CCCChapter 111 Cross Cultural Communication Chapter 11 National Cultures & Corporate Cultures.

CCC Chapter 11 1

Cross Cultural Communication

Chapter 11National Cultures &Corporate Cultures

CCC Chapter 11 2

Learning Outcomes National Cultures and Corporate

Culture Different Corporate Cultures

Family Culture Eiffel Tower Culture Guided Missile Culture Incubator Culture

National Patterns of Corporate Culture

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National Cultures and Corporate

Culture

Three aspects of organizational structure are important in determining corporate culture :

The general relationship between the employees and their organization

The vertical or hierarchical system of authority defining superiors and subordinates

The general view of the employees about the organization’s destiny, purpose, and goals, and their places in this

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Types of Corporate Culture

Different corporate cultures can be distinguished along two dimensions :

Equality – hierarchy Orientation to the person – orientation to the task

Four type of corporate cultures identified on this basis are :

The family The Eiffel tower The guided missile The incubator

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These four types of organizations culture differ in :

How they think and learn How they change, and, How they motivate, reward and resolve conflicts

Fig.11.1 summarizes the images the images these organizations project

Each of these types of corporate culture are “ideal types” In practice, the types are mixed or overlaid with one

culture dominating.

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The Family Culture

personal, close face-to-face relationship hierarchal ("father knows best") power-oriented (leader is fatherly figure) home-like work atmosphere long-term relationships of employee to company;

high loyalty values, norms, atmosphere set by father" or "elder

brother"

(Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Italy, India)

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The Family Culture

Refers to a culture which is : Personal : close face-to-face relationship, and Hierarchical : “father” of a family has experience and authority

greatly exceeding those of his “children” Result is power-oriented corporate culture with leader as caring

father Power is essentially intimate and (hopefully) benign Japanese recreate within the organization aspects of the traditional

family Major business virtue is amae : kind of love between persons of different

rank : idea is to always do more than a contract or agreement specifies Ideal relationship is sempai-kokai : between an older and younger brother

At its best the power-oriented family culture exercises power through its members acting with one accord

Many family like corporate cultures are from nations which industrialized late : Greece, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Spain.

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The Family Culture

Tend to be high-context : sheer amount of information and cultural content taken for granted by members

Relationships tend to be diffuse : “father” or elder brother” is influential in all situations.

Leader’s power is political, being broadly obtained by authorities, power may be that of the state, the political system, the society or God.

Family cultures at their least effective drain the energies and loyalties of subordinates to buoy up the leader, who literally floats on the sea of adoration.

Family cultures have difficulty with project group organizations or matrix structures since here authority is divided.

Families tend to be strong where universalism is weak.

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The Family Culture

Employees in family cultures will behave like the “eldest child” left in the charge of family while the parents are out, but relinquishing that authority as soon as a “parent” returns.

Thinking, learning and change Family corporate culture is more interested in intuitive than in

rational knowledge, more concerned with the development of people than with their deployment or utilization

Thinking and learning intuitive, holistic, lateral and error correcting Personal knowledge of another is rated above empirical knowledge. Conversations are preferred to research questionnaires and insights

to objective data. Change is essentially political, getting key actors to modify policies

through new visions, charismatic appeals, inspiring goals and directions and more authentic relationships with significant people.

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The Family Culture

Motivating, rewarding and resolving conflicts

Since family members enjoy their relationships, they may be motivated more by praise and appreciation than by money.

Pay-for-performance or any motivation that threatens family bonds is not welcome

They tend to “socialize risks” among its members and can operate in uncertain environments as well.

Major weakness occurs when intra-family conflicts block necessary change.

Conflict resolution depends on the skill of a leader. Criticisms not aired publicly Negative feedback is indirect, sometimes confined to special “licensed”

occasions. High priority to effectiveness ( doing right things) than efficiency ( doing

things right)

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The Eiffel Tower Culture

hierarchal structure more important than function leader is boss (not father) relationships specific; status ascribed highly bureaucratic, depersonalized rules dominate; roles before people careers depend upon professional

qualifications symbolic of machine age

(Germany, Austria)

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Eiffel Tower Culture is steep, symmetrical, narrow art the top and broad at the base, stable, rigid and robust like Eiffel Tower itself.

Various roles and functions is prescribed in advance One senior can see the jobs of several subordinates. Each higher level has a clear and demonstrable

function of holding together. Organization’s purpose is legally separate from

personal needs of power or affection. Such needs are considered distractions.

