CULTURE & DECISION MAKING

Maydilyn M. Gultiano, RN, MAN

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this presentation, the

PhDN students will be able to:

1. discover the meaning of culture

in relation to decision making;

2. compare the different cultures

across the globe in terms of
decision making; and

3. understand and appreciate how

decision making is influenced by
one's background - culture,
tradition and ethics.
 The Role of Culture and Tradition in Decision Making

 The six main elements of culture ar  Beliefs create a bond among

e beliefs, values, norms, language, people from the same culture. But,
roles, and social collectives.
 While values are the things that pe How do culture and traditions effect
ople consider important such as lov our decision making processes?
e, loyalty, hard work, compassion, k
nowledge and humanitarianism.
Decision - Making Models

 The Universal Model  The Dispositional Model

Assumes there is only a minor difference Acknowledges there are many cross-cul
in how individuals from different cultures ma tural differences in decision-making and sup
ke their decisions. port the cause of cross-cutural research.
Decision making in the workplace
Chinese Culture
The Chinese are pragmatic and cautious,
believing in investing in property and being
careful about their savings.

Family prosperity means that there will be

enough wealth to tide members over any
unforeseen circumstances, increasing the
family’s chances of survival in difficult
times.
Indian Culture
For Indians, property investing decisions can
sometimes be governed by Vastu Shastra, the ‘science
of architecture’, based on ancient Hindu texts. For
some property investors, Vastu Shastra, which can
govern the building and decorating of the home, is
integral to their future luck and financial success.
Philippine Culture Filipino culture fosters values that enhance group harmony and
smooth interpersonal relationships. Family cohesiveness serves
as a driving force for shared decision making among family
members in accordance with the patient’s needs. Clinicians could
develop a family decision-making tree or algorithm.

A primary decision maker may not be designated prior to a health

crisis. Decisions may be delegated to family members living
outside the US, or birth order may be used to designate the
decision maker (McBride, 2006; Tompar – Tiu & Sustento –
Seneriches, 1995)
The Influence of Culture
The impact of culture on decision making also permeates t
o other levels. A person’s education level and worldliness
may for instance shape decision-making skills.
People with low education and low awareness usually fall
to scams such as money-chain frauds and Ponzi schemes
.
In contrast, people with education and awareness may pr
oceed with caution, undertaking a thorough risk analysis b
efore deciding on a project.
 The Influence of Culture on Ethics
It is fundamental to the extent
people with different cultural value
systems remain confused,
frustrated, and even aghast at the
decisions made by others.
For instance, a U.S. business
partner may find it difficult to
understand his Indian business
partner's decision to let go of a
lucrative business opportunity as
the group to which the Indian
partner belonged to does not rate
the project highly.
Similarly, Japanese may find it
unsettling when the policies of a
U.S. company change along with
the management.
Ethics and culture affect decision
making and organizations that
understand this fact and try to
improve the quality of their
decisions by articulating a clear-
cut ethics policy and shaping
culture to the desired values,
remain in good stead to succeed.
Organizational Culture and Ethical Decision Making

In centralized organizations, decision-making autho

rity is concentrated in the hands of top level manag
ers & little authority is delegated to lower levels

In decentralized organizations, decision making aut

hority is delegated as far down the chain of comma
nd as possible

Each structure has a unique influence on ethical de

cision making & behavior
 Understanding decision making process across cultures
By Sue Bryant 11th May 2019
The USA is a culture of very flat management
structures – until it comes to decision making. The
culture is egalitarian in that individuals are free to
challenge authority.
German companies tend to have steeper
hierarchies. In general, the boss in the
workplace is deferred to and there is a degree
of formality.
Scandinavian cultures are more likely to
base decision making on social factors; what
will benefit the group, as opposed to the
individual.
In Sweden, decisions are made by consensus and
as such, may take a long time. Once a decision is
made, it won’t change,
Japan is not dissimilar in the end goal, although
culturally, it differs greatly from Sweden. What the
two have in common, though, is the desire to
maintain harmony and the wellbeing of the group,
which matters more than individual choice.
China, like Japan, is a collectivist culture.
Confucianism teaches that individuals should
Setup maintain their place in the hierarchy to avoid chaos.
Decision making is slow and deliberate; rushing
things is the sign of a fool.
Arab cultures are also, generally speaking, risk
averse and hierarchical. Decisions are made from
the top, often following discussion with other
stakeholders of equal seniority.
Hierarchy and Decision Making in the Philippines

There is an expectation that one would respect the structure of

hierarchy in an office setting. So supervisors expect that
matters are discussed with them first instead of with their
subordinates. It is acceptable and expected that employees
approach their immediate supervisor (and not the upper
Setup management) for answers or feedback.

Filipinos put a tremendous value on consensus. They prefer

decision-making within the group and to solicit advice from
someone senior (in position, social standing, or age). While
discussions are held to collectively reach certain decisions, the
general pattern of decision-making is still a top-down approach.
 How Culture Affects Decision Making and Problem Solving

Culture impacts the decision making process and perspectives on problem solving via
social and workplace norms. In some cultures, men are viewed as dominant and the
ones to make decisions. This viewpoint often carries into the workplace as well; where
women likely have no supervisory or managerial roles and would be excluded from any
discussions on addressing a problem.
The Function of a Manager: making decisions

Decision-making Process
The process of generating and applying criteria to
select from, among seemingly equal alternatives.
Making a decision needs communication, before,
during and after.
Decision making process in a nutshell
Words to Ponder
References

Blanchard, Kenneth & Peale, Norman Vincent Peale. (1998) “ The Power of Ethical Management",
New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc
Walden University. “Ethics and Business Decision making."
https://thinkup.waldenu.edu/management/leadership-and-decision-making/item/11901- ethics-
business-decision-making. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
Robertson, Chris & Fadil, Paul A. "Ethical Decision Making in Multinational Organizations: A Culture
Based Model." Texas A&M University.
https://worldroom.tamu.edu/Workshops/CommOfRespect07/MoralDilemmas/Ethical%20De cision
%20Making%20in%20Multicultural%20Organizations.pdf. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
National Defense University. "Strategic Leadership & Decision Making: Values and Ethics."
https://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ndu/strat-ldr-dm/pt4ch15.html. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
THANKS