Chapter 3: What are the Essential Cultural Value Patters

Functions of Cultural Values

Values

Values - Shared ideas about what counts as important/unimportant, fair/unfair, ethical/unethical conduct

Examples of Values

What Values Give US

Sense of Self - Infused w/ myriad of values (gender, personal, spiritual, ethnic/macro, professional, relational)

Cultural values - Exist on a personal (socialization and life experiences) and cultural system level

Cultural system - Level values “stable and enduring“— Protecting culture in times of crisis

• Crisis - when you value is being challenged

Guide (frame) - Our perceptions, communication, actions, expectations, and motivations

IC Communication Knowledge - Promotes introspection on cultural beliefs and values; helps one find common ground with diverse cultural others

Criteria - used to evaluate our own and the behaviors of others

Levels of Values

Cultural Level - Set by the dominant group and is pervasive

Personal Level - Family Socialization, life experiences, popular culture, immigration, pluralism, intergroup contract

American Values:

• Freedom - Individual liberties and personal choice

• Equity - Equal treatment/opportunities for all

• Justice - Fair legal system and protection of rights

• Diversity - Appreciation for different cultures and perspectives

• Hard Work and Innovation - Value of effort and encouragement of creativity

• Respect and Patriotism - Dignity for others and pride in the nation

Cultural Value Continuum Dimensions

Cultural Values Patterns

Dimensions and variations

Hofstede

Studies 50 countries in 3 regions from IBM

• 116,000 managers and Employees surveyed

Categories:

• Individualism vs Collectivism

• Feminine vs Masculine

• Small power distance vs Large Power distance

• Weak Uncertainty Avoidance vs Strong Uncertainty Avoidance

Individualism vs Collectivism

Individualism

Individuals identities (I over We) over the groups

• US, Great Brittan, Australia, Italy, New Zealand

  • 1/3 of human population

    • wealthy, urban, and industrialized

Independent, competitive, unique, seek social recognition, look after self & immediate-family, hedonistic, non-conforming, loosely linked ties, freedom, personal decisions

Collectivism

Groups identity (We over I) over individuals

• Asia, Africa, Central and South America, Middle East, Pacific Islands

  • 2/3 of human population

    • Poorer, Rural, and Traditional

Interdependent, Harmony, Face saving, Conformity, obedience, respecting parents wishes, tightly tied to others in community, guilt guides behavior, compliance, collaboration, lifetime support because of reciprocity, accountability

Feminine vs Masculine

Masculine

Social gender roles as distinct and complementary

• Japan, Ireland, Italy, Mexico

Women - Tender; modest; concerned about the quality of life; relational-based; nurturing

Men - Assertive; Focused on material success; task-based accomplishments; complementary sex roles; ambitious

Feminine

Social gender roles as fluid and overlapping

• Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Costa Rica

Men and Women - modest; tender; caring; relational-based; concerned about the quality of life; work-family balance above work performance; flexible/overlap in sex role norms

Small Power Distance vs Large Power Distance

Inequalities in all societies; PD is the extent to which those with less power in a society expect and accept being treated unequally

Small

Value equal power distributions; Equal rights (few honorifics); equitable rewards/punishments based on performance

• Austria, Israel, Norway

• ex:

  • Children contradict parents & speak their

    mind; democratic decision-making in

    families

    ◦ Work space as relationship-oriented,

    decentralized w/ democratic leadership

Large

Accept unequal power distributions; hierarchal rights (deference/honorifics): Punishments and rewards based on status, age, rank, title

• Mexico, Venezuela, Arabic Countries

• EX:

  • Children obey parents, punished for

    contradicting; parents/grandparents

    assume decision-making role for family

  • Work spaces as task-oriented, centralized

    w/ autocratic leadership

Weak Uncertainty Avoidance vs Strong Uncertainty Avoidance

Extent to which a culture does not mind conflict and uncertain situations and extent to which they avoid them

Weak

Encourage risk-taking (tolerance for innovation and counter behaviors; exploration); conflict approaching modes

• U.S., Hong Kong, United Kingdom

• Conflict viewed as a natural part of org. productivity

• Fam. roles and behavioral expectations actively negotiated

  • children given lat. to explore own values/morals

Strong

Prefer clear procedures (resistance to deviance/innovation; defined roles; strong rules/laws to counteract uncertainties in social interactions); Conflict-avoiding Behaviors

• Greece, Portugal, Japan, El Salvador

• Org. seeks to eliminate conflict and job descriptions essential

• Fam. roles clearly established and family rules expected to be followed

Father Knows Best Analysis

Hofstede scores US (Cultural system level) in particular ways concerning its “cultural values dimensions/patterns“

Additional Value Orientation Patterns

Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck (1961) - Universal questions that humans continuously or continuously seek to answer. 3 questions

Meaning

Question 1

What do people consider meaningful in their everyday activity?

Doing - focusing on achievement-oriented activities

• Mid-class African American - Compact racism through activism and social achievements

• Asian American and Latin X American - Work hard, make money to fulfill obligations toward fam

• European American - Focus on tangible accomplishments

Being - Living with emotional vitality and being relationally connected with significant others

• African and African American - Attach positive meanings to a sense of aliveness, culture infused with a belief in more to life than sorrow and a renewal of joy

• Latin X American - Enjoy the moment to the fullest - share celebrations and recreation with friends/family

Being-in-Becoming - Self in development - achieving human or spiritual potential

• Indigenous American - Focus on spiritual self-renewal/personal enrichment more than material gains and losses

Destiny

Question 2

What is the relationship between people and nature?

Control (Mastering; Self-Over-Nature) - Middle class European American believe in mastery/control over nature and environment.

Harmony (Flowing; Self-With-Nature) - African, Buddhist, Asian American, Indigenous American, and Latin X cultures believe that what is human, nature, and spirit are all extensions of one another

Subjugation (Yielding; Self-Under-Nature) - Polynesian, Middle Eastern and Indian Cultures are fatalistic/submissive (fate and karma) attitude believing that nature and supernatural as forces beyond human control to be respected.

Internal Locus of Control - I can change the outcome

External Locus of Control - The outcome is out of my hands

Time

Question 3

Is the temporal focus in the culture based on the future, present, or past?

Future-Oriented - Planning for desirable short-to-medium-term development and setting clear objectives to realize them

• Middle class European Americans

Present-Oriented - Valuing her and now, especially current interpersonal relationships

• Latin X American

Past-Oriented - Honoring ancestral ties and respecting wisdom of elders

• Traditional Asian Immigrants and Indigenous Americans

Past-Present - past looms as a large historical canvas to understand present and to strategically plan the future

• African American and French (Vietnamese American - Buddhist precepts of karma and rebirth)