CH 2.cultre INtl

Chapter 2
THE CULTURAL
CONTEXT OF IHRM
Chapter 2
For use with International Human Resource Management 7e ISBN-10: 1473719026
By Peter J. Dowling, Marion Festing, and Allen D. Engle, Sr. © Cengage Learning
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Chapter 2
THE CULTURAL
CONTEXT OF IHRM
C O N T E N T S
START
Click on an item to
 Vocabulary
go to its section.
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 Objectives cover below to

return to this table
of contents.
 Definitions of culture
 Intro to cross-cultural management research
O F
 The Hofstede study

TA B L E
 The GLOBE study

 The Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner study
 Hall and Hall’s cultural dimensions
 The development of cultures
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Vocabulary
 Culture as defined by: Kluckhohn and Kroeber, Schein
 artefacts, values, underlying assumptions
 cross-cultural management
 Hofstede:
power distance, uncertainty avoidance femininity vs. masculinity,
individualism vs. collectivism, long-term orientation
Confucianism, Confucianism dynamics
 GLOBE:
ingroup, in-group collectivism vs. institutional collectivism,
organizational culture, national culture, gender egalitarianism,
assertiveness, performance orientation, humane orientation
 Trompenaars, and Hampden-Turner:
universalism vs. particularism, communitarianism, neutral vs. emotional,
diffuse vs. specific, ascriptive vs. achievement,
sequential vs. synchronic time, internal vs. external control
 Hall and Hall:
high vs. low context, spatial orientation,
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polychrome vs. monochrome time
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Objectives
Learn these key findings and themes:
1. Definitions of culture
2. Cultural concepts
3. Results of various intercultural mgmt. studies:
Hofstede, GLOBE, Trompenaars, and others
4. Reflections on cross-cultural mgmt. research
5. Development of cultures
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Definitions of culture
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Kluckhohn & Kroeber def. of culture
Culture consists in patterned ways of  thinking
 feeling
 reacting
acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols,

constituting the distinctive achievements of human groups,
including their embodiments in artefacts;
The
essential traditional ideas and
consists of
core of their attached values
culture
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Schein’s concept of culture
A culture has 3 levels:
1. Artefacts – visible
2. Values – intermediate level of consciousness
3. Underlying assumptions – invisible,
unconscious
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Schein’s 6 underlying assumptions
1. Nature of reality & truth
2. Time dimension
3. Effect of spatial proximity and distance
4. Nature of being human
5. Type of human activity
6. Nature of human relationships
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Intro to cross-cultural mgmt. research
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Goals of cross-cultural mgmt. studies
 Describe working behavior
&
 Compare in various cultures
interaction between employees,

 Explain
& customers, suppliers or
 Improve businesses in different countries
and cultures
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The Hofstede study
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Hofstede’s culture dimensions
1. Power distance
2. Uncertainty avoidance
3. Femininity vs. masculinity
4. Individualism vs. collectivism
5. Confucianism or long-term orientation
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Long-term cultures characterized by:
 Great endurance, persistence in pursuing goals
 Position of ranking based on status
 Adaptation of traditions to modern conditions
 Respect of social and status obligations within limits
 High savings rates and high investment activity
 Readiness to subordinate oneself
to a purpose
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Short-term cultures characterized by:
 Personal candor and stability
 Avoiding loss of face and
respect of social and status obligations without
consideration of costs
 Low savings rates and low investment activity
 Expectations of quick profit
 Respect for traditions
 Greetings, presents and courtesies based on
reciprocity
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Figure 2.1
Results of the Hofstede study (I):
Power distance and individualism vs. collectivism
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Table 2.1
Examples of the impact of the cultural context on HRM practices
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Future Hofstede-style research issues
 Realization of cross-level studies
Consider groups, organizations, and country levels
 Inclusion of cross-cultural differences

Consider intracultural variance
 Inclusion of theoretically relevant moderators

Consider sex, class affiliation, etc.
 Interaction between variables
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The GLOBE study
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The GLOBE study questions
 Are there leadership behaviors, attributes, and organization
practices effective across all cultures?
 Are there leadership behaviors, attributes, and organization
practices effective in some cultures only?
 How much do leadership attributes affect the effectiveness
of specific leadership behavior and its acceptance by
subordinates?
 How much do behaviors and attributes in specific cultures
influence the well-being of members in the researched
societies?
 What is the relationship between these socio-cultural
variables and an international competitive capacity
of the various sampled societies?
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The 8 culture dimensions of GLOBE
1. Institutional Collectivism
2. In-Group Collectivism
3. Uncertainty Avoidance
4. Power Distance
5. Gender Egalitarianism
6. Assertiveness
7. Performance Orientation
8. Humane Orientation
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The Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner study
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The 7 dimensions of Trompenaars and H-T study
Relationships 1. Universalism vs. Particularism
between 2. Individualism vs. Communitarianism
people 3. Emotional vs. Neutral
4. Specific vs. Diffuse
5. Ascription vs. Achievement
Concept of time 6. Sequential vs. Synchronic

concept of time
Concept of nature 7. Internal vs. External Control
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Hall & Halls’ cultural dimensions
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Hall & Halls’ 4 dimensions
1. High vs. Low Context Communication
2. Spatial Orientation
actual distance between people when communicating
3. Monochrome vs. Polychrome Time

sequential processes vs. parallel actions
4. Information Speed
high or low information flow during communication
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The development of cultures
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Cultures change
There is increasing
1. international connectedness
2. global economy coordination
3. harmonization of laws and regulations
4. migration
Cultures are not confined to given territories.

This means new challenges for HRM.
 How resistant are cultures to change?

 Generation Y are fast, self-organized and absorbed learners
with distinct work-life balance preferences
 Entire society workforces are aging
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Chapter 2

Click on the book

 Objectives cover below to

 The Hofstede study

 The GLOBE study

acquired and transmitted mainly by symbols,

interaction between employees,

 Inclusion of cross-cultural differences

 Inclusion of theoretically relevant moderators

 Interaction between variables

Concept of time 6. Sequential vs. Synchronic

Concept of nature 7. Internal vs. External Control

3. Monochrome vs. Polychrome Time

Cultures are not confined to given territories.

 How resistant are cultures to change?

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