Differences in Culture

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to cultural differences as presented in the lecture notes.

Cross-Cultural Literacy

Understanding how cultural differences across and within countries can affect the way business is practiced.

Culture

A system of values and norms shared among a group of people that constitute a design for living.

Values

Ideas about what a group believes to be good, right, and desirable.

Norms

Social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations.

Social Structure

The basic social organization of a society; it reveals how individuals and groups are organized.

Social Stratification

Hierarchical social categories often based on family background, occupation, and income.

Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture.

Individualism

A social framework that emphasizes the individual over group membership; prevalent in many Western societies.

Collectivism

A social framework that emphasizes group membership and collective goals; common in many non-Western societies.

Religious and Ethical Systems

Systems of shared beliefs that guide behavior; often derived from dominant religions.

Protestant Work Ethic

The belief that hard work and frugality are a result of a person's salvation; associated with capitalist economic systems.

Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture

A framework for understanding cultural differences, includes dimensions like power distance and individualism versus collectivism.

Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE)

A research program exploring the relationship between culture and leadership effectiveness, establishing multiple cultural dimensions.

Cultural Change

The evolution of cultures over time, indicating that culture is not static but rather dynamic.

Power Distance

A measure of how much less powerful members of a society defer to more powerful members.

Uncertainty Avoidance

The extent to which members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous situations and try to avoid them.

Masculinity versus Femininity

Refers to the distribution of roles between genders and how it affects work dynamics.