- 1.www.StudsPlanet.com 1 CULTURE
2. INTRODUCTION Meaning Of Culture In a restricted sense,
culture refers to the advance development of human body, mind, and
spirit. Culture is the sum total of human achievements, material as
well as non- material, capable of transmission. The literature,
religion and social practices of the people, reveal their culture.
Anthropologists define culture as an acquired behaviour in human
beings. www.StudsPlanet.com 2 3. INTRODUCTION Tylor's definition of
culture: complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, arts,
morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired
by man as a member of society. Lassiters definition of culture: A
shared and negotiated system of meaning informed by knowledge that
people learn and put into practice by interpreting experience and
generating behavior www.StudsPlanet.com 3 4. www.StudsPlanet.com 4
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE Learned Shared Trans-generational
Symbolic Adaptive 5. CULTURE IS LEARNED Cultural learning is unique
to humans. Cultural learning is the accumulation of knowledge about
experiences and information not perceived directly by the organism,
but transmitted to it through symbols. Culture is learned through
both direct instruction and observation (both conscious and
unconscious). www.StudsPlanet.com 5 6. CULTURE IS SHARED Culture is
located and transmitted in groups. The social transmission of
culture tends to unify people by providing us with a common
experience. The commonalty of experience in turn tends to generate
a common understanding of future events. www.StudsPlanet.com 6 7.
CULTURE IS SYMBOLIC The human ability to use symbols is the basis
of culture A symbol is anything that is used to represent any other
thing, when the relationship between the two is arbitrary (e.g., a
flag). Only humans have elaborated cultural abilities to learn, to
communicate, to store, to process, and to use symbols.
www.StudsPlanet.com 7 8. CULTURE IS ALL-ENCOMPASSING The
anthropological concept of culture is a model that includes all
aspects of human group behavior. Everyone is cultured, not just
wealthy people with an elite education. www.StudsPlanet.com 8 9.
CULTURE IS INTEGRATED A culture is a system: changes in one aspect
will likely generate changes in other aspects. Core values are sets
of ideas, attitudes, and beliefs that are basic in that they
provide an organizational logic for the rest of the culture.
www.StudsPlanet.com 9 10. LEVELS OF CULTURE National: learned
behavioral patterns, beliefs, values, and institutions shared by
the citizens of a nation. International: cultural traditions that
expand beyond cultural boundaries. Subculture: different traditions
practiced by groups set within a larger culture. Frequently
regionally based. www.StudsPlanet.com 10 11. www.StudsPlanet.com 11
PRIORITIES OF CULTURAL VALUES 12. CHANGE AGENTS By introducing new
products or ideas and practices, an international business entity
becomes a change agent. this may shift consumption from one product
to another, or it may lead to massive social change Many
governments take action to protect their culture-specific
industries. www.StudsPlanet.com 12 13. www.StudsPlanet.com 13 HOW
CULTURE AFFECTS MANAGERIAL APPROACHES Centralized vs. Decentralized
Decision Making: In some societies, top managers make all important
organizational decisions. In others, these decisions are diffused
throughout the enterprise, and middle- and lower-level managers
actively participate in, and make, key decisions. 14.
www.StudsPlanet.com 14 Safety vs. Risk: In some societies,
organizational decision makers are risk averse and have great
difficulty with conditions of uncertainty. In others, risk taking
is encouraged, and decision making under uncertainty is common. 15.
www.StudsPlanet.com 15 Individual vs. Group Rewards: In some
countries, personnel who do outstanding work are given individual
rewards in the form of bonuses and commissions. In others, cultural
norms require group rewards, and individual rewards are frowned
upon. 16. www.StudsPlanet.com 16 Informal Procedures vs. Formal
Procedures: In some societies, much is accomplished through
informal means. In others, formal procedures are set forth and
followed rigidly. 17. www.StudsPlanet.com 17 High Organizational
Loyalty vs. Low Organizational Loyalty In some societies, people
identify very strongly with their organization or employer. In
others, people identify with their occupational group, such as
engineer or mechanic. 18. www.StudsPlanet.com 18 Cooperation vs.
Competition Some societies encourage cooperation between their
people. Others encourage competition between their people. 19.
www.StudsPlanet.com 19 Short-term vs. Long-term Horizons Some
culture focus most heavily on short-term horizons, such as
short-range goals of profit and efficiency. Others are more
interested in long-range goals, such as market share and
technologic developments. 20. www.StudsPlanet.com 20 Stability vs.
Innovation The culture of some countries encourages stability and
resistance to change. The culture of others puts high value on
innovation and change. 21. ONE WORLD CULTURE? GLOBALIZATION IN THE
21ST CENTURY Cultures are increasingly coming in contact as a
result of improved trade relations, better communication, and
easier travel. Multinational corporations and business outsourcing
to the Third World are becoming more commonplace.
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