INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL WELFARE & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

NAME: ABHISHEK GHOSH, SAUMYAJIT SABUI

ROLL NUMBER: 20220230080, 20220230081
SESSION: 2022 – 2024
COURSE: MBA-PS
DISCIPLINE: TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
PAPER: MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND ETHOS
PAPER CODE: MBA-PS-108

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 NORWAY
Introduction: -
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the
mainland territory of which includes the western and northernmost part of the Scandinavian
Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form
part of Norway. Bouvet Island, located in the Subantarctic, is a dependency of Norway; it also
lays claims to the Antarctic territories of Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land. The capital and
largest city in Norway is Oslo.

Flag of Norway
Norway has a total area of 385,207 square kilometres (148,729 sq. mi) and had a population
of 5,425,270 in January 2022. The country shares a long eastern border with Sweden at a
length of 1,619 km (1,006 mi). It is bordered by Finland and Russia to the northeast and the
Skagerrak strait to the south, on the other side of which are Denmark and the United
Kingdom.

King Harald V of Norway Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre

Harald V of the House of Glücksburg is the current King of Norway. Jonas Gahr Støre has been
prime minister since 2021, replacing Erna Solberg. As a unitary sovereign state with a
constitutional monarchy, Norway divides state power between the parliament, the cabinet,
and the supreme court, as determined by the 1814 constitution.
Norway maintains close ties with both the European Union and the United States. Norway is
also a founding member of the United Nations, NATO, the European Free Trade Association,
the Council of Europe, the Antarctic Treaty, and the Nordic Council; a member of the
European Economic Area, the WTO, and the OECD; and a part of the Schengen Area. In
addition, the Norwegian languages share mutual intelligibility with Danish and Swedish.

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Norway has had the highest Human Development Index ranking in the world since 2009, a
position also held previously between 2001 and 2006; it also has the highest inequality-
adjusted ranking per 2018.

 Location: Northern Europe.

 Capital: Oslo.
 King of Norway: Harald V of Norway. (since 1991)
 Chief of State: Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway. (since 14 October 2021)
 Currency: Norwegian krone.
 Population: 5,425,270 in January 2022.
 Major Languages: Two official languages – Norwegian and Sami.
 Religions: Lutheran Christianity, with 68.7% of the population belonging to the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway in 2019. The Catholic Church is the next largest
Christian church at 3.1%. The unaffiliated make up 18.3% of the population. Islam is
one of the largest religions in Norway. There are also well established Jewish and
Buddhist communities.

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 NIGERIA
Introduction: -
Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa; geographically
situated between the Sahel to the north, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south in the Atlantic
Ocean; covering an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669 sq. mi), with a population of
over 211 million. Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the
east, and Benin in the west. Nigeria is a federal republic comprising 36 states and the Federal
Capital Territory, where the capital, Abuja, is located. The largest city in Nigeria is Lagos, one
of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in Africa.

Flag of Nigeria
The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name
was coined on 8 January 1897, by British journalist Flora Shaw.

Nigeria gained a degree of self-rule in 1954, and full independence from the United Kingdom
on 1 October 1960, as the Federation of Nigeria with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as its prime
minister.

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 First prime minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
The United Nations estimates that the population of Nigeria in 2021 was at 213,401,323,
distributed as 51.7% rural and 48.3% urban, and with a population density of 167.5 people
per square kilometre. Around 42.5% of the population were 14 years or younger, 19.6% were
aged 15–24, 30.7% were aged 25–54, 4.0% were aged 55–64, and 3.1% were aged 65 years
or older. The median age in 2017 was 18.4 years. Nigeria is the world’s sixth-most populous
country.
Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a
country of rich ethnic diversity. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, and
Igbo, together accounting for more than 60% of the population.

Ethnic Groups
Nigeria is a religiously diverse society, with Islam and Christianity being the most widely
professed religions. Nigerians are equally divided into Muslims and Christians, with a tiny
minority of adherents of traditional African religions and other religions.
68% of the Nigerian population is literate, and the rate for men (75.7%) is higher than that for
women (60.6%).

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Norwegian Values: -
 Integrity: Norwegians are trustworthy and act in good faith.
 Agility: Norwegians challenge the status quo with open minds, focus and speed.
 Empathy: Norwegians care about all.
 Egalitarian Individualism: Norwegian values are rooted in egalitarian ideals. Most
Norwegians believe in equal distribution of wealth and that everyone should have
equal opportunities. Norwegians generally have a high degree of trust in the
government and believe in the welfare state. Norway is called a welfare state because
the government, both federal and local, has primary responsibility for the welfare of
its citizens.
 Equality: Openness, equality, and equal rights in general– such as economic, social
and gender equality – are important values to most Norwegians. It is also an
established fact that people with physical and mental challenges should have equal
rights and be treated with as much respect as other people.
 Informality: Informality is widespread in Norwegian society. Formal titles and social
position normally do not mean that a person should be addressed any differently than
the man in the street.
 Jante Law: The Law of Jante is a code of conduct created in fiction by the Danish-
Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose and has been assumed by some to explain the
egalitarian nature of Nordic countries.
Jante Law convey an essential element of Norwegian culture: Humility. Jante's Law
teaches people to be modest and not 'think big'. It is demonstrated in most people's
refusal to criticize others. Norwegians try to see all people as being on equal footing.
They do not flaunt their wealth or financial achievements and look askance at those
who do.

