Cultural Dimensions

Cultural Dimensions

course companion p. 209

or

Study guide p. 68

Importance of understanding the culture!

• Travelling Abroad

• Studying Abroad

• culture shock

• offend people

10 minute video: "What's it like being a foreigner in Japan?"

Youtube: Asian Boss

Poll

Are you done watching the video?

• Hai! (yes)

• no need to click on this one

10 minute group discussion

• Based on the video, do you think that what the Japanese did towards the foreigners can considered as discrimination? Why/why not?

• Create 3 criteria for something to be classified as discrimination. Give each criterion a reason

Open Ended

How would you define a "culture"?

Definition of culture

• Common rules that regulate interactions & behavior in a group as well as a number of shared values and attitudes in the group (Lonner 1995)

• "mental software" that has been internalized that influences thinking, emotions, and behavior (Hofstede, 2002)

CULTURE IS NOT JUST ABOUT COUNTRIES BUT ALSO GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTRIES

EG. DIFFERENT SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFERENT SCHOOL CULTURE

different country, different culture, different rules/norms, different behavior, different attitude

why??

Cultural Dimension

Framework for cross-cultural communication - effect of society's culture on the value on the members, which in turn affects behavior

CULTURAL DIMENSION/CULTURAL TRENDS (open the page)

• individualism vs collectivism

• power distance index

• masculinity vs femininity

• uncertainty avoidance index

• long-term vs short-term

• indulgence vs restrains

Individualism vs Collectivism

• Individualism = embrace competition, individuals perceived as unique, more autonomy

• Collectivism = identity is connected to social group, relationship with a group is prioritized, competition/personal achievement is not as important (avoid conflict!)

Power Distance Index (PDI)

• High PDI score = hierarchical, tolerate inequalities, unequal distribution of power and influence is welcomed, obey authorities

• Low PDI score = cannot tolerate inequalities without justification, equal distribution of power and influence

Masculinity vs Femininity

• High masculinity = achievement, autonomy, competitiveness

• High Femininity = caring, cooperation, compassion

Uncertainty avoidance index

• High score = intolerance for ideas & behavior that are unconventional + avoid risk-taking behavior

• Low score = tolerance for behavior outside norms & take risks

Long-term vs Short Term Orientation

• short term (high score): honour tradition, social change = suspicion, conservative

• Long-term = pragmatic, anticipation for future needs = driving force for change & innovation

Indulgence vs Restraint

• high score: access to enjoyment of natural human drives

• low score: restraint-conservative culture in terms of personal gratification

10 minute group discussion

• Choose 1 cultural dimension

• state 2 strengths and 2 weaknesses for having high and low score in that dimension (so, 4 strengths and 4 weakness in total)

• Eg. Power Distance index (2 strengths & 2 weaknesses for high score + 2 strengths & 2 weaknesses for low score)

Important to note

• each dimension is expressed differently in each culture

• example: Korean collectivism is not the same as Chinese collectivism

• Dimensions don't act in isolation

• example: even though Indonesia is high in collectivism, there's still a little bit of individualism tendency