Culture

Culture

• “That complex phenomenon which include knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society.”

• “A system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that when taken together constitute a design for living.”

• “An invisible control mechanism operating in our thoughts.”

Values

• Abstract ideas about what a group believes to be good and right

• Ex: democracy, justice, social obligation: people argue, fight, and even die over them

Norms

Social rules and guidelines that govern the actions of people toward one another

1. Folkways

2. Mores

Folkways

• Routine conventions of everyday life

• Actions of little moral significance

• Appropriate dress in particular situation, eating with the correct utensil, good social manners, etc

• People who violate them may be thought of as ill-mannered, but not considered evil or bad

Mores

• Norms that are more widely observed, have greater moral significance, and are central to the functioning of a society and to its social life

• Serious standards of behavior (ex, drinking alcohol in Saudi Arabia is illegal)

• Violating them can bring serious retribution, ill will, and the collapse of any business deal

Aesthetics and Color

• Red is associated with blood, wine-making, activity, heat, and vibrancy in many countries but is poorly received in some African countries

• Blue is associated with royalty and divinity in Egypt, China, and Maya

• Western cultures associate white with purity and cleanliness; however, parts of Asia associate it with death

• Grey means inexpensive in Japan and China, but high quality and expensive in the U.S.

Country difference and value creation

• Netflix has invested in local-language content for each market

  • South Korea: Squid Game (2021) – Korean storytelling resonated globally

  • India: Mobile-only subscription plans adapted to local preferences

• Understanding cultural values = market opportunities

Hofstede’s Cultural Typology

• world-wide survey of employee values in IBM subsidiaries in 50 countries in the 60s and 70s

• one of the first quantified study to explain observed differences between cultures

• power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, indulgence vs self-restraint

power distance

• how society deals with the fact that people are unequal in physical and intellectual capabilities

• high: societies that let inequalities grow into power and wealth

• low: societies that play down inequalities as much as possible

individualism vs collectivism

• relationship between the individual and their fellows

• individualistic: ties between individuals were loose, and individual achievement and freedom were highly valued

• collectivism: ties between individuals are tight and individuals are to look after the interest of their collective (extended families)

uncertainty avoidance

• extent to which different cultures socialized their members into accepting ambiguous situations and tolerating uncertainty

• high: preference for job security, career patterns, retirement benefits, etc. strong need for rules and regulations

• low: readiness to take risks and less emotional resistance to change

masculinity vs femininity

• relationship between gender and work roles

• masculine: gender roles are differentiated; achievement and effective exercise of power, determine cultural ideals

• feminine: gender roles are less distinguished, and little differentiation is made between men and women in the same job

long-term vs short-term orientation

• extent to which a culture programs its citizens to accept delayed gratification of their material, social, and emotional needs

• captures attitudes toward time, persistence, ordering by status, protection of face, respect for tradition, and reciprocation of gifts and favors