The tenets of Jante Law are:

1. You shall not think you are special.
2. You shall not believe you are smarter than others.
3. You shall not believe you are wiser than others.
4. You shall not behave as if you are better than others.
5. You shall not believe that you know more than others.
6. You shall not think you are more important than others.
7. You shall not believe that you can fix things better than others.
8. You shall not laugh at others.
9. You shall not believe that others care about you.
10. You shall not believe that you can teach others anything.

 Some other Norwegian Values are - Peace, Stability, National Pride, Polite, Modest,
Honest, Tolerant.

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Nigerian Values: -
The Resilience of Nigeria Traditional Moral Values in the Context of Globalization.
Truth (Eziokwu): For the Igbo, the truth is the major strand that wields society together.
Without truth there was no need for human society. The trust built in Igbo society lies mainly
in the ability of the individual members to tell one another the truth. Thus, it is obvious that
the pillar stone of every community is telling the truth. Embodiment of truth in our actions
both in private and public affairs stand the chance of dealing with embezzlements of public
funds, sale of fake drugs, human trafficking, and the lapses in our judicial systems among
others.
Justice: Justice is an important notion in Igbo traditional morality. The Igbo religious symbol
for justice is “Ofo”. This is not a spirit but the symbol of authority which descends from the
ancestors, a guarantee of truth, and sometimes part of the regalia of the Umualusi (Spirit). As
the embodiment of the spirit of ancestors, it is ever reminded that ‘ndu’, the supreme value,
requires justice to even this ‘ndu’ out of all members of the community. This reminds the
community of the power of justice which in its nature is believed to involve transparent
honesty, innocence and fair play, the rain like justice may seem weak, but it is capable of
leaving its mark on the ground. So can a man who observes the difficult job of pursuing ‘ndu’.
This again emphasizes peoples concern for the principle of justice. In the living of ‘ndu’ (life),
there is enough room for all to ‘perch’ and achieve fully the supreme value. Greed, jealousy,
destruction of other people’s chances for making success of life and the lack of the spirit to
give and take by which the community could live harmoniously, and grow are greatly
deprecated by Igbo.
Hard work: In the Igbo cultural life, certain Igbo proverbs lay great emphasis on the
importance of hard work and the consequences of laziness, and not showing seriousness
towards one’s work or means of livelihood. The proverbs are used to remind both young and
old that there is dignity in labour. Since among the Igbo people, proverbs make greater impact
on the mind than ordinary words. Any lazy person, dependent on others for survival is looked
down upon and considered a failure. Inculcation of these proverbs among the youths is
capable of discouraging examination malpractices and the urge to acquire ‘certificate quick
syndrome’. In the Igbo community life too, names are given to enable man to be strong and
engage him/herself in hard work for a meaningful life of accomplishment. These names
remind one to be full of strength, and avert the negative consequences of exhibiting laziness
and weakness towards one’s work. The Igbo man values strength and labours for his survival,
sustenance, and self-esteem. Without strength nothing can be achieved. Wealth is obtained
by strength and not by cheating, kidnapping for ransom of money; and other corrupt
practices.
Character (‘iwa’): The Yoruba conceive of ‘iwa’ (character) as providing the means by which
man regulates his life to avoid conflict with the supernatural forces and also to be able to live
in harmony with his fellow men. Thus, in a system dominated by many supernatural forces
and a social structure predominantly authoritarian and hierarchical, the Yoruba believe that
each individual must strive to cultivate a good ‘iwa’ to be able to live a good life in perfect

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harmony with the forces that govern the universe and the members of his society. This, then,
accounts for the high premium placed on good character. If he is a man of weak character, he
could easily become a prey to a philosophy of resignation and idleness. Definitively,
consistency and steadiness of character together with the corresponding attributes of
patience and tolerance are major assets at this time. It is our strong conviction that traditional
concepts like ‘iwa’ offers positive directions to reduce corruption, fraud, cheating, greed,
ethnic conflicts, and religious intolerance in Nigeria.
There are few more values in Nigeria, as below:

 Detesting laziness.
 Dignity of labour.
 Respect for parent/elders.
 Hospitability.
 Public spiritedness.
 Respect for authority.
 Respect for sanctity of life.
 Honesty and truthfulness.

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Hofstede’s framework for assessing cultures: -
1. POWER DISTANCE: -
Power Distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of
institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is
distributed unequally.

Norway scores low on this dimension, 31, which means that the following
characterises the Norwegians style: Being independent, hierarchy for convenience
only, equal rights, superiors accessible, coaching leader, management facilitates and
empowers. Power is decentralized and managers count on the experience of their
team members. Employees expect to be consulted. Control is disliked and attitude
towards managers are informal and on first name basis. Communication is direct,
participative and consensus orientated.

Nigeria scores high on this dimension, 80, which means that people accept a
hierarchical order in which everybody has a place, and which needs no further
justification. Hierarchy in an organization is seen as reflecting inherent inequalities,
centralization is popular, subordinates expect to be told what to do and the ideal boss
is a benevolent autocrat.