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Boss has a legal authority and only incidentally a person. Essentially he or she is a role.

Careers in Eiffel Tower Companies are assisted by professional qualifications.

Each role at each level of authority is described and has a salary attached to it.

It’s a role culture. Logic of subordination is clearly rational and

coordinative.

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Thinking, learning and change :

For employees in Eiffel Tower, the family culture is arbitrary, irrational, conspirational, cozy and corrupt.

Thinking and learning is logical, analytical, vertically and rationally efficient

Learning means accumulating the skills necessary to fit a role and additional skills to qualify for higher positions.

Human resources are considered similar to capital or cash resources

change is effected through changing rules and procedures. This culture does not adapt well to turbulent environments.

Change is immensely complex and time-consuming.

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Employees are ideally precise and meticulous. They are nervous when order and predictability is lacking. Conflicts are seen as irrational, pathologies of orderly

procedure, offences against efficiency. Criticisms and complaints are typically channeled and dealt

with through even more rules and fact-finding procedures. Motivating and rewarding by promotion to greater position,

and larger role and responsibilities Management by job description.

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The Guided Missile Culture

highly Egalitarian task-oriented, impersonal team approach emphasized cross-disciplinary performance emphasized loyalty to professions / project greater than to

company Motivation intrinsic

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Egalitarian, impersonal and task oriented. While in Eiffel Tower, the rationale of culture is

means, the guided missile has a rationale of ends. Everything must be done to preserve strategic intent

Typifies neutral culture Matrix organization is created by superimposing

guided missile structure on Eiffel Tower organization. Relationship between employees :

Specific tasks in cybernetic system targeted upon shared objectives

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Cybernetic culture : it homes in on its target using feedback signals and is therefore circular rather than linear.

Shift aim as target moves Steering is corrective and conservative, not as

open to new ends as to new means.

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Learning includes “ getting on” with people, being practical rather than theoretical and being

problem-centered rather than discipline-centered. Appraisal is often by peers or subordinates rather

than by superiors. Change comes quickly in guided missile culture.

The target moves. More targets appear, new groups are formed, old ones dissolve

This culture in many way the antithesis of the family culture.

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Motivations tend to be intrinsic Culture tends to be individualistic since it allows for a wide

variety of differently specialized persons to work with each other on a temporary basis. The scenery of faces keeps changing.

Management boy objectives is the language spoken, and people by paid for performance and problems solved.

Conflict resolution is constructive, task related only. Admit error if any and correct fast.

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The Incubator Culture

organizations secondary to individual fulfillment existence precedes organization aim at self-expression and self-fulfillment personal and egalitarian minimal structure; minimal hierarchy emotional commitment creative, innovative

(Sweden)

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The purpose is to free individuals from routine to more creative activities and to minimize time spent on self-maintenance

Roles of other people are crucial. They are there to confirm, criticize, develop, find resources for and help complete the innovative product or service

The companies are usually entrepreneurial or founded by creative team.

Relationship between employees diffuse, spontaneous, growing out of shared creative process.

The work environment is often of intense emotional commitment

Status is achieved by individuals exemplifying creativity and growth.

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Thinking, learning and change Ways of thinking and learning is process oriented,

creative, ad hoc and inspirational. Attitudes towards people as co-creators. All participants on same wave-length, emphatically

searching together for a solution to the shared problem.

Problem itself is an open to redefinition and the solution being searched for its typically generic, aimed at universe of applications.

This culture learns to create but not to survive altered patterns of demand.

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Motivating, rewarding and resolving conflict Motivation is wholehearted, intrinsic and intense with

individuals working for long hours. There is competition to contribute to the emerging shape

of something new. There is scant concern for personal security and few wish

to profit or have power apart from unfolding creative process.

Leadership is achieved Power plays that impede group achievement will be

reviled. Conflict is resolved either by splitting up or by trying the

proposed alternatives to see what works best.

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Which countries prefer which corporate cultures

Pure cultures seldom exist. In practice, the types are mixed or overlaid with one culture dominating.

Fig.11.5 shows the results of a recent survey Highest scores for guided missile companies in USA & UK Highest for family companies in France and Spain Sweden scores highest for incubators & Germany for Eiffel

Tower

Smaller companies, wherever located, more likely to have family and incubator forms

Larger companies, needing structure to cohere are likely to choose Eiffel Tower or guided missile forms.

CCCChapter 111 Cross Cultural Communication Chapter 11 National Cultures & Corporate Cultures.

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