Human Resource Management and Cultural Models

This set of flashcards covers the foundational definitions of Human Resource Management, the VUCA world framework, cultural components, and specific models for cultural profiling such as Hofstede's 6 Dimension Model and the Lewis Model.

Human Resources

People working in the organization, considered the most important resource and asset of the company.

Human Resource Management (HRM)

The process of employing people, training them, developing them, developing policies relating to them, and developing strategies to retain them.

VUCA world

A framework describing the changing world of work consisting of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

Volatility

The degree to which events and situations change quickly.

Uncertainty

A state where events and outcomes are unknown or unpredictable, making it difficult to anticipate every potential outcome.

Complexity

A state where events and situations are composed of many interconnected parts, often leading to unforeseen consequences of decisions.

Ambiguity

A state where events and situations have unclear meanings, making it difficult to determine the exact significance of any given event or situation.

Culture

A group's set of shared norms and values expressed in the behavior of the group's members.

Norms

Written or unwritten rules that guide behavior within a group.

Value

What an individual personally thinks is important.

Hofstede 6 Dimension Model

A model used to identify cultural profiles through six categories: power distance, collectivism vs. individualism, motivation towards achievement and success, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, and indulgence or restraint.

Power Distance

A Hofstede dimension measuring the degree to which a culture accepts hierarchy and authority.

Collectivism vs. Individualism

A Hofstede dimension exploring whether a culture enjoys personal and individual freedom or if the group comes first.

Motivation towards Achievement and Success

A Hofstede dimension focusing on competition and hard work.

Uncertainty Avoidance

How a country deals with uncertainty and whether it feels threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations, often associated with anxiety.

Long-term vs. Short-term orientation

A Hofstede dimension describing how a culture balances its own past with the challenges of the present and future.

Indulgence or Restrained

A Hofstede dimension comparing cultures that enjoy celebration versus those where celebration is not accepted socially.

Lewis Model

A behavioral model that divides humans into $3$ clear categories: Linear-Active, Multi-Active, and Reactive.

Linear-Active

A behavioral category including the English-speaking world (North America, Britain, Australia, New Zealand) and Northern Europe (Germanic and Scandinavian countries).

Reactive

A behavioral category primarily found in Asia, excluding the Indian sub-continent.

Multi-Active

A behavioral category including Southern Europe, Mediterranean countries, South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Arab/Middle East, Slavs, India, and Pakistan.