2. INDIVIDUALISM Vs COLLECTIVISM: -
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence
a society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether people´s self-image
is defined in terms of “I” or “We”.

Norway with a score of 69, is considered an Individualist society. This means that the
“Self” is important and individual, personal opinions are valued and expressed.
Communication is explicit. At the same time, the right to privacy is important and
respected. There are clear lines between work and private life. Job mobility is higher,
and one thinks in terms of individual careers. The employer-employee relationship is

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 based on a contract and leaders focus on management of individuals. Feedback is
direct and nepotism is not encouraged.

Nigeria, with a score of 30, is considered a collectivistic society. This is manifest in a

close long-term commitment to the member ‘group’, be that a family, extended
family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and
over-rides most other societal rules and regulations. The society fosters strong
relationships where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group.
In collectivist societies offence leads to shame and loss of face, employer/employee
relationships are perceived in moral terms (like a family link), hiring and promotion
decisions take account of the employee’s in-group, management is the management
of groups.

3. MASCULINITY Vs FEMININITY: -
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is what motivates people, wanting
to be the best (Masculine) or liking what you do (Feminine).

Norway scores 8, and is thus the second most Feminine society (after the Swedes).
This means that the softer aspects of culture are valued and encouraged such as
levelling with others, consensus, “independent” cooperation, and sympathy for the
underdog. Taking care of the environment is important. Trying to be better than
others is neither socially nor materially rewarded. Societal solidarity in life is
important; work to live and DO your best. Incentives such as free time and flexibility
are favoured. Interaction through dialog and “growing insight” is valued and self-
development along these terms encouraged. Focus is on well-being; status is not
shown. An effective manager is a supportive one, and decision making is achieved
through involvement.

Nigeria scores 60 on this dimension and is thus a Masculine society. In Masculine

countries people “live in order to work”, managers are expected to be decisive and
assertive, the emphasis is on equity, competition and performance and conflicts are
resolved by fighting them out.

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4. UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE: -
The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or
unknown situations and have created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these is
reflected in the score on Uncertainty Avoidance.

Norway scores 50, and thus does not indicate a preference on this dimension.

Nigeria receives an intermediate score of 55 on this dimension, which does not show
a clear preference.

5. LONG TERM ORIENTATION Vs SHORT TERM ORIENTATION: -

This dimension describes how every society must maintain some links with its own
past while dealing with the challenges of the present and future, and societies
prioritise these two existential goals differently.

With a relatively low score of 35, Norwegian culture is more normative than
pragmatic. People in such societies have a strong concern with establishing the
absolute Truth; they are normative in their thinking. They exhibit ample respect for
traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving
quick results.

Nigeria scores very low, 13, on this dimension, meaning that its culture is normative
instead of pragmatic. People in such societies have a strong concern with establishing
the absolute Truth; they are normative in their thinking. They exhibit great respect for
traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving
quick results.

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6. INDULGENCE Vs RESTRAINT: -
This dimension is defined as the extent to which people try to control their desires and
impulses, based on the way they were raised. Relatively weak control is called
“Indulgence” and relatively strong control is called “Restraint”. Cultures can,
therefore, be described as Indulgent or Restrained.

Norway has an intermediate, therefore inconclusive, score of 55 in this dimension.

With a very high score of 84, Nigerian culture is said to be one of Indulgence. People
in societies classified by a high score in Indulgence generally exhibit a willingness to
realise their impulses and desires with regard to enjoying life and having fun. They
possess a positive attitude and have a tendency towards optimism. In addition, they
place a higher degree of importance on leisure time, act as they please and spend
money as they wish.

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Comparison: Norway Vs Nigeria

 Norway scores low on POWER DISTANCE dimension, which means that the following
characterises the Norwegians style: Being independent, hierarchy for convenience
only, equal rights, superiors accessible, management facilitates and empowers,
Nigeria scores high on this dimension, which means that people accept a hierarchical
order in which everybody has a place, and which needs no further justification.
 Norway is considered an Individualist society. This means that the “Self” is important
and individual, personal opinions are valued and expressed, Nigeria is considered a
Collectivistic society. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment to the member
‘group’, be that a family, extended family, or extended relationships.
 Norway is the second most Feminine society (after the Swedes). This means that the
softer aspects of culture are valued and encouraged such as levelling with others,
consensus, “independent” cooperation, and sympathy for the underdog, Nigeria
scores on this dimension and is thus a Masculine society.
 Norway and Nigeria score almost same on UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE dimension.
 Norway and Nigeria score low on LONG TERM ORIENTATION Vs SHORT TERM
ORIENTATION dimension, meaning that both the cultures are normative instead of
pragmatic.

 Norway has an intermediate score, therefore inconclusive, in INDULGENCE Vs

RESTRAINT dimension. With a very high score, Nigerian culture is said to be one of
Indulgence.

Google Sheet link for Charts:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SUwr982gUxzPGMm7bm56jXXqsVyuM4xLOPSqOGKGgkM/edit#gid
=0

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