1. Cultural Diversity and International Organizational Behavior
Chapter 15
Cultural Diversity and International Organizational Behavior
Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior 2e Andrew J. DuBrin
PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook

2. Learning Objectives
Understand the scope, competitive advantages, and success factors associated with cultural diversity.
Identify and explain key dimensions of cultural differences.
Describe what is required for managers and organizations to become multicultural.
Be more aware of barriers to good cross-cultural relations.
Explain how motivation, ethics, conflict resolution, and skills needed for negotiation can vary across cultures.
Appreciate the nature of diversity training and cultural training.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

3. Cultural Diversity: Scope
The Scope of Cultural Diversity
Valuing diversity means to respect and enjoy a wide range of cultural and individual differences.
Scientifically measuring diversity is fairly easy; in practice, diversity may not be visible or manifest itself readily.
The goal of a diverse organization is for persons of all cultural backgrounds to achieve their full potential.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

4. The Diversity Umbrella (condensed)
Race
Sex or gender
Religion
Age (young, middle- aged, and old)
Generation differences
Ethnicity
Education
Abilities
Mental disabilities
Physical disabilities
Values and motivation
Sexual orientation
Marital status
Family status
Personality traits
Functional background
Technology interest
Weight status
Hair status
Style of clothing and appearance
Tobacco status
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

5. The Competitive Advantage of Diversity
Managing diversity well offers a marketing advantage, including increased sales and profits.
Effective management of diversity reduces costs of absenteeism and turnover through increased job satisfaction and helps avoid age, race, and discrimination lawsuits.
Companies with a favorable diversity reputation will attract more diversity applicants.
Workforce diversity can provide a company with useful ideas for favorable publicity and advertising.
Workforce heterogeneity may also offer a company a creativity advantage.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

6. Factors Associated with Diversity Success
CEO Initiation and Support
Human Resources Initiatives
Organizational Communication
Corporate Philosophy
Measures of Company Success
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

7. The Diversity Index at Allstate
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

8. Cross-Cultural Values
Key Dimensions of Differences in Cultural Values:
Individualism versus collectivism
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Materialism versus concern for others
Long-run versus short-run orientation
Formality versus informality
Urgent time orientation versus casual time orientation
High context versus low context cultures
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

9. Culturally Based Differences in Management Style
Culture provides values that guide acceptable managerial behavior and leadership styles.
Transplanted managers may need to adopt some of the characteristics of the national stereotype of an effective leader in the local culture.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

10. Culturally Based Differences in Management Style: Stereotypes
Germany Technically expert, authoritarians
France Elitist, authoritarians
Japan Formal, consensus seekers
China Low-profile, tough negotiators
United States Emotional, egalitarians
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

11. Multicultural Managers and Organizations
The Multicultural Manager
Has the skills and attitudes to relate effectively to and motivate people across race, gender, age, social attitudes, and lifestyles. Respects and values the cultural differences.
Has the ability (e.g., is bilingual) to conduct business in a diverse, international environment.
Has a cultural sensitivity in being aware and interested in why people of other culture act as they do.
Is not parochial in assuming that the ways of one’s culture are the only ways things should be done.
Is not ethnocentric in assuming that the superiority of one’s culture over that of another culture.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

12. Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

13. Protocol Do’s and Don’t’s in Several Countries
EXHIBIT
15-3b
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

14. Multicultural Managers and Organizations
The Multicultural Organization
Values cultural diversity and is willing to encourage and even capitalize on such diversity.
Benefits of a Multicultural Organization
Achieves the benefits of valuing diversity.
Avoids the problems of not managing for diversity:
increased turnover
interpersonal conflict
communication breakdowns
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

15. Developmental Stages for the Multicultural Organization
Monocultural Exclusion of minorities and women from power
Nondiscrimination Unfair advantage of majority group removed, but no culture change
Multicultural Shares power and influence with all; major culture change
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A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

16. Barriers to Good Cross-Cultural Relations
Perceptual expectations
Predispositions about the appropriate appearance and physical characteristics of individuals.
Ethnocentrism
A belief that one’s culture is the best and judging other cultures by how closely they resemble one’s own culture.
Intergroup rather than interpersonal relations
Stereotyping individuals based on their group membership
Stereotypes in intergroup relations
Assuming an individual’s personal characteristics based on their group membership.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

17. Cross-Cultural Processes: Motivation
In order to use motivational concepts across cultures, managers must know two key factors:
Which needs the people are seeking to satisfy.
Which rewards will satisfy those needs.
Research findings:
A motivational concept that has a good cultural fit with a culture can be successfully applied to that culture.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

18. Cross-Cultural Processes: Ethics
Global business practices and behaviors create ethical and legal dilemmas for managers:
The choice of which culture’s code of ethics to follow.
Conflicts between individual and organizational responsibilities for ethical behavior.
The ethics of outsourcing when doing so may create a human health or environmental safety hazard in another culture.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

19. Cross-Cultural Processes: Negotiations
Suggestions for negotiating abroad:
Use a team approach.
Do not push for informality.
Be patient.
Learn to tolerate less than full disclosure of information.
Accept silence as part of negotiating.
Take no for an answer sometimes.
Be adaptable.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

20. Cross-Cultural Processes: Conflict Resolution
National cultures influence which method of conflict resolution a manager will choose.
Tinsley’s models of conflict resolution:
Conflict Resolution Model Cultural Group Membership
Deferring to status power Japanese
Applying regulations Germans
Integrating interests Americans
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

21. Diversity Training and Cultural Training
Attempts to bring about workplace harmony by teaching people how to get along better with diverse coworkers.
Objectives of diversity training:
Fostering awareness and acceptance of individual differences.
Helping participants understand their own feelings and attitudes about people who are different.
Exploring how differences might be tapped as assets in the workplace.
Enhancing work relations between people who are different from each other.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.

22. Diversity Training and Cultural Training
Training in Cross-Cultural Relations
Cultural training
A set of learning experiences (e.g., mastering a foreign language) designed to help employees understand the customs, traditions, and beliefs of another culture.
Culture shock
The physical and psychological symptoms that can develop when a person is abruptly placed in another culture.
Cultural training is designed to help expatriates avoid culture shock, which is a major contributor to the high failure rate of overseas assignments.
A. J. DuBrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, Second Edition. Copyright © 2002 by South-Western.