1. HRMOB 300 Managing for Organization Effectiveness
Professor Xiao-Ping Chen
Session 2
International Dimensions of OB

2. Hofstede’s dimensions of culture
Individualism/collectivism
Power distance
Uncertainty avoidance
Career success and quality of life

3. Individualism and collectivism
Individualists
have loose social networks, care for self and family
hold individual goals and objectives
emphasize self-esteem
believe in universal values
Collectivists
distinguish between “in-group” and “outgroup”
hold group goals and objectives
emphasize harmony and fitting in
acknowledge that values can vary across groups
exchange loyalty for security

4. Power distance Vertical (large) Horizontal (small)
accept unequal distribution of power
title in organization important
never bypass hierarchy
Horizontal (small)
egalitarian
level in hierarchy less important
OK to bypass direct superiors

5. Within culture vs. between culture differences

6. Culture shapes behavior and perception
Cultural rules determine the message, and the way we send it
Cultural rules determine how the receiver interprets the message

7. Culture shapes perceptions
If you ask a collectivist what motivates other people, how are they likely to respond?
What is a collectivist likely to think of an individual-based merit pay system?

8. Cross-cultural interactions have two components:ME
YOU
message sent
message received

9. Culture and perception
Culture provides a schema through which we make sense of information
Once this schema is in place, it is difficult to see things otherwise
We tend to interpret other’s behavior according to our schema
when things don’t fit, our reactions are often highly visceral/emotional

10. Increasing your cross-cultural competency
Acknowledge that differences exist
Develop an explicit framework for identifying cross-cultural differences
“dimensions of culture”
remembering importance of individual differences
Increase self-awareness
what are my “rules”?
how does this affect how I perceive others?