Course:

BA (Hons) International Business

Management

Module:
BLC6004
International Business and Cultural Diversity
Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan
Lesson 1: 20 Sep 2023 12:30-3:30pm
Introduction to the module
Introduction to Culture
Lesson 2: 22 Sep 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Culture, national culture and its relevance to
cross-cultural management
Lesson 3: 25 Sep 2023 12:30-3:30pm
Globalisation of culture and cultural diversity
WRIT 1 briefing
Lesson 4: 29 Sep 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Cultural groups and levels / types of culture in
organisations
Lesson 5: 4 Oct 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Cultural theories and how they apply (1)
Lesson 6: 11 Oct 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Cultural theories and how they apply (2)
Lesson 7: 13 Oct 2023 12:30-3:30pm
Managing Cultural Differences at Work
Lesson 13: 10 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm
Lesson 8: 18 Oct 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F The impact of culture on cross-cultural
WRIT 1 review conflict resolution
Lesson 9: 27 Oct 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F Lesson 14: 15 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Business activities affected and the impact Managing Strategic Alliance
Lesson 10: 1 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F Lesson 15: 22 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm
Guest Lecture Governance
WRIT 2 briefing
Lesson 16: 24 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
Lesson 11 3 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F WRIT 2 Review
Cross-cultural management and the
emerging need for cultural
agility and empathy
Lesson 12: 8 Nov 2023 12:30-3:30pm F2F
The impact of culture on cross-cultural
business negotiation: communication
breakdowns and barriers
L6 Cultural theories and how they
apply (2)
 Organisation Culture
An organisation's culture
• defines the “proper way” to behave within the organisation
• helps establish shared beliefs and values and align behaviours among e m p l o y e e s manifested as PRACTICES
• establishes and maintains the business philosophy, values, beliefs, and related behaviours among employees.
• established by leaders  may reflect the personality and preferences of its founder or founding team
• there is not a one-size-fits-all organisational culture

Mission statement
Core values
How to work and live by your values
Company traditions

Any additional shared beliefs

Work contexts have become more complex and diverse

Organisational cultures of a significant number of companies do not reflect the diversity of the workforce→ can
hinder the integration in the company of professionals with different cultural backgrounds.
Organisational culture and national culture
Organisational cultures are rooted in practices learned on the job and they can change much
faster than national culture traits
 American Express values:
Zappos values:
• Customer Commitment: We develop relationships that
• Deliver WOW through service
make a positive difference in our customers’ lives.
• Embrace and drive change
• Quality: We deliver premium value to our
• Create fun and a little weirdness
customers.
• Be adventurous, creative, and open-
• Integrity: We uphold the highest standards in all our actions.
• minded
• Teamwork: We work together, across boundaries, to meet
• Pursue growth and learning
the needs of our customers.
• Build open and honest relationships
• Respect for People: We value our people, encourage
• with communication
their development and reward their performance.
• Build a positive team and family spirit
• Good Citizenship: We’re good citizens in the
• Do more with less
communities in which we live and work.
• Be passionate and determined
• A Will to Win: We exhibit a strong will to win in the
• Be humble
marketplace and in every aspect of our business.
• Personal Accountability: We are personally accountable
for delivering on our commitments.
Apple as a company values: Apple Core Values 1981
• One person, one computer.
• We are going for it and we will set aggressive goals.
• We are all on the adventure together.
• We build products we believe in.
• We are here to make a positive difference in society,
as well as make a profit.
• Each person is important; each has the opportunity
and the obligation to make a difference.
• We are all in it together, win or lose.
• We are enthusiastic!
• We are creative; we set the pace.
• We want everyone to enjoy the adventure
• We are on together.
• We care about what we do.
• We want to create an environment in which Apple
values flourish.
Apple’s Core Values According to its CEO Tim Cook
• We believe that we’re on the face of the Earth to
make great products.
• We believe in the simple, not the complex.
• We believe that we need to own and control the
primary technologies behind the products we make.
• We participate only in markets where we can make a
• significant contribution.
• We believe in saying no to thousands of projects so
that we can really focus on the few that are truly
important and meaningful to us.
• We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination
of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way
that others cannot.
• We don’t settle for anything less than excellence in
every group in the company, and we have the self-
honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage
to change.
https://thinkmarketingmagazine.com/apple-core-values/
.
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-Focus Model
8 dimensions of organisational culture
Cross-organisational study called the Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation (IRIC), which
compared and contrasted 20 differing organisational units in the Netherlands and Denmark (Hofstede
2001).

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/index.php/the-model/
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D1 Means (process) oriented vs goal oriented - the extent to which goals (the ‘what’) or the means (the
‘how) of conducting work tasks are prioritised. This may affect attitudes to taking risks.

Relates to the effectiveness of the organisation

• Means (Process)-oriented cultures are dominated by technical and bureaucratic routines
• Goal (Results)-oriented by a common concern for outcomes.

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D2 Internally driven vs externally driven - internally driven cultures may exhibit stronger values where
honesty and business ethics are core to their activities while externally driven cultures will be more
pragmatic, focusing primarily on meeting the customer’s requirements.
• Relates to methods employed by organisations when dealing with the environment they function in
general and customers in particular

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D3 Loose (easy-going) vs tight (strict) control - tight control cultures run on a high level of discipline and
control, while loose control cultures tend towards more improvisation

Relates to structuring, control and discipline in the organisation

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D4 Local vs professional - the extent to which members identify with their immediate colleagues and
conform to the norms of this environment ( identity from the organisation for which they work), or associate
themselves with a wider group of people and practices based on their role / profession.

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D5 Open system vs closed system – the extent to which newcomers are accepted and the
differences they bring are welcomed

Relates to the communication climate of the organisation

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz
D6 Employee-oriented vs work-oriented – the extent to which the employee’s well-being is
prioritised at the expense of the task, or vice versa.

Relates to the management philosophy in the organisation

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz - Multi-focus model on organisational culture
SEMI-AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D7 Semi-autonomous dimension

Degree of leadership acceptance- semi-autonomous dimension

Relates to which degree the leadership style of the manager matches the preference of the staff
members.

Autocratic / Paternalistic / Consultative / Democratic / Other

Certain correlation with means/goal oriented dimension→ in a more goal oriented culture, acceptance
of leadership tends to be higher.

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
Hofstede and Waisfisz- Multi-focus model on organisational culture
SEMI-AUTONOMOUS DIMENSIONS

D8 Semi-autonomous dimension

Degree of identification with the organisation

Source: https://www.culturesharp.com/CultureSharp-Chapter3.pdf
 Does organisational culture erase or at least diminish national culture?

Nancy Adler ( Book →International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour) → Does organisational

culture erase or at least diminish national culture?

Research suggests that:

-Whilst it can be argued that organisational cultures may restrict the impact of national culture, It cannot be
assumed that strong corporate culture will overshadow national culture influences

-Employees facing conflicts between the organisational culture and national culture are most likely to respond
in ways typically associated to their national culture.

-When recognising potential conflicts between organisational and foreign national cultures, a company should
strive to take preventative action in order to keep local employees motivated and committed.

-This may require readjustment of some aspects of the organisation’s culture→ adaptive cultures

Cultural synergy (Nancy Adler)→attempt to bring two or more cultures together to form an organisation
that is based on combined strengths, concepts and skills.
Next lesson

L7 Managing Cultural Differences at Work