtly.

Please select your position on the statement above:
A. Strongly agree
B. Agree
C. Undecided
D. Disagree
E. Strongly disagree
40
20
Percentage not expressing emotions overtly
Ethiopia 81 %
Japan 74
Hong Kong 64
China 55
India 51
Canada 49
Denmark 48
Portugal 47
Sweden 46
UK 45
USA 43
Brasil 40
Italy 33
France 30
Argentina 28
Russia 24
Spain 19
Egypt 18
Kuwait 15
0 20 40 60 80 100
41

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
DILEMMA
How to select the Right Person?
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
42
21
Emotions in Control
43

Emotions in Control
44
22
(1,10)
Emotions and head in Control
Analysis, Paralysis
Heart in Passion
45

(10,1)
Loving Neurotic
Heart in Passion
46
23
(10,10)
Continually checking what
your heart communicates
Heart in Passion
47
03/ Main Challenges
1. Mass
Mass--Customization
2. Co
Co--Opetition
4. Moments of Truth
5. Servant Leader
24
04/ Specific versus Diffuse
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
50
25
PUBLIC PUBLIC
Specific Relationship
51
PUBLIC
PRIVATE
52
26
No Relationship
53
PRIVATE PRIVATE
Diffuse Relationship
54
27
PUBLIC
PRIVATE PRIVATE
Danger Zone
55
04/ Specificity
A boss asking to paint his house
The colleague argues:

You don’t have to paint the house if you don’t feel like it. He is your boss in the
company. Outside the company, he has little authority
The subordinate argues:

Despite the fact that I don’t feel like it, I will paint the house anyway. He is my
boss and you cannot ignore it outside your work either.
56
28
04/ Specificity
Would not paint the house
Sweden 91
Netherlands 91
%
Denmark 89
UK 88
Canada 87
USA 82
Australia 78
Japan 71
Mexico 70
Thailand 69
Greece 67
Belgium 66
Korea 65
Singapore 58
Venezuela 52
Kuwait 47
Nigeria 46
China 32
0 20 40 60 80 100
57
From the Balanced to the Integrated Score Card
Balanced Score Card Dilemma…
58
29
Specific Financial
Performance
Diffuse
Development of
People
59

(10,10)
Cost cutting Integrated
yourself growth:
Specific financial performance
Train for
(1,10) Cost
Cutting
(10,1)
Subsidised
seminar
Interests in future innovating and learning

60
30
04/ Main Challenges
1. Mass
Mass--Customization
2. Co
Co--Opetition
4. Moments of Truth
5. Servant Leader
61
31
05/ Achievement versus Ascription
What You Do Who You Are
STATUS ?
63
Aspects of ascribed status…
• Family
• Age
• Gender
• Education
64
32
‘The most important thing in life is to act as really

suits you, even if you don’t get things done’
65
Percentage not agreeing with acting as really suits you
USA 76
%
Australia 69
Canada 65
UK 56
Sweden 54
Denmark 49
Germany 40
Switzerland 34
France 33
Hong Kong 32
Mexico 31
Russia 30
China 28
Japan 26
Poland 21
Korea 20
Czech Republic 13
Argentina 12
Egypt 4
0 20 40 60 80 100
66
33
67
34
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

Riding the Waves of Culture

Article · January 1998

Fons Trompenaars Charles Hampden-Turner

Cross-cultural Management Textbook View project

Covid & Culture View project

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

27th March 2009

Your clients and partners

We know this right?

Lets now do it with one line…

The new MBA Paradigm

Approaching Dilemmas: Navigating Strategic Tensions

To Create Wealth is to Combine Values

“Successful leaders have the propensity and competence

Our research reveals that propensity to reconcile dilemmas correlates

Correlation between reconciliation and 360o feedback 0.71

Correlation between reconciliation and bottom line 0.69

Source: 21 Leaders for the 21st Century p429

Please define culture

Work ethic Food

Rhythm & Pace Architecture

US Culture French Culture

Is a dynamic process of solving human problems/dilemmas

01/ The Car Accident

A. My friend has a definite right as a

The top 2 of your corporate values are:

Please discuss in the context of these values what your answer

02 Individualism versus Communitarianism

03 Neutral versus Affective

04 Specific versus Diffuse

05 Achievement versus Ascription

06 Sequential versus Synchronic

07 Internal versus External Control

01/ Universalism versus Particularism

01/ Dilemma: Global versus Local

Global Standards Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity (differing solutions)

01/ Main Challenges

6. Just In Time Synchronizing Sequences

7. Pushing through the Pull

02 Individualism versus Communitarianism

03 Neutral versus Affective

04 Specific versus Diffuse

05 Achievement versus Ascription

06 Sequential versus Synchronic

07 Internal versus External Control

02/ Individualism versus Communitarianism

a) One said: ‘It is obvious that if one has as

b) Another said: ‘If the individual is continuously

02/ Dilemma Reconciliation

The Individual and the Team

Reward Individual Performance

Stimulate Team Co-operation

02/ Dilemma Reconciliation

(1,10) Me, Myself and I

Team Mediocrity (10,1)

02/ Dilemma Reconciliation

Go for the Small team

02/ Main Challenges

6. Just In Time Synchronizing Sequences

7. Pushing through the Pull

02 Individualism versus Communitarianism