Term Paper on "Business A. What Are the Key Elements"

Term Paper 8 pages (3747 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Business a. What are the key elements that define a culture?

According to Ellwood, culture comprise on the one hand, the entire of human's material civilization, instruments, armory, outfits, machinery, and systems of industry as well, and on the other hand the complete intangible or spiritual civilization, like language, writings, art, religion, sacraments, ethics, regulations and administration. (Kluckhohn; Kroeber; Meyer; Untereiner, 1952) Culture can be defined as that sign of dedication and orderliness within a social setup which lets people to repose mutual confidence to work in harmony. Developing an organizational culture engages the leader in various distinct implementation responsibilities. (Fairholm, 1994)

Culture comprises of models, expressed and understood, of and for behavior obtained and conveyed through signs, comprising the unique triumph of human groups, covering their personifications in work of art; the basic nucleus of culture comprises of long-established concepts and particularly their associated beliefs, values, language, ideology, conventions, custom and allegory systems; culture systems could, on one side of the coin be regarded as results of activities, on the other side of the coin as habituating impacts on further activities. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Culture could therefore comprise establishing the base of values for common communication and giving strategic ideas regarding the organization and its future. (Fairholm, 1994) We could also symbolize culture comprising of three levels. The most perceptible level comprises of behavior as well as artifacts. This is the discernible level of culture, and comprises of behavior models as well as external expression of culture: perks given to the managers, wearing a uniform dress, stages of technology utilized, and the material design of work space. (Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 2002) b. How does a company overcome ethnocentricity?

The concept that the culture to which an individual belongs is better compared to that of other cultures is known as ethnocentrism. It is a type of reductionism which lowers the "other way" of life to an imprecise description of self's. This is especially vital during international business when a company or an individual is instilled with the notion that procedures, resources or concepts which were applicable in one's own country will be relevant overseas as well. Disparities at the environmental level are thus overlooked. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Ethnocentrism, in connection to international business, can be classified as follows:

a) Vital aspects in business are ignored due to the fascination with some of the cause-effect relationship in one's country. It is a better proposal to allude to checklist of human variables so as to be certain that all important reasons have been at the minimum taken into account at the time of working overseas. (Culture Definition, n. d.) b) Although it might be possible for an individual to be acquainted with the environmental variations and the difficulties that go with change, however might concentrate solely on attaining the goals associated to one's country. This might lead to depreciation of efficiency of a company or a person as regards global competitiveness. The goals fixed for international business must also be international. (Culture Definition, n. d.)

The variations are identified; however it is held that related changes are so fundamental that they are able to be attained easily. All the while it is a good initiative to undergo a cost-benefit analysis of the changes planned. (Culture Definition, n. d.)

The interaction evolving consequential to an organization's major form of communication might reconcile the relationship among ethnocentricity as well as organizational efficiency. (Grimes; Richard, 2003) Information regarding the type of cultural variation between societies, their origins, and their outcomes must come prior to finding and action. Compromise has increased possibility of success when the two groups comprehend the causes for the variations in perspectives. (Culture Definition, n. d.) c. How do attitudes, values, customs and beliefs shape culture?

The attitudes, beliefs, values, symbols and customs of the lifestyle of a class of people which they believe, normally without pondering regarding them, are handed over through communication and replication from a particular generation to the subsequent one which facilitates in shaping culture. (Culture Definition, n. d.) it is the leaders and followers who develop the theories, languages, symbols, customs, values, beliefs, and myths that exist in the organization. Moreover these aspects shape culture and allow members appreciate one another, believe one another, and assume personal ownership of the activities of the group. (Fairholm, 1994) There exists a link among the organizational culture as well as the cognitive, affective, as also the behavioral penchant of attitudes for organizational change. Various categories of organizational culture possess varied levels of recognition of attitudes for organizational change. This implies that a distinct category of organizational culture could ease the tolerability of change, whereas other categories of culture are unable to accept the same. (Rashid; Sambasivan; Rahman, 2004)

Placed at the subsequent stage of culture are values. Values cause and to a great deal propel behavior, however they are not openly observable as in the case of behaviors. Variations might be existent among the declared and functioning values and individuals will ascribe their behavior to declared values. In order to truly appreciate culture, we have to reach to the maximum depth level, the level of supposition as well as beliefs. It has been asserted by Schein that the basic suppositions emanate from values, till they become within the acceptance level and leave out of consciousness. Individuals might not be having the knowledge regarding of or would be incapable to express the beliefs and suppositions shaping their deepest forms of culture. (Industrial College of the Armed Forces, 2002)

Further customs like festivals commemorating household life and customs of passage, functions which allow individuals of the society to come to a common platform, holidays on sacred occasions to reinforce mutual spiritual bonds, and holidays on occasion of national importance emphasizing on the significant events of the independence period and so on shape culture. These customs enable in organizing social relationships and find out tolerable and intolerable activities in specific circumstances which give way for shaping culture. (Falola; Salm, 2002) d. What are effective strategies for a global company to adapt to a local culture?

Prior to undertaking an international project, it is perhaps essential to recognize the cultural differences which might be present between one's own country and the country where the business is being carried out. The places where there is variation, an individual should choose whether and to the degree to which the customs of the country might be suited to the overseas setup. In majority of the instances, the variations are not too noticeable or real. There are some features that are capable of imbibing willfully, for instance the procedures of welcoming people, the knowledge of some other variations are taken intuitively, for example the techniques of solving problems. The creation of cultural awareness might never be a simple job, however once achieved, it surely facilitates a task completed successfully in an overseas setting. (Sutton, 2000)

Debates and readings regarding other cultures undeniably assists in the building of cultural consciousness, however views offered should be cautiously considered. Occasionally, they might symbolize unnecessary typecast, an evaluation of merely a subgroup or a group of individuals, or a circumstance which has been subject to radical alterations. It is all the time a sound philosophy to receive different perspectives regarding the same culture. (Culture Definition, n. d.) Ultimately, there is an urgency to institutionalize cultural knowledge. Its significance ought to be stressed upon by the people who are at the apex of the organization, moreover it must manifest in the group's policies and practices. (Sutton, 2000) e. What elements of other cultures (in general) must a company be aware of to operate profitably and successfully?

Several nations might share a lot of facets which facilitate in shaping their culture. The shaping agents might be religion, language, geographical place and the like. On the basis of the data received from the bygone cross-cultural studies, nations might be classified by likeness in values as well as attitudes. Very minor variations must be anticipated while moving inside a cluster compared to when transferring from one cluster to the next. Every business running on the global level is not required to possess the identical intensity of cultural consciousness. The more a business deviates from the exclusive responsibility of performing business at the domestic level, the greater it requires having knowledge regarding cultural variations. Getting outward on multiple axes concurrently renders the requirement for creating cultural awareness even more urgent. (Culture Definition, n. d.) These information's are essential for a company to operate profitably and successfully.

f. How do attitudes toward work, leisure, time, change, family, social mobility and religion shape a culture?

Attitudes toward work, leisure, time, change, family, social mobility and religion impacts the development of individuals and are involved in deciding the complete social arrangement of the society and shaping a culture. (Falola; Salm, 2002) Attitudes towards work, leisure, time and change have been seen to impact operations and efficiency inside organizations. These attitudes towards work are known to… READ MORE